Man, today was all about being a sports wooden floor agent. Wild ride, lemme tell ya.
The Chaos Starts
So today, I gotta deal with this big order for a local rec center basketball court. They want proper hardwood, maple specifically. Sounds simple, right? Nope. Started by calling around my usual wood suppliers. First two are completely outta stock. Third one says they got it, but the quote they give me… nearly choked. Prices went up like crazy since last month. Felt like getting punched.
Negotiating Nightmare & Hauling Heavy Wood
Sighed big time, drank some cold coffee that tasted like sadness, and jumped back on the phone. Called a few new guys I heard about. Took forever, everyone playing hardball. Finally found someone decent, price still stung but not murder-level. Made the deal fast before they changed their minds. Then, guess what? Had to help load the damn wood myself onto the truck! Those bundles are way heavier than they look. Nearly threw out my back. Sweating buckets, swearing under my breath. Bad choice.
The Install Mess
Get to the rec center. Concrete subfloor looks… questionable. Not perfectly level. I knew this was trouble. We start laying down the moisture barrier. Okay, that part was smooth. Then comes the wood. First row seemed okay. Second row? Big gap showing up. Stopped everything. Checked the planks. Some warping we missed. Sigh. Had to unpack more bundles, sort through them manually to find the straightest pieces. Whole damn day felt like two steps forward, one step back.
- Sanding insanity: After finally getting the wood down (mostly straight, good enough), we start sanding. Dust city. Everywhere. Could barely see.
- Finishing fiasco: Applied the first coat of finish. Looked beautiful… then noticed a damn bug decided to die right in the center line. Had to gently scrape it off before the finish set, then touch up the spot. Nerve-wracking!
Finally Done… And Broke
Three coats later, endless wiping and buffing, it finally looked like a proper basketball court. Smooth, shiny, smelled like new wood. Felt kinda proud standing there looking at it. But man, between the price hike on the wood, the extra time sorting planks, and nearly wrecking my spine… the profit margin on this one was basically zero. Maybe even a slight loss if I really count all my hours. Brutal.
Lesson Learned (The Hard Way)
Biggest takeaway?
- Always check the subfloor yourself BEFORE the wood arrives. Every little bump or dip becomes your problem.
- Don’t trust the wood straight outta the bundle. Inspect every damn plank carefully. Takes time, saves pain later.
- Buyer’s market ain’t always. Sometimes suppliers got you by the neck. Need more contacts.
- Hire muscle. My back still hurts.
So yeah, being a wooden floor agent ain’t all fancy sales calls. It’s hauling wood, fixing screw-ups, breathing dust, and hoping you break even. Real world stuff. Floor looks great though. Just wish my wallet felt the same.
