So I’ve been itching to build an outdoor volleyball court in my backyard, but I didn’t want anything permanent. That’s when I stumbled upon this idea for removable soft maple flooring. Sounded perfect for my needs.
Getting Started
First, I hauled my butt to the lumber yard and grabbed soft maple planks. Why maple? It’s cheaper than hardwood but still tough enough for bare feet. Got myself 2×6 boards in 8-foot lengths, plus a bunch of wood glue and deck screws. My truck bed looked like a lumberjack’s paradise driving home.
The Assembly Tango
Laid out all planks in my garage sideways. Measured twice (okay, maybe once) and started screwing support beams across the planks every 16 inches. Messed up the first panel spacing something fierce – ended up with gaps big enough to lose car keys in. Had to unscrew the whole damn thing and redo it. Note to self: clamp boards together BEFORE drilling.
Took three days just to build eight 4×6 panels. My drill smelled like burnt plastic halfway through, and I think I invented new swear words when splinters got under my fingernails. The panels looked rough as hell – edges were uneven and surfaces weren’t completely flush. Took my orbital sander to them like a madman. Sawdust covered everything like snow.
The Groundwork Hassle
Cleared my lawn like a crazy person – ripped out grass and weeds. Leveled the dirt best I could with a rake and shovel. Should’ve rented a compactor because after three days of rain? The ground turned into lumpy pudding. Had to re-level the whole mess twice!
Connecting the Puzzle Pieces
This part was actually cool. Put rubber matting on the uneven dirt first – those interlocking gym mats – then started laying panels. They clipped together with these plastic connectors I got online. Took me a minute to figure out I had to hammer them in GENTLY or they’d snap. Broke six before I got the touch right. When the last one snapped into place? Felt like finishing a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle.
The Real Test
Called neighbors over for a match. First dive for the ball and… WHOMP! The panel nearest the net sunk into soft ground. Everybody froze like statues watching that corner slump. Felt my face turn tomato-red. We propped it up with patio pavers underneath like a MacGyver episode, then finished the game laughing at my DIY faceplant.
After everybody left, I spent hours moving panels around to find the soft spots and shoving more pavers under them. Now it holds steady unless someone does a cannonball-style serve.
Final Thoughts
Works better than I expected for backyard stuff. Pros:
- Comes apart easy for storage
- Maple feels great underfoot
- Cheaper than store-bought kits
Cons:
- Still shifts slightly after heavy rain
- Sanded off part of my fingerprint
- My wife’s eye-rolls when I brag about it
Would I do it again? Yeah, but I’d pay someone else to do the leveling part. Worth every splinter when I see buddies spiking over the net with beers in hand.
