So, I decided to upgrade my backyard volleyball court because the old concrete surface was wrecking my knees—every game felt like smashing into rocks. After some quick searches online, I realized wooden flooring with shock absorption might do the trick. Yeah, I know, it sounds fancy, but I figured why not give it a shot?

Getting Everything Ready

First off, I ran over to the local hardware store to grab supplies. Bought a bunch of hardwood planks—you know, the solid kind that doesn’t bend easily—plus those rubber shock pads I’d heard about. Measured the whole court space with my old tape measure, scribbling numbers down on a scrap of paper. Also, piled up tools like a saw, nails, and a drill. Total mess at this point, but hey, that’s how my projects always start.

Putting It All Together

Alright, time to assemble this beast. Started by laying out the wooden flooring pieces on the ground, side by side. Cut some to size using my handheld saw—bits flying everywhere, nearly nicked my finger! Then, attached the shock pads underneath each plank with heavy-duty glue. This part got messy; pads kept shifting, had to redo a few sections. After that, nailed the planks down to the base framework. Honestly, it was slow going, taking breaks to wipe sweat and double-check everything stayed level.

Ran into some hiccups along the way. For one, the wood wasn’t perfectly even in spots, so I shaved off chunks with the saw. And those shock pads? They didn’t stick well at first—glue oozed all over, had to clean it up fast before it dried. At this rate, I was losing patience, but I kept pushing through.

The Big Test

Finally, it was done! Invited a few pals over for a volleyball match. Set up the net, kicked the ball around—and wow, the difference was crazy. My knees didn’t throb like before; the floor actually felt springy and soft underfoot. Even had a friend jump hard on it to see if it held up, and it did—no creaks or cracks.

What I Learned

• This whole shock-absorbing thing really works for volleyball—way better than that old concrete mess.
• Patience pays off; if I’d rushed, the floor might have collapsed mid-game.
• Buying extra supplies saved me when I messed up—always over-prepare.