Getting Started with Pad Basketball Maple Flooring

First I tore open that big wooden crate because the delivery guy just dumped it by my garage door. Looked inside and boom – a million identical maple planks all stacked up like dominos. Grabbed my tape measure first thing, pacing around the concrete pad in my backyard like a madman marking corners with yellow chalk. Forgot to check if the ground was level though, dummy me.

Tools & Prep Work

• Hammer drill from neighbor Dave (promised him cold beer later)
• Rubber mallet I found under old paint cans
• 2 tubes of glue that smelled like chemical death
• Sweaty work gloves with holes in the fingers

The Click-Clack Locking Nightmare

Started snapping planks together by the fence corner. These maple tongues are stubborn little beasts – had to whack’em hard with the mallet while kneeling on concrete. Sweat dripping in my eyes after just three rows. Then oh crap, the groove cracked on plank number seven. That clicking sound is either satisfying or makes you wanna scream.

Glue time came next. Squeezing that smelly tube made sticky rivers everywhere. Wiped excess with my shirt sleeve like an idiot – ruined my favorite tee. Had to crawl on all fours pressing boards down, knees aching like grandpa’s. Almost twisted planks sideways twice before checking arrows underneath.

Midway Meltdown Moment

Around noon I hit wall when pieces stopped lining up. Turns out I hammered too hard and bent the locking edge. Had to jimmy out six planks using butter knife and pliers. Chunks flew everywhere, almost clocked myself in the face. Resorted to YouTube on my phone with greasy fingers, balancing it on toolbox.

Fix List for Major Screw-Ups:

• Sanded wonky edges with Dave’s rusty sandpaper
• Added extra glue like cake frosting in gaps
• Used heavy books and paint buckets as weights
• Ate three stress sandwiches during break

Final Stretch Victory

After the wonky part was fixed, the last quarter went smoother. Whacking became rhythmic like drumming. That maple started looking proper – honey brown lines all straight and tight. Saved longest planks for center court, felt like laying royal carpet.

Done by sundown with sore back and glue-stiff jeans. Threw basketball immediately – it bounced so good I did a dumb happy dance. Worth every splinter and glue disaster. Next weekend’s project? Assembling hoop stand, wish me luck…