Basketball is such an exciting sport that whoever starts it wants to improve more and more.
Therefore, it might be a personal court or a government project; outdoor basketball courts are becoming a trend.
But making an outdoor basketball court is a challenging job. You have to consider many things before you make one.
In this article, we’ll learn how to build a basketball court, what needs to be kept in mind to make it, and what kind of material needs to be used.
So let’s start.
Outdoor Basketball Court Considerations
Making a good basketball court in your backyard can be a little complex. That’s why it’s recommended to hire professionals for it. But still, there are multiple things to consider before you make your outdoor court. Here, we are going to explain them one by one.
Set the Size and Select the Location for Your Basketball Court
First of all, set the size and location for your basketball court. It’s a slight difference if you are just thinking about numbers, but the size and weight can make a big difference in ball handling and shooting.
The total area of a professional court is about 420m square. It’s a rectangular court 94 feet in length and 50 feet in width. This measurement shall be made from the inner edges of the boundary line.
These dimensions give players enough space to shoot, pass and score the basketball. But if you don’t want to make your court this big, you can also go for a half-court with a single hoop.
And after you’ve decided on the size of your court, select the location so that you can have maximum benefit from your court. You can make a court in your backyard for personal use or in the nearby park to engage the youngsters in a healthy activity.
Once you have decided on the size and location of your basketball court, let’s move on to the next step.
Level the Playing Ground and Install the Subfloor
To build the basketball court, you must find a flat area with enough space for the court. You can’t make your court on uneven ground.
After that, you have to install a proper subfloor. When you see a wooden or rubber basketball court, you might think that’s all there is. But that’s not the case. For successfully creating perfect court flooring, the subfloor is a crucial variable. It provides proper support and enhances the performance and safety of your flooring system.
The subfloor should be sturdy enough to handle the installation process. Usually, the subfloor is made up of cement. You can make a concrete slab and proceed forward to install the actual surface when it’s dry.
Purchase Your Hoop and Basketball Court Surface Materials
The next step is to purchase a hoop and the material used in the basketball court surface. Choose the best material to build the basketball court surface to take your basketball game to the next level.
The indoor basketball court surfaces are mostly made of natural hardwood. People use wood from the Maple and Oak trees for this purpose. But natural wood can not be used in outdoor courts. This is because it is heavily susceptible to damage by the water and humidity in the environment.
Therefore the common materials used for outdoor basketball courts are cement, asphalt, rubber, and artificial wood called Macwood. And out of these, we recommend using the Macwood Standard from VMKON. This revolutionary material is superior to natural wood because of its high durability and waterproof nature. Using this material, you can quickly bring the wooden playing experience to the outdoor courts.
Copo Macwood Pro Outdoor – Playing Experience
After you have purchased the required material, it’s time to install this surface material.
Install the Surface Material
To install the surface material, you need to make some preparations. First, ensure the subfloor easily fulfills the requirement for flatness and smoothness. After thoroughly cleaning the subfloor, determine its benchmarks and mark straight lines for reference. Then we are ready to install the surface material.
If you are going with the Macwood Flooring System, first, make solid support for it. Then you can attach the macwood to it.
Check out this 3D Installation Video of Macwood Flooring System.
You can also select materials like rubber tiles, cement, or asphalt. For rubber flooring, you just need to connect the interlocking tiles in an orderly manner.
While the cement flooring will require support made of iron bars, and once you’ve made the structure with iron bars, you can pour the cement to make a slab about 10cm thick. Make sure you smoothen the cement while it’s wet.
Install Your Basketball Hoop
The next step is installing your basketball hoop. But before installing the hoop, you’ll want to consider the height and the distance between the pole & backboard. The professional regulation height is 10 feet, and the distance between the pole & backboard is 4 feet for a basketball hoop.
Now choose the basketball hoop and select the area to insert that hoop. On a concrete or asphalt floor, people prefer to install in-ground hoops. You can choose the hoop with adjustable height to make the court for children.
Nevertheless, to install an in-ground basketball hoop, first dig a square-shaped hole about three feet deep and 16 inches side. After that, pour the concrete and raise the pole of the hoop in it. Then you just need to attach the backboard to the pole and install the rim & net on it. You can also paint your hoop to prevent any bumps and bruises.
This was for the cement or asphalt floors. But for the Macwood flooring system or rubber floors, you can opt for portable hoops that don’t require any complicated stuff.
Paint Your Court
We are almost done folks. Once we paint our court and put the game lines on it, this outdoor court will be ready for play. For this purpose, acrylic paints are mainly used. You can use the roller for painting the lines or hire a professional painter to make various designs on the surface.
While we are on this topic, we suggest putting lines for multiple games like badminton, volleyball, or other games that can be played on a similar court. This will transform your basketball court into a multi-purpose support court.
Lastly, make proper measurements before drawing lines because the basketball court will be divided into fine parts with these lines. You can also use tape to create clear lines.
Keep reading
- How to Choose the Right Basketball Court Floor for Your Backyard
- How to Build an Outdoor Basketball Court
- The Basics of a School Basketball Court
- What Is The Best Surface For An Outdoor Basketball Court?
The Bottom Line
Making an outdoor basketball court is not the job of a novice. It demands a precise selection of materials and a complicated construction process.
In this article, we have gone over how to build an outdoor basketball court. So if you are interested in making one, make sure you go through this guide.
And if you need help deciding on the flooring material, then take our suggestion and go for the synthetic Macwood from Copo Sports. We guarantee you won’t regret your decision.
