So I got this wild idea last month – why not build a shock-absorbing volleyball court in my backyard? Everybody kept complaining about sore knees after playing on concrete. Saw some pro courts use fancy wooden floors with springs underneath, but that stuff costs more than my truck. Figured I could MacGyver something with basic lumber.
The Hunt for Cheap Shock Absorbers
First mission was finding shock absorbers that wouldn’t bankrupt me. Scoured junkyards for old car suspensions – total bust. Then remembered those bouncy playground tiles at the elementary school. Drove straight to Home Depot’s gym flooring aisle.
Key scavenged materials:
- 12 packs of recycled rubber tiles (the 2-inch thick ones)
- 40 pressure-treated 2×4 planks
- 5 gallons of waterproof wood glue
- About 500 deck screws from my grandpa’s shed
Mud, Sweat and Geometry
Started by leveling the dirt patch behind my garage. Took three weekends just digging and tamping. Laid the rubber tiles like giant puzzle pieces – had to trim three with a rusty handsaw when they didn’t fit. That rubber dust got EVERYWHERE.
Biggest headache? Getting the wooden grid level. Used mason strings crisscrossing like spiderwebs. Every time I’d screw down one beam, two others would pop up. Nearly threw my level at the fence twice. Finally wedged some asphalt shingles under the low corners.
The Springy Secret Sauce
This is where it got interesting. Instead of nailing the court floorboards directly to the frame, I glued rubber strips cut from old bike tires between them. Creates these little rubber joints. Tested on single boards first – bounced a medicine ball on ’em. Sounded like wet farts but man did it absorb impact!
Assembly line setup in the driveway:
- Slather glue on two sides of each board
- Slap rubber strips along the edges
- Screw ’em tight into the grid below
Finishing Touches and Faceplants
Ran out of boards right at the end. Had to cannibalize my decaying garden planter. Sanded everything with the orbital sander until my arms went numb. Three coats of marine varnish later – looked almost professional!
First test was hilarious. Served the ball hard, dove for a save and faceplanted right into the bouncy floor. No bruises! Knee didn’t ache after two hours of play. The rubber joints actually work – you can feel the wood flexing ever so slightly on impact. Total cost: Under 500 bucks. Beats paying some engineer thousands!
