So I got this idea last month – wanted a basketball hoop setup but didn’t wanna mess up my driveway permanent-like. Kept thinking how sweet it’d be to slap together some wooden flooring that pops in and out when the neighbors complain about bouncing balls after dark.

The Big Plan

Started sketching on a pizza box with a marker. Figured I’d make box sections that lock together like giant puzzle pieces. Each box gotta be small enough for me to lift alone when my lazy brother bails on helping. Went with 4×4 foot squares cause that’s what my truck bed holds easy.

Ran down to the lumberyard Saturday morning for supplies:

• Pressure-treated 2x4s – can’t have these suckers warping in rain
• 1-inch plywood boards – not too heavy but thick enough to not buckle
• Buncha galvanized corner brackets
• Outdoor carpet scraps for grip
• Two cases of beer (for liquid motivation obviously)

Cutting and Cursing

Laid all the lumber across sawhorses in the backyard. Measured once then cut twelve times cause my tape measure keeps retracting funny. Sawdust everywhere – looked like a woodchuck exploded. Pro tip: wear goggles unless you want eyeballs fulla splinters.

Started assembling the frames on the driveway. Pre-drilled holes so the wood wouldn’t split when I sunk screws. Used those L-brackets at corners like little metal hugs keeping boards together. My thumb may or may not have gotten intimate with the hammer twice.

The Snap-Together Magic

Here’s where I got clever – made interlocking joints using plywood tabs. Cut tongues on one side of each panel, slots on the other. Tested by slapping two sections together real hard. One misaligned piece flew six feet – nearly took out Mrs. Wilson’s prize geraniums.

Attached plywood tops with deck screws every 8 inches. Shoved outdoor carpet underneath using construction adhesive so it wouldn’t slide around during dunk contests. The final touch? Spray-painted neon lines so it looks semi-official.

Stress Testing

Made my cousin Jerome jump on it repeatedly – dude’s 280 pounds easy. Sections held solid with no creaking. Dragged em around the yard clicking together like LEGOs. Whole court assembles in twenty minutes now. When rain came last week, just pulled em apart and stacked em vertical against the garage.

Only real screw-up? Forgot to account for thermal expansion. When it got real hot last Tuesday two panels buckled slightly. Fixed it by leaving pencil-width gaps between sections. Now it handles sun and cold like a champ.

Total cost around $420. Cheaper than concrete pour and way more satisfying. My knees still hurt from kneeling all weekend but watching kids play ball on my floating court? Worth every splinter and sore muscle.