Alright folks, buckle up because today’s project was… an adventure. We’re talking about putting together that shock absorbing flooring for my backyard volleyball court, the one with hevea wood panels. Sounded simple, right? Yeah, not so much. Here’s how it went down.

Gearing Up and First Steps

First things first, the boxes arrived. Heavy suckers. Dragged ’em out to the backyard where I planned to build this court. Cleared out a big area, trying to get it as level as possible by eye. Probably should’ve used a level, but hey, optimism. Unpacked everything – planks, foam pads, connectors, the whole shebang.

Layed down the first foam pad squares, those shock absorbing bits. Had to kinda puzzle-piece them together across the whole area. Measured twice, cut once? Nah, more like measure once, realize it’s off, cuss a bit, then cut again. Used a sharp utility knife, hacked away at the foam pads to fit around the edges and where the ground dipped slightly. Not exactly precision engineering.

The Great Wood Plank Puzzle

Now came the hevea wood planks. They’re nice looking, solid wood, heavy. Started at one corner, lining up the first plank. These things have those groove-and-tongue edges, supposed to just click together. Yeah, in theory. In practice? Needed a mallet. A big mallet.

Started tapping them together. Gentle taps did nothing. Needed some serious whacks. My arm was burning after the first row. And getting them straight? Forget laser beams, I was eyeballing it against the edge of the foam pads. Adjusted constantly, pulling things apart slightly, bashing them back in. It felt like herding cats made of wood.

• Measure the space: Thought I had it… then realized I forgot about the extra few inches needed at the far end. Mild panic.
• Cutting planks: Had to slice the last plank of each row to fit. Used a circular saw – earplugs mandatory. Wood dust everywhere, smelled kinda nice actually, but messy.
• Dealing with connectors: Those little plastic clips that hold planks together? Half of them felt like they’d snap before they clicked. Pressed down with my knee – hard. Heard pops and cracks, not sure if it was the wood, the clips, or my knees.

Slowly, row by painful row, it started looking like a floor. Sweat was dripping, wood scraps piled up.

Finishing Touches and Reality Check

Got to the last row. Guess what? Tight fit. Had to really force those final planks in, jamming the mallet sideways, leaning my whole weight into it. Thought the groove might shatter. But finally, click! Mostly.

Stepped back. Looked okay! Not perfectly smooth everywhere, a slight dip where I probably messed up the foam layer underneath. But hey, it’s a volleyball court, not a ballroom floor.

The big test: Jumped on it. Yeah, you could feel the give! That shock absorbing foam definitely worked. Took a ball and bounced it – felt good, solid, but with that nice cushion underneath. Success!

So, was it easy? Nope. Cost me three whole days and my back’s yelling at me. Worth it? Heck yeah. Now, who wants to come over for a game? Just watch out for that slightly uneven spot near the net…