Man, this project took me forever but man am I proud of how it turned out. You know how my garage basketball court’s concrete floor feels like jumping on a truck bed? After spraining my ankle last month, I figured enough was enough – needed cushioning.

The Starting Point: Concrete Blues

Started by ripping up the old setup. My back’s still complaining about scraping off that crusty rubber mat. Those cheap foam puzzle pieces? Useless. Ball bounced like a brick and my knees felt every impact.

Wood Hunting and Measuring Madness

Went lumber yard hopping. Oak? Bank account said no. Pine? Too soft. Settled on maple plywood sheets – tough enough for dribbling but won’t bankrupt me. Measured the court space twice, ordered extra boards anyway. Smart move because dang, messed up the first cut.

The Magic Layer: Shock Absorbers

This was the tricky part. Bought these thick rubber pads, supposed to eat up vibrations. Like gym floor tiles but way cheaper. Laid them down like a jigsaw puzzle, hammering every edge flush so no tripping hazards. Sweated buckets sealing the gaps with industrial glue.

My make-or-break layers:

• Concrete base (swept clean, dried completely)
• Rubber shock pads (glued down and rolled flat)
• 1/2″ plywood sheets (screwed together tight)
• Maple surface boards (nailed every 6 inches)

Sweating the Small Stuff

Cutting the maple? Nightmare. Sawdust covered everything. Had to sand every plank smooth, especially the edges. Wore goggles but still sneezed sawdust for days. Nailed it down inch by inch – hammering sounds drove the dog nuts. Finished with five coats of clear sealant, drying forever between layers. Smelled like a chemical plant.

Testing Day Glory

Grabbed the ball yesterday for a proper test drive. Night and day difference! Landed after a layup expecting the usual jolt… nothing. Just this soft thump through my shoes. Ball bounce felt true, no dead spots. Even did ten jump squats just to feel that cushy rebound in my knees.

Was it perfect? Nah. Got a couple slightly uneven board seams if you run your hand over them. But playing? Feels like a proper court now. Total project took three weekends and ate my wallet, but my ankles are already thanking me.