Alright team, buckle up for this one. Finally got around to tackling that old concrete pad out back – you know the one, cracked and ugly as sin. Dreamt of turning it into a proper spot for shooting hoops, but with some class. Oak flooring was the vision.

The “Planning” Phase

First off, measured that pad. Taped it out rough. Looked… manageable. Went online, fell down a rabbit hole of forums. Big talk about ‘moisture barriers’, ‘acclimation periods’. Felt overwhelming, honestly. Decided to wing it like half my projects.

Went down to the big box store:

• Snagged bundles of unfinished red oak tongue-and-groove planks.
• Grabbed a massive jug of that nasty-smelling urethane adhesive.
• Picked up gallons of polyurethane finish stuff, figuring “more coats = tougher”.
• Threw in a bag of those plastic shims cause the guy said so.

Budget already groaning.

Let the Mess Begin

Got home, dumped the wood on the pad like the store guy mumbled about letting it ‘sit’. Left it there for two days. Weather flipped – hot sun, then muggy as heck. Thought nothing of it. Mistake number one.

Started cleaning the concrete pad. Swept it hard. Then hit it with the garden hose. Big mistake number two. Water pooled in the low spots. Shoulda borrowed a level.

Next day, figured it was dry enough. Opened that glue jug – fumes hit me like a truck. Slapped that goop down thick. Started laying the first row near the house. Used some spare tiles as spacers I found. Looked kinda okay. Got cocky.

By row three, those boards I left out? They’d swollen up tight. Hammering the tongue into the groove felt like trying to force a square peg. Had to whack it stupid hard with a rubber mallet and a scrap block. Progress was snail slow.

The Gaps & The Glue Apocalypse

Rows later, gaps started popping up. Some boards shrank overnight, leaving these annoying cracks. Tried stuffing glue-covered shims in there. Got glue everywhere. Hands were a sticky mess, plank edges were gummed up. Tripped trying to wipe glue off my shoe, nearly planted face-first into a wet row.

Ended up near the other edge of the pad. Whole thing was not square. Had a gap about a fist wide. Looked like crap. Chopped down the last planks with my circular saw, hack job, splinters flying. Jammed those wedges in hard. Didn’t look pretty, but it was covered.

Left it all under a tarp for two days, praying the glue set. The pad smelled like a chemical factory.

Finishing Touches (Ha!)

Time for the poly. Shook the can like I was mad at it. Brushed it on thick. Went back after dinner… saw drips, sawdust stuck, and weird bubbles. Sanded it rough with sandpaper grit that felt like gravel. Clouds of dust. Applied coat two. Same story, just dustier.

Stopped at three coats. Figured ‘rustic basketball court’ was a vibe.

Thumbs Up or Nah?

Put the hoop back up yesterday. Bounced a ball… thump. Sounds solid. Oak feels amazing underfoot, so smooth. Looks a thousand times better than that concrete eyesore.

Is it perfect? Absolutely not.

• Got gaps like little canyons in places.
• A few boards have suspicious humps.
• The glue stains are my shame.
• The finish looks patchy when the sun hits it just right.

But it’s mine. Built it. Sweat and glue and questionable decisions. Ball goes in the hoop just fine. Would I do it again? Maybe. Smarter? Probably not.