Alright folks, let’s dive into this messy but kinda fun project I tackled this past weekend. Been itching for a decent volleyball setup in the backyard without killing the grass or my bank account. Saw folks online talkin’ about portable wood flooring pieces you can assemble, thought, “Hey, why not try making my own?” Spoiler alert: it’s tougher than it looks, but hey, it kinda works!

Getting the Stuff Together

First things first, I needed wood. Off I went to the big orange store, dragging my slightly grumpy self. Looked at different plywood sheets – heavy stuff, felt like lifting weights just walking past them. Settled on a bunch of 2-foot by 4-foot sheets. That seemed manageable enough, right? Grabbed a bag of screws, some wood glue (because why not make it extra sturdy?), and those little plastic feet things – the puck-shaped ones you screw underneath to lift the wood off the ground. Thought they might protect the boards and maybe help with drainage or something.

What I Hauled Home:

• Like, 8 sheets of plywood (1/2 inch thick)
• A big ol’ box of deck screws (2 inches long)
• One tube of wood glue
• A bunch of those plastic feet pads
• A mental note to build bigger muscles next time

The Measuring Headache

Got everything laid out in the garage, dusty floor and all. Measured each sheet again. Okay, most were roughly 2×4 feet. Then came the moment of truth. Grabbed a couple boards, put ’em side-by-side on the floor. Smooth sailing? Nope. Edges weren’t perfect, ended up with a gap you could probably lose a small coin in. Crap. Tried shoving them together harder, like that ever works. Nada. Realized real quick I needed some way to lock ’em together.

Started staring at the underside of the boards, pacing like a confused detective. Had this flash: what if I screwed little blocks onto the sides? Like, one block on one board sticking out, and the next board slides over it? Simple, hopefully. Cut a few small scrap blocks to test it. Seemed to work… kinda. Fit wasn’t Hollywood-perfect, but the boards didn’t just slide apart when I stepped on them. Good enough for government work, I figured.

Drilling, Gluing, Swearing

Alright, time for power tools and sticky situations. For each piece:

• Smeared wood glue along the edge of a long side (felt messy as heck).
• Grabbed my pre-cut blocks. Stuck one near each end of the glued edge, clamping them down temporarily while I drilled pilot holes. Safety glasses on, feeling fancy.
• Whacked in two screws through each block into the plywood edge. Felt solid, mostly. Did this on one long side of every board.
• Then, flipped each board over. Took those plastic feet, figured out spacing for decent support without tripping on them. Screwed two feet on each short end, roughly under where the blocks were on top. Hoped it would balance.

Garage smelled like sawdust, glue, and mild frustration. Found my drill battery dying halfway through – classic.

Test Run with Mild Chaos

Finally got all eight panels prepped. Dragged two out to the backyard, onto the patchy grass. Shoved the block from the first board into the slot between the two blocks on the second one. Pushed down with my foot. Held! Did a little shuffle hop. It wobbled a bit but didn’t collapse. Progress!

Assembled the whole damn thing right there – my very own, slightly uneven, 16-foot long volleyball court surface. Grabbed my old volleyball, gave it a bounce. Thud. Thud. Thud. Way harder than grass, softer than concrete. Okay, not great ball response, but it definitely felt like a surface!

Biggest Wins: You can take it apart! Carrying one panel is way easier than a whole floor. I can stack ’em in the corner of the garage without needing a forklift.

Epic Fails: It’s got waves, man. Where boards meet, sometimes it’s smooth, sometimes it’s a tiny cliff. Stepping on an edge joint feels sketchy. The bounce isn’t consistent. And under the hot sun? The wood felt like it moved.

Would I Do It Again?

Honestly? Maybe, but smarter. Learned a ton about aligning stuff. Might try thinner plywood, maybe sand the edges smoother before attaching blocks, definitely plan the joining system better. Maybe even add actual tabs or metal fittings next time.

Is it pro-level? Heck no. Looks like a backyard hack job. But for throwing down on a Saturday, slapping the ball around without wrecking the lawn? Yeah, it’s removable, it’s portable-ish, it’s made of wood, and it’s functional (sorta). Mission kinda accomplished, I guess? Good enough fun for now!