Okay, so this whole pad dance floor thing started after my old foam tiles got wrecked. Saw some larch wood planks on sale at the hardware dump last Tuesday and went, “Yeah, that’ll do.” Grabbed my toolbox and just dove in headfirst.

Clearing the Battlefield

First, I yanked that sad foam mat outta the living room. Swept like crazy ’cause dust bunnies were having parties under there. Measured the space – roughly 2 meters by 1.5 meters. Marked it with painter’s tape on the floor like a crime scene outline. Realized halfway my measuring tape had chewed edges. Typical.

Wood Playtime

Unpacked those larch planks… and wow, they smelled like a forest fire. Laid ’em flat on the carpet to “relax” overnight. Next morning, lined ’em up inside the taped zone. Three planks were total rebels – curved like bananas. Had to weigh ’em down with dumbbells and old encyclopedias for two hours while cursing under my breath.

Click-Clack Wrestling

The tongue-and-groove system looked simple on the box. Reality check:

• Started at the corner, shoved plank A into plank B.
• Heard a scary crack – pulled back. Too much force.
• Whacked ’em gently with a rubber mallet instead.
• Midway, groove edges started splintering. Grabbed sandpaper and smoothed ’em like I was petting a cat.
• Tripped over plank stack twice. My big toe remembers.

Lockdown Mode

Once all planks were clicked in, I stomped around the edges to jam ’em tight. Sweat dripping everywhere. Pulled out L-brackets – drilled ’em underneath at the corners. Hit a hidden knot; drill bit screeched like a banshee. Almost gave up when one bracket refused to sit flush. Threw a washer behind it and called it genius.

Sweaty Victory Dance

Kicked off my slippers and tested it with some basic steps. Boards stayed put! No wobbles! Jumped like a kangaroo – still held. But damn, my knees felt every vibration. Might throw a rug on top later. Right now? Collapsed on the sofa with ice on my foot. Worth every splinter.