So last week my neighbor Tim asked me to help him build a backyard basketball court since he knows I’m into DIY projects. I figured comparing rubber basketball flooring kits would be useful for anyone wanting decent court surfaces without breaking the bank.

Initial Shopping Mayhem

First I hit up three big home improvement stores near me. Half their staff didn’t even know what rubber basketball flooring was! Kept showing me regular garage floor tiles instead. Got frustrated after two days of this wild goose chase and ordered four different kits online from top brands.

Unboxing Nightmares

When the boxes arrived, one kit smelled like burnt tires so bad I had to unpack it outside. Another brand’s tiles were all warped like potato chips – no way those were laying flat. Here’s what the four kits looked like fresh out the box:

• Brand A: Perfectly flat but stunk like chemical factory
• Brand B: No smell but edges were splitting already
• Brand C: Beautiful maple color with factory-sealed edges
• Brand D: Thinner than expected and super slippery

Test Drive Chaos

Slapped samples on my driveway and did some serious ball handling tests. Sprayed them with water too to check traction since Tim’s kids play in all weather:

• Brand A became sticky like flypaper when wet
• Brand D was like dribbling on ice – ball kept sliding away
• Brand B actually cracked when I dropped a 25lb weight on it
• Only Brand C handled the ball well and stayed grippy

Mounting Shocker

Realized none came with decent instructions! Figured out the locking systems myself – some snapped together so hard I bruised my thumbs. Brand C went down smooth though with satisfying clicks. Weirdly found all kits needed extra adhesive tape around the edges.

Final Score After 2 Weeks

Left test patches out in sun and rain to see how they’d hold up. Brand A faded to weird yellowish-green. Brand B’s maple pattern looked like washed-out jeans. Brand C stayed solid through three thunderstorms. Tim’s family finally shot some hoops yesterday and loved how it felt like a real court.

Whole experience reminded me of when I tried building skate ramps in college using random scrap wood. Wasted months patching warped plywood before learning you just gotta invest in proper materials right away. Exactly why I’m telling everyone now to skip bargain bin flooring kits!