Okay guys, let’s talk about my weird volleyball floor project. See, last weekend my knees were killing me after playing on concrete all day – felt like I got run over by a truck. So I thought, why not build something cushy that doesn’t weigh a ton?

The “Duh” Moment

First I raided my garage like a raccoon. Found warped plywood scraps, leftover carpet pads, and those foam jigsaw tiles my kid outgrew. Looked like garbage city, but free stuff always wins.

Grabbed:

• Half-splintered plywood sheets
• Blue camping sleep mats (the lumpy ones)
• Dusty yoga mats with cat scratches
• A roll of duct tape older than my marriage

Frankenstein Time

Laid the plywood flat on the driveway – already sweating buckets. Threw those foam jigsaw pieces down first like puzzle pieces from hell. Three corners fit nice, fourth corner had this triangle gap big enough to lose a phone in. Whatever, tossed a yoga mat over that void.

Then came the blue camping mats. Cut ’em with kitchen scissors that made jagged edges like a kindergarten art project. Slapped duct tape everywhere – wrapped it round and round like a mummy. Looked so janky my neighbor yelled “You buildin’ a time machine?”

The Bounce Test Disaster

Tried spiking a volleyball on it. First hit? Ball bounced straight into my face – knocked my glasses off. The plywood didn’t budge but the foam layers slid sideways like butter on a hot pan. Duct tape gave up like soggy spaghetti.

Took everything apart cursing. Realized I needed edges to trap the foam. Ripped wood strips from an old bookshelf – measured once, cut crooked twice. Screwed ’em around the plywood perimeter while humming tunelessly.

Glue Apocalypse

Bought construction adhesive smelling like rotten bananas. Squeezed that tube till my hands shook – glue oozed everywhere including my flip flops. Pressed foam layers into the sticky mess like making lasagna. Left heavy dumbbells on top overnight.

Woke up to find my cat glued to the corner. Don’t worry, Mr. Whiskers is fine (mostly pissed). His tail fur is still sticky though.

Final Tinker

Sawed handles on the sides using my dullest saw – took twenty minutes per handle while swatting mosquitoes. Threw outdoor carpet scraps on top stapled so crooked it looks drunk. Folded it like a taco – shockingly lightweight! Carried it one-handed to the park.

Played three games today – zero knee pain! Still jiggles like jelly when you jump, and the carpet pattern clashes horribly. But hey, it works! Total cost? Eleven bucks for the glue. Everything else was dumpster treasure.

Would I recommend this? Only if you enjoy glue-related pet incidents and neighbors judging your life choices. Still beats concrete!