Okay, folks, let’s dive into this project I tackled: putting together some keel volleyball beech wooden flooring. Sounds fancy, right? It’s not as bad as it sounds, trust me.

First things first, I got all my materials together. This was the biggest pain, honestly. I had the beech flooring planks, of course. They were beautiful, that lovely light color of beech wood. Then there was the underlayment – a roll of foam stuff to help with sound and a bit of cushioning. And, crucially, the keel system. These are basically the long strips that the flooring sits on, giving it that springy feel you want in a sports hall.

Next, I prepped the floor. It’s so important. My space was an old concrete slab, so I had to make sure it was super clean and level. I swept it like a madman, then used a self-leveling compound to fill in any dips or cracks. This took a while to dry, a good 24 hours, but it’s worth it for a good finish. The floor must be dry, I can’t overstate it.

The keel system came next. I have laid the individual keel pieces according to a diagram. Spacing is key here – get it wrong and the floor will feel weird. I spent a good amount of time double-checking the measurements and making sure everything was aligned. I secured them to the concrete with some heavy-duty adhesive and screws. It’s pretty straightforward, just time-consuming.

Once the keel system was down and solid (I gave the adhesive another day to fully cure), it was time for the underlayment. I just rolled it out across the keels, overlapping the edges a bit. I used some tape to keep it all in place. Simple, but important.

Now for the fun part! Laying the actual beech planks. I started in one corner, working my way across the room. The planks had this tongue-and-groove system, so they clicked together pretty easily. The key is to make sure each plank is snug against the next one. I used a tapping block and a rubber mallet to gently persuade them into place – no brute force needed!

• Start in a corner. Makes life easier.
• Use that tapping block! Protects the edges of the planks.
• Check for gaps. Seriously, keep checking.

I continued plank by plank, row by row. As I got to the edges of the room, I needed to cut some planks to fit. I used a circular saw for this – measure twice, cut once, as they say! Also, I needed to leave a small expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. Wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, so this gap gives it room to breathe.

Finally, after what felt like forever, all the planks were down! I installed some trim around the edges to cover that expansion gap and give it a nice, finished look. And that was it! My very own keel volleyball beech wooden floor.

It was a lot of work, no lie. But seeing the finished product, that smooth, beautiful beech surface, ready for some serious volleyball action, was totally worth it. Would I do it again? Maybe. But I’d definitely allow more time next time!