So I’ve been playing volleyball in the driveway, right? Concrete’s brutal on the knees. Thought about those fancy shock-absorbing floors but who’s got that kinda cash? Decided to hack something together with scrap wood and rubber sheets salvaged from old exercise mats.
First: The Base Frame
Grabbed some leftover plywood sheets from last year’s shelving project. Cut ’em into 2×2 feet squares with my jigsaw – took forever cause the blade kept snagging. Measured wrong twice but third time nailed it.
Drilled pocket holes on all four sides of each panel so I could screw ’em together later. Covered my garage in sawdust – wife’s gonna kill me.
Then: The Rubber Magic
Went dumpster diving behind the gym, found these industrial rubber tiles they were tossing. Cut chunks slightly smaller than my panels using box cutters – smelled like burnt tires doing it. Stabbed a few holes for drainage cause rainwater pools.
Big learning moment: Didn’t glue the rubber down yet. Smart move cause when I tested it solo, the bounce was way too stiff. Had to slice some pieces thinner with my band saw.
Assembly Phase
Laid down the rubber chunks on each plywood panel. Used exterior-grade construction adhesive this time – sticky crap got all over my fingers. Weighed ’em down with concrete blocks overnight.
- Attached heavy-duty handles so I can carry panels
- Added interlocking brackets so they snap together
- Sealed wood edges with water-resistant stain (looks ugly but works)
Field Test Disaster
Took it to the park yesterday. Joined a pickup game, laid out the floor in 3 minutes flat. First dive – knee didn’t smash into concrete! But:
- Panels shifted during a spike
- Almost ate dirt when my foot caught the edge
- Rubber smelled like hell in the sun
Final Tweaks
Back to garage today. Added non-skid strips under each panel and trimmed rubber edges for tighter fit. Pro tip: Threw some baking soda on the rubber to kill the stench. Might spray paint designs later if it stops warping in humidity.
Total cost? Like $12 for adhesive and handles. Jury’s still out on durability, but for now – no more limping after games. Good enough for this old man.
