Okay so last weekend I got this dumb idea after watching too many late-night DIY videos. Our old basketball court pad in the garage was wrecked – cracks everywhere, totally useless. Then I remembered that pile of old wooden sleepers stacked behind the shed, leftovers from the neighbor’s fence project last summer. Figured, why not try slapping those on top? Bad idea? Probably. But here’s how it went down.

Digging Out the Old Mess

First thing Saturday morning, I hauled everything outta the garage. That busted basketball pad was heavy as hell and crumbling like stale bread. Sweat was dripping before I even got serious. Dragged it to the curb – pretty sure the garbage guys will hate me next pickup day. Then came the clean-up. Man, years of dirt, leaves, and mystery garage gunk under it. Grabbed the broom, then the shop vac, even got down on my knees with a scraper for the stubborn sticky patches. Took me two hours just to get a clean concrete floor.

The Wooden Puzzle Struggle

Went out back to tackle the sleeper pile. They weren’t exactly pretty. Warped, splintery, some weird black stains. Started hauling them over one by one. Man, those things are dense. Arms were burning after like five trips. Had to measure the garage space – rough rectangle, about 10 by 12 feet. Started laying them out like giant awkward puzzle pieces. Fit was… messy. Big gaps here, overlapping there. Had to drag them around constantly, flip ’em, curse at ’em. Nothing wanted to line up straight. Ended up needing the circular saw.

• Marked rough lines where they overlapped.
• Set up sawhorses right there on the driveway (dust went everywhere).
• Cut pieces slow and careful. That saw was jumping, wood was tough.
• Still had uneven edges after cutting. Broke out the belt sander, made clouds of sawdust.

Took most of the afternoon just getting them kinda fitting together on the floor, gaps still bigger than I wanted.

Making It Stick (Sorta)

Right, time to actually attach them down. No way was I drilling into the garage slab. Grabbed a bunch of those heavy-duty double-sided carpet tape rolls from the hardware store. Peeled off the backing like an idiot sticker, pressed it onto the concrete in strips. Then wrestled the first sleeper into place and stomped all over it. Repeat… and repeat. Used leftover plywood scraps as spacers between some pieces to shrink the worst gaps. Looked ridiculous.

Got to the last sleeper – surprise! Too long again. Another trip back to the saw, coughing in the dust. Finally wrestled it in. Stood back, wiped sweat off my forehead. Looked… weirdly okay? Not perfect, like at all. Uneven, gaps here and there, definitely not NBA quality.

The Aftermath

Well, it’s down. Dribbled an old ball on it. Sound is different – deep, solid thump instead of the rubbery bounce. Feels sturdy underfoot. Doubt it’ll last forever. Neighbor came over later, stared at it, just said “Huh.” Yeah, exactly. Worth it? Honestly, not sure yet. Looks kinda industrial, saved the old wood from the fire pit. Feels cool having actually done it, even if it’s rough. Kids love it, so win? Maybe. Would I do it again? Ask me after my arms stop aching.