So last Thursday I decided to finally tackle that portable volleyball court project eating space in my garage for months. You know, the one where folks keep asking “can we set it up quick for BBQ weekends?” Yeah, that one. Here’s how it went down, scraped knuckles and all.

The Mess I Started With

First off, dug out all junk piled on these timber planks – dust bunnies big enough to wear sweaters. Measured the garage space like five times ’cause once you start cutting wood, no take-backsies. Had this cheap second-hand circular saw bought off that marketplace app – thing rattled like a skeleton dancing. Important tip: clamp your timber REAL tight or the blade kicks back like a mule. Learned that the hard way when my neighbor thought I’d started a chainsaw massacre.

Materials grabbed:

• Some reclaimed teak floor planks (freebies after office demo!)
• Weatherproof glue that claimed “instant bond” – total liar.
• Interlocking plastic tiles for that “pop-together” dream
• Bungee cords thicker than my thumbs

The Annoying Glue Phase

Squirted that glue between plastic tiles like frosting. Stacked planks on top. Weighed ’em down with old gym weights. Waited 24 hours like instructions said. Came back – planks slid off like greased pigs. Glue was useless. Cursed at that tube for 10 minutes. Went to hardware store for heavy-duty outdoor epoxy. Smelled like rotten eggs but held like concrete. Re-did ALL 15 sections slowly. Ate lunch breathing epoxy fumes – not recommended.

Making It Actually Portable

Had this “aha!” moment watching kids snap LEGO bricks. Drilled holes near corners, threaded super-stiff bungees through like giant shoelaces. Each wood/plastic sandwich got four cords, zig-zag style. Test-lifted one section – actually worked! Carried like a giant crispy pizza box. Stacked all sections vertically against garage wall. Victory dance included.

Final Disaster Test Run

Took it to backyard yesterday. Threw sections down on uneven grass. Interlocked with that satisfying CLICK sound. Played three rounds with neighbors. Wind blew hard – NOTHING shifted. Rain came suddenly – plastic tiles drained water like a sieve. Timber didn’t warp! Packed entire court back into garage in under 12 minutes. Even the clumsy uncle didn’t trip.

Whole thing cost less than dinner for four at that steakhouse place downtown. Worth every splinter. Got video of neighbor face-planting trying to spike – might edit that later.