Okay so here’s how my shock-absorbing basketball floor project actually went down. Wanted a decent court in the garage for me and the kids without wrecking our knees or the neighbors’ eardrums with the ball bouncing like crazy. Figured wood was the way, but regular stuff? Nah. Needed cushion.
The Starting Point & Head-Scratching
Saw some fancy gym floors online, felt way too rich for my blood. Decided to go the DIY route. First thought? Just slap some thick foam under regular plywood, right? Bought some cheap foam squares – the kind for kids’ playrooms. Stuck plywood on top. Worst idea ever. Felt like playing on a giant sponge cake. Ball bounced like it was underwater, and trying to run? Forget it, felt like I’d sprain an ankle stepping wrong. Total fail.
Back to the drawing board. Started digging into actual sports floors online, mostly just pictures and vague stuff. Kept seeing thin, long wood strips laid on battens. Okay, maybe… but how do they get the bounce and cushion? That’s where the head-scratching got real.
Stumbling Onto the Answer (Sort Of)
Finally found a forum post buried deep – some dude talking about “floating” wood floors not glued or nailed directly to concrete. That clicked! Made sense. If the whole floor sits on something a bit soft, it could bounce and absorb shock. Eureka moment! Kinda.
Went hunting materials again:
- Wood: Needed something tough. Went with maple boards, shorter lengths cause it was cheaper. Didn’t want super thin stuff either. Got planks about 3/4 inch thick.
- The Secret Sauce – Pad: Ditched the thick foam. Found this dense rubber pad stuff online, meant for laminates. Description said “cushioning” and “sound reducing.” Bought a roll.
- Supports: Decided on treated lumber for battens – 2x4s laid flat. Figured they could bridge the pad.
- Other Bits: Screws, wood glue, finishing stuff.
Budget Tip? Maple ain’t cheap. Looked hard for seconds or slightly imperfect boards. Saved a decent chunk.
The Messy Building Part
Right. Got the garage cleared out finally. Swept the concrete slab clean. Felt like prepping for surgery.
- Rolled out the rubber pad over the whole slab area. Made sure no wrinkles, just smooth. Cut it with a box knife. Simple.
- Laid the battens. Placed them flat on the pad, spaced about 16 inches apart, running perpendicular to where the wood planks would go. Used a level constantly. This part was tedious – getting them all level with each other on that pad was fiddly. Shimmed a couple spots with thin ply pieces.
- Screwed into nothing. Well, kinda. Screwed the battens DOWN through the pad INTO the concrete slab? No! Just screwed the battens together side-by-side at the ends to make them one big, rigid grid sitting on the pad. Didn’t pin them to the concrete. That “floating” idea.
- The Fun Part – Laying Wood. Started gluing and screwing the maple planks onto the battens. Tongue-and-groove edges. First row: Took forever to get straight. Mistake I made? Got cocky and didn’t leave enough gap at the edges. Humidity hit later, couple planks swelled and touched the wall, little bump formed. Whoops. Lesson learned – leave that gap!
- Finishing Touches. Sanded everything down smooth, took ages, dust everywhere. Applied a tough water-based polyurethane finish. Three coats. Let it cure for what felt like forever before letting anyone near it.
The Big Test (& Sigh of Relief)
Finally. Got the hoop back in. First dribble… felt different. Good different. Ball came back up nice and crisp, but it wasn’t that harsh “CLACK!” on concrete. Dribbled hard – definitely quieter. Jumped. Yeah, you could feel a little give. Not soft like a playground, but a proper, subtle cushion compared to playing straight on concrete or plain wood over concrete. Kids loved it. Knees thanked me.
Key Takeaway? That thin rubber pad under the floating grid of battens is where the magic is. Lets the whole floor move just a tiny bit when you land. Cheap rubber pad. Who knew? Looks like a proper little court now, works way better than my first foam disaster. Neighbors haven’t complained once.
Damn right, worked.
