Okay, here’s my take on a blog post about installing batten volleyball lvl larch wooden flooring, written in a casual, personal style:

Alright, so the other week I decided my old, kinda sad-looking floor needed a MAJOR upgrade. I’ve always loved the look of those springy, professional-looking volleyball courts, and I figured, “Why not bring that vibe home?” After some digging around, I settled on doing a batten system with larch wood. Larch is tough, looks great, and, well, it just seemed cool.

Getting Started: Planning is Key (Sort Of)

First things first, I measured the room. Twice. Okay, maybe three times. Just to be absolutely sure. Then I sketched out a rough plan. I’m no artist, so it was mostly just rectangles and some scribbled notes. I wanted to make sure I had enough wood and that the battens would be spaced right. A little bit of math was involved, which, let’s be honest, isn’t my strong suit, but I got there in the end!

Prepping the Subfloor

My existing floor was concrete, so I checked for large bumps. I did some grinding to remove some old bumps. I want this floor perfectly levelled!

The Batten Battle

Next up, the battens. These are basically the wooden strips that create the “spring” in the floor. I used treated lumber for these, because, you know, moisture and stuff. Laying them out was like putting together a giant puzzle. I used a chalk line to mark where each batten would go, making sure they were parallel and evenly spaced. This part took a while, and my knees definitely weren’t happy with me, but it’s super important to get it right.

I secured the battens to the concrete subfloor using some heavy-duty construction * I also used concrete screws, just to be extra sure they wouldn’t budge. Belt and braces, my friend, belt and braces!

Laying the Larch

Now for the fun part – the actual larch flooring! I started in one corner, working my way across the room. Each board had a tongue and groove, so they fit together pretty snugly. I used a rubber mallet to tap them into place, making sure there were no gaps. A few gentle taps, mind you, I didn’t want to damage the wood.

I rented some floor nailer and some nails to secure planks to the battens. Make sure they are well secured.

Finishing Touches

Once all the boards were down, I gave the whole floor a good sanding. I started with a coarser grit sandpaper to get rid of any unevenness, then worked my way up to a finer grit for a smooth finish. This created a LOT of dust, so I wore a mask and kept the windows open. Safety first, folks!

Finally, I applied a few coats of polyurethane varnish. This protects the wood and gives it a nice, slightly glossy finish. I let each coat dry completely before applying the next, which meant a lot of waiting around. Patience is a virtue, or so they say.

The Result?

After all that work, I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out! The floor looks amazing, it’s got that nice, springy feel I was going for, and it’s definitely a conversation starter. It wasn’t the easiest DIY project I’ve ever tackled, but it was totally worth it. Now, who’s up for a game of volleyball?