Alright, so I’ve been meaning to redo the flooring in my makeshift home gym for a while now. It was just bare concrete before – cold, hard, and not exactly inspiring for a workout. I finally decided to go with batten basketball beech wooden flooring, and let me tell you, it was a project!

Getting Started

First things first, I had to figure out how much flooring I even needed. I measured the room (twice, because I always mess that up the first time), and then added a bit extra for waste. You always need more than you think, trust me.

Then came the shopping. I looked around at a few different places, checked out some samples, and finally settled on this really nice beech wood. It looked strong and had this warm color I liked.

The Prep Work (The Not-So-Fun Part)

Before I could even think about laying down the new floor, I had to get the old concrete ready. This was a pain. I swept it, like, five times. Then I used this special concrete cleaner stuff to get any grime and grease off. Gotta make sure the new floor sticks properly, you know?

Next, I had to put down a moisture barrier. This is basically just a big sheet of plastic that keeps any dampness from the concrete from messing up the wood. I taped it all down, making sure it overlapped at the seams.

Laying the Battens

Okay, so the “battens” are these strips of wood that create a framework for the actual floorboards. I used furring strips.

I laid them out across the floor, perpendicular to the direction I wanted the floorboards to go. I spaced them out evenly – used a measuring tape and everything! – and then used construction adhesive to glue them down to the concrete. I also used some concrete screws to get the battens down.

Putting Down the Floorboards

This was the satisfying part. I started laying down the beech floorboards, one by one. They had this tongue-and-groove thing going on, so they fit together pretty easily. I used a rubber mallet to tap them into place, making sure they were nice and snug.

I had to use a saw to cut some of the boards to fit around the edges of the room and I rented a nailer machine to help me attach the boards into battens more quickly. I also made sure to leave a little gap around the perimeter of the room – an “expansion gap” – so the wood has room to expand and contract with changes in temperature. Don’t want it buckling up later, right?

The Finishing Touches

Once all the floorboards were down, I installed some baseboards around the edges to cover up that expansion gap and give it a finished look. Then I gave the whole floor a good sanding to make it smooth and even.

Finally, applied a few coats of polyurethane sealant. This protects the wood and gives it a nice, durable finish. Let that dry completely, and…boom! New gym floor.

The Result!

It was a lot of work, I’m not gonna lie. My back was killing me, my knees were sore, but honestly? It was totally worth it. The gym looks amazing now, and it feels so much better to work out on a real wood floor. It’s warmer, more comfortable, and way more inviting. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I say go for it! Just be prepared for some hard work, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. I watched a bunch of videos online before I started, which helped a lot.