Okay, let me walk you through how I got this rubber volleyball flooring down. It’s the kind made from hevea wood, you know, the rubber tree stuff, but it fits together like wooden planks.

Getting Started and Prep Work

So, first things first, I got the room completely empty. Moved all the furniture out, which was a job in itself. Then, I really focused on the subfloor. It was concrete in my case. I swept it clean, then vacuumed it like crazy. You don’t want any grit or pebbles under there. I checked it for levelness too, using a long level. Found a couple of low spots, nothing major, so I used a bit of self-leveling compound just to be safe. Let that cure properly, following the instructions on the bag. Patience is key here, really.

While the compound was setting up, I unboxed the flooring planks. This is important – you gotta let the material acclimate to the room’s temperature and humidity. I just stacked them loosely in the room for about two days. Keeps them from expanding or shrinking weirdly after you install them.

Laying Down the Planks

Alright, time to actually put the floor down. I decided to start along the longest, most visible wall. Planning the layout is crucial. You don’t want a tiny sliver of a plank on the opposite side, it looks awful. So I did a dry run, laid out a few rows without actually connecting them, just to see how the pattern would end up and where the cuts would fall.

Here’s what I did for the actual installation:

• Put down an underlayment first. This helps with sound and gives a bit of cushion. Rolled it out, cut it to fit, and taped the seams. Easy peasy.
• Started the first row. Used spacers against the wall to leave an expansion gap – wood (even rubber wood stuff) expands and contracts, remember.
• These planks had a sort of tongue-and-groove system, designed to click together. Lined up the first plank, then took the second one, angled it into the groove of the first, and pushed it down. Heard a satisfying ‘click’.
• Kept going down the first row. The last plank needed cutting. Measured carefully (measure twice, cut once!), marked it, and used a jigsaw with a fine-toothed blade to cut it. A mitre saw would probably be cleaner, but my jigsaw worked okay.
• Used the leftover piece from the first row (if it was long enough) to start the second row. This staggers the joints, making it look better and stronger.
• Continued row by row. Angled the long edge into the previous row, slid it up to the previous plank in the same row, then tapped it snug using a tapping block and a rubber mallet. Never hit the planks directly with the mallet. Always use a block.

Dealing with Obstacles and Finishing Up

Cutting around door frames was the trickiest part. Had to undercut the door jambs with a handsaw so the flooring could slide underneath for a clean look. Took some careful measuring and nibbling away with the jigsaw for other awkward shapes.

Once all the planks were down, I removed the spacers from around the edges. Then, I installed quarter-round molding along the baseboards to cover the expansion gap. This really tidies everything up. Used a nail gun for that, made it quick. If you hit a doorway leading to a different floor type, you’ll need a transition strip.

The Final Look

And that was pretty much it. Gave the whole floor a good clean according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Stepping back, it looked great. Feels solid underfoot, got that bit of give you want for sports, but looks neat like wood. Took me a weekend, mostly on my own. Definitely a doable project if you take your time and prep properly. Quite happy with how this hevea rubber flooring turned out.