It can be unpleasant when you want to play basketball but need to go to a gym or leisure center to play on a full-court. Building your basketball court might be a terrific investment whether you want to practice your skills or play a game at home. Making a court necessitates excavating the land and pouring concrete, so it’s not the best undertaking for beginners. As much space as they take up and as much time as it takes to put them together, you’ll be able to play anytime you want!
Set aside a 94 ft x 50 ft (29 m x 15 m) level area for your court. Find a flat spot with enough space for the complete court if you want a regulation-sized court like the NBA or NCAA. Measure the area and stake the corners where you want them. To mark out the whole perimeter of your court, tie a string between the stakes. Make sure there are around 2–3 feet (61–91 cm) of space around the outside of the court for your hoops and sidelines.
- You could also build a high school-sized court that measures 84 by 50 feet (26 m x 15 m).
- You can’t play full-court basketball on a small court; attempt a half-court that measures 47 ft 50 ft (14 m 15 m).
- You’ll have to level the ground yourself if it isn’t level.
Dig the location to an 8-inch depth (20 cm). Begin digging in the middle of the court and work your way outward. Transfer the dirt with a shovel and wheelbarrow if you want to dig the area out by hand. Rent an excavator or pay a contractor to search for you if you don’t want to do it yourself.
Before excavating, call the local utility companies to ensure there aren’t any underground lines in the path. You can phone 811 to have utility companies indicate the locations of wires on your property if you live in the United States.
- To prevent the court from slanting, keep the bottom of the hole flat and level.
- If you don’t want to put in a permanent basketball court, you may buy reusable basketball court tiles online and lay them out on a flat area to resemble one.
Two in. x 4 in. (5.1 cm x 10.2 cm) boards frame the site. Gather enough two in. x 4 in. (5.1 cm x 10.2 cm) panels to completely encircle the hole. Some of them may need to be trimmed down using a saw. Place the planks, so their tops are flush with the ground along the hole’s edges. To make a box-shaped frame, nail all of the planks together.
- Boards with a total of 288 feet are required for a regulation-sized court (88 m).
- Make sure the top of the frame is level so that the concrete fills it evenly and doesn’t overflow.
2 in (5.1 cm) above the gravel, create a steel rebar grid. Rebar is a type of metal support that helps avoid cracks and damage in concrete. You can obtain individual lengths of rebar or pre-assembled rebar in a grid design. Place the first 2 feet (24 in) of rebar 2 feet (24 in) from one of the corners parallel to the court’s short side. Rebar should be extended to the other long side. Continue to add rebar every 2 feet along the long side (61 cm). Then, start running rebar from one short side to the other in a grid arrangement. To lift the rebar off the gravel, place metal supports, such as chairs, beneath the intersections in the grid.
- Rebar is available at construction supply stores.
Hire a concrete business to pour a 4 in (10 cm) slab in the frame. You’ll need about 208,000 pounds (94,000 kg) of 3,500 PSI concrete, so find a nearby firm that can mix and transport that much. The firm will begin pouring concrete in one corner of your court and work its way around the perimeter. To keep your slab level, keep the concrete surface even with the tops of your frame. Spread the concrete with a hoe until it completely covers your court.
You can use asphalt instead of concrete if you don’t want to use concrete, but it will require more upkeep and repair if you reside in a cold environment.
Allow the concrete to be set for three days. To allow the concrete around your hoops to dry and firm completely, avoid stepping on or touching it. Don’t play with the rounds just yet because they may shift while the concrete is still wet. After the concrete has dried for three days, you can begin using the hoops.