Why I Decided to Try This Removable Volleyball Maple Flooring Thing

Alright, so I was scrolling online one day and saw some fancy removable volleyball flooring stuff. It looked cool and got me thinking – why not build one myself? My backyard is kinda small, and I wanted a place to play volleyball without wrecking the grass or spending tons of cash. Plus, I’m all into woodworking as a hobby, so I thought, “Hey, let’s give this a shot.” Not like I’m a pro or anything, just messing around.

Getting Started with the Plan

First, I sketched out a rough idea on a napkin. It was simple: make wooden panels that snap together like puzzle pieces for a volleyball court, but easy to take apart and store. I knew nothing about this, so I just winged it. Measured the space in my yard – about 10 feet by 20 feet – and figured I’d need maple wood because it’s tough and looks nice. Also, it had to be removable so I could pack it away after games without a big hassle.

• I grabbed a tape measure and old pen to mark the sizes.
• Decided on small panels, maybe 2 feet by 2 feet each, to keep it manageable.
• Sketched how they’d lock together using tongue-and-groove joints (basically like Lego blocks but for wood).

But right away, I screwed up. Forgot to account for gaps where the panels meet. Realized it after staring at my doodle for too long. Had to start over, which sucked.

Buying the Maple Wood and Other Junk

Next, I drove to the local hardware store. The guy there looked confused when I explained my project. “You wanna make what?” he mumbled. I just smiled and grabbed some maple planks – they felt heavy but smooth. Also picked up nails, screws, and wood glue. Oh, and sandpaper for smoothing rough edges. Spent way more than I planned, around 200 bucks. My wife later saw the receipt and gave me the stink eye. “We could’ve just bought a real net,” she said. Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?

Actually Building the Darn Panels

Got home and started cutting the wood in my garage. Made a huge mess – sawdust everywhere, tools scattered. Used the saw to slice the maple into squares, but man, it was slow work. My hands got tired quick. Here’s how it went:

• Measured and marked each plank with chalk, then sawed it roughly.
• Sanded them down to remove splinters – took forever and my fingers hurt.
• Added the tongue-and-groove edges using the router, but messed up a few panels. Had to redo three of ’em because they didn’t fit snug.
• Assembled them on the garage floor to test it. They clicked together nice, but wobbled a bit when I stepped on them. Not good for volleyball.

Facing Annoying Problems and Fixes

This part was frustrating. The panels slid apart when I tried to run on them. Felt like ice skating! I thought it might be the gaps I mentioned earlier, so I added extra screws and glued in small rubber pads under the joints. Worked better, but now it was too stiff to disassemble easily. Had to rip some stuff out and redo it.

• Problem 1: Slipping panels. Fixed it by attaching those pads. But they cost another trip to the store.
• Problem 2: Uneven surface. Some spots were higher than others. Spent hours shaving wood off with a chisel until it felt level.
• Problem 3: Rusty tools. My old hammer got stuck in a plank. Almost threw it out.

Finally Putting It All Together in the Yard

After a week of trial and error, I hauled everything outside. Sweated like crazy laying it out. Clicked the panels together over the grass – it took about 2 hours ’cause I kept dropping things. When it was done, I called the neighbor over to test it. We played volleyball barefoot. It felt solid and smooth, like a real court! The maple wood looked shiny in the sun. We even slid it apart when we finished and stacked it in a corner. So removable, just like I wanted.

What Happened After and My Thoughts

So yeah, it worked out. Kids used it for a game last weekend, and it held up fine. Messy process, but worth it for the fun. Learned that DIY stuff always takes longer than you think. Would I do it again? Probably not – it’s a one-time thing. But hey, it beats paying big bucks. And now I’ve got a story to share with you guys. If you try it, start small and expect headaches. Or just buy something pre-made! Live and learn, right?