Okay, let me share how I actually made this shock absorbing volleyball plywood portable wooden floor thing. It all started about two months ago. I was playing volleyball with friends at the park after work, but the ground was all rocky and bumpy. My back started killing me after just a few games, and I thought, why not build something better that doesn’t wreck my body? So I jumped into it headfirst.

Getting Stuff Ready

First, I had to figure out what the heck I needed. I went down to my local hardware store – you know, the cheap one – and grabbed a bunch of basics. Here’s what I picked up:

• Big pieces of plywood, because they were light and cheap. I think I got three sheets, each like six feet by four feet, so it would cover enough space for a small court.
• Foam padding for that shock-absorbing part. I saw these thin rolls at the store, the kind used under carpets to make floors softer. It felt squishy and good for saving my knees.
• Brackets and bolts, to make the whole thing fold up and be portable. I picked some heavy-duty ones so it wouldn’t fall apart when I carried it around.
• A saw and drill, because cutting and drilling holes was gonna happen.
• Glue and nails, to stick everything together without it wobbling.

All this cost me maybe fifty bucks in total, which was way less than buying some fancy gear. Honestly, I was worried I’d mess up right away, but hey, you gotta start somewhere.

Putting It All Together

I did this over a weekend in my backyard. Day one, I started by laying out the plywood on my driveway. I measured the pieces for size – wanted ’em smaller for easy carrying – and used my saw to cut them into three sections. Took a few tries ’cause I kept messing up the measurements. But I got it done, and now I had these wood panels ready to go.

Next, I attached the foam padding to the top of each plywood piece. I laid the padding flat, applied glue generously all over, and pressed it down hard. Then, I hammered some nails around the edges to keep it from slipping. It got messy real quick – glue was dripping everywhere, and the foam wouldn’t sit straight at first. I had to rip it off twice and redo it. What a pain, but finally, it stuck.

After that, I tackled the portable part. I used the brackets to connect the plywood pieces end-to-end, like a long line. Drilled holes through the wood where I wanted the hinges, then screwed the brackets in tight. My goal was to let the whole thing fold up like an accordion, so I could just toss it in my truck and go. Did a test fold; it looked wonky at first but held together okay.

Fixing Issues and Testing

Of course, things didn’t work out smooth. When I unfolded it on my lawn, the panels were shaky and uneven. Played a test game with friends, and one corner kept flipping up. Plus, the foam didn’t absorb shock well enough – we were still feeling those jumps. I cursed under my breath, thinking I wasted the money.

So, I went back and added more foam layers in the weak spots. Got thicker padding this time and glued it under the first layer. Also tightened the bolts on the brackets to stop the wobbling. After another afternoon of fiddling, I set it up again. This time, it felt solid. We played a full game, and my knees were actually happy! No aches, just pure fun.

Now, I use this portable floor every weekend. It folds up small, I lug it around in my car, and we’ve had some awesome volleyball sessions. Even had friends ask to borrow it. Honestly, for something I slapped together myself, it turned out pretty damn great. Yeah, it’s rough around the edges – like that glue stain on one side – but hey, it works. Who knew knocking together some wood could make volleyball feel like heaven? Next time, I’m thinking of adding handles to make carrying it easier.