Okay, here’s my blog post about setting up a rubber volleyball court on maple wooden flooring:

Alright, guys, so I’ve been wanting to set up a little indoor volleyball area in my basement for a while now. I’ve got this beautiful maple flooring down there, but I was worried about damaging it. I also wanted something that would give a little more bounce and grip than the bare wood. So, I decided to try out a rubber volleyball court surface.

Getting Started

First things first, I measured the area where I wanted the court. Gotta make sure you have enough space, right? I used some painter’s tape to mark out the boundaries. Made it super easy to visualize.

Then, I cleaned the heck out of the floor. Seriously, I swept, vacuumed, and even mopped it a couple of times. Any little bit of dirt or debris under the rubber could cause problems later on, So I didn’t skimp there.

Laying Down the Rubber

Next up, I rolled out the rubber flooring. I got these interlocking tiles, which seemed way easier than dealing with a giant sheet. They clicked together, and let me tell you, it took some effort to get them nice and snug! I used a rubber mallet to tap them into place, making sure there weren’t any gaps or overlaps.

• Unroll the rubber: It’s best to start from one corner and work your way across.
• Interlock the tiles: I pushed and pressed on the interlocking edges to ensure they were tight.
• Tap them in: My rubber mallet was my best friend for getting those edges flush.

The edges were a little tricky. I had to cut some of the tiles to fit along the walls. I just used a utility knife and a straight edge, going slow and steady to make sure I got a clean cut. Measure twice, cut once, as they say.

The Final Touches

Once all the tiles were down, I walked all over the court, just to make sure everything felt secure and even. I even bounced a volleyball on it a few times – gotta test it out, right? It felt great! The rubber definitely added some cushioning and grip.

The last is play volleyball with my kids!

All in all, I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out. It wasn’t too difficult, and it makes a huge difference for playing volleyball. Plus, I know my maple floor is protected. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I’d say go for it! Just take your time and make sure you do it right.