Okay, so last month, I finally pulled the trigger on that shock-absorbing volleyball court flooring project in my garage. Been dreaming about a proper setup for ages, ever since my knees started screaming after every game on concrete. Yeah, I’m getting older, whatever. So I ordered these maple assembly planks specifically advertised for volleyball. Boxes showed up heavy as hell – nearly threw my back out dragging ’em inside.

The Sweat-Fest Assembly

First weekend, cleared out the whole garage. Swept, leveled the concrete floor – found like ten old screws and a dead mouse. Nice. Started laying down the foam underlayment; unrolled it like a cheap carpet. Felt like memory foam for your feet, kinda weird. Then came the maple planks. Interlocking system looked simple on YouTube. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Alignment sucked at first. Had to whack ’em with a rubber mallet like a caveman. Took me and my buddy Dave three hours just to get the first row straight. Sweating buckets, arguing about angles – typical weekend project stuff.

Midway Panic

Halfway through, ran into this warped plank. Supplier sent a replacement after I threatened to return everything. Lost two days shipping. Then, trimming the edges around the garage door track? Absolute nightmare. Used a jigsaw, got sawdust in my eyes, yelled at nothing. Had to sand the cut edges smooth ’cause splinters suck. Finished the last plank, wiped it down with some cleaning solution, and just laid there on the floor like a starfish. Smelled like fresh wood and regret.

Finally Testing It Out

Waited 24 hours ’cause the instructions said so. Grabbed my volleyball, did a solo test – dropped it from head height. Didn’t bounce like crazy, kinda cushioned? Then invited the whole team over. Game on. First dive… holy crap. Didn’t feel like slamming into concrete. More like a firm mattress. Played three sets. Knees? Quiet. Back? Fine. Nobody wiped out slipping either – the texture grips like sneakers on sand.

The Three Big Wins

#1 Knees Don’t Hate Me Anymore
Jumping doesn’t feel like a punishment. Land soft, play longer. No more icy-hot patches after games. Life-changer.
#2 Ball Actually Behaves
Bounce is predictable. On concrete, the ball zips like a rocket. Here? Controlled. Spikes land clean, digs feel natural.
#3 No More Broken Gear
My buddy’s knee pads usually fray on concrete. After five games? Still intact. Floor eats impacts, not equipment.

Yeah, assembly was a beast, and I cursed every splinter. But sliding across maple without feeling like my kneecaps exploded? Worth every damn hour.