Why I Even Tried This Bonkers Idea

Alright, so picture this: summer evenings, wanted to whack a volleyball around in the yard without needing a whole net setup permanently. Also, needed some cheap sleepers for a small flower bed project. Brain goes: why not make volleyball poles that turn into sleepers? Sounded wild but kind of awesome, so I rolled with it.

Stuff I Dug Up From Around the Place

Rummaged through the garage and scrap pile, grabbed:

• Three old pressure-treated 4×4 posts (about 8ft long, kinda rough).
• Two shorter, stouter logs (maybe 6ft? Didn’t even measure properly).
• A big roll of that heavy-duty nylon strapping tape (the kind with metal buckles).
• Some chunky steel L-brackets and thick bolts/washers/nuts from an old shelf kit.
• My trusty drill (bless its loud heart), a saw, and a wrench. Ruler? Nah, eyeballed it mostly.

Putting It Together (The Sweaty Part)

First, the net holders. Took one long 4×4, stood it upright. Marked spots near the top for the brackets – guessed “head height” for holding the net. Drilled pilot holes, slapped on the L-bracket with two big bolts on each arm, cranked the wrench until it felt solid. Repeated the whole sweaty drill with the other long 4×4. Felt like wrestling logs.

Then, the sleepers… kinda. Laid the two shorter logs flat on the ground, side by side where I wanted the bed. This was the easy bit. Just placed them.

Connecting the madness. Now the tricky bit: how to hook the uprights onto the sleepers securely? Grabbed the nylon strapping. Wrapped a strap super tight around one upright base, then straight down and looped it crazy tight around one sleeper log. Yanked that buckle closed like my life depended on it. Did the exact same wrestling match with the other upright and sleeper. Straps looked like belts holding up giant pants.

Moment of Truth (Pleasing Grunt Sounds)

Stood back. Looked janky as heck. Pushed against an upright – wobbled a bit but held. Gave it a proper shoulder shove. Grunted. Wood creaked pleasantly, straps held tight. It stayed! Threw the volleyball net over the L-brackets. Adjusted the tension – held the net fine for some casual smacking around. Played a few lazy volleys with a buddy. Net bounced, poles swayed slightly, but nothing fell over. Success!

The Removal Test. After volleyball time, needed sleeper mode. Undid the buckle on one strap – whoosh – pole just lifted off the sleeper log. Did the same with the other. Stacked the poles aside. Two logs now sitting flat, ready to be soil-filled flower borders. Boom. Converted.

Honest Thoughts After the Dust Settled

Worked? Yeah, surprisingly. Looks like Frankenstein’s garden project? Also yes. The straps aren’t pretty, but man, they grip like crazy when tightened. Love that I can stash the poles and the sleepers just become… sleepers. Saved cash, reused junk, solved two problems with one bonkers idea. Would I build the Taj Mahal like this? Nope. For a quick summer setup and temporary bed edging? Heck yeah. Straps loosen sometimes after heavy rain or lots of wind, gotta re-tighten. Minor hassle for the fun factor. It’s rough, it’s ready, it just works.