Alright folks, this whole rubber basketball court thing? It took way longer than I thought it would, and my back is still talking to me about it. But hey, figured I might as well share how I wrestled this maple timber court together, step by messy step. Learned a bunch, messed up plenty.
First, Clearing the Space & Setting the Stage
Started right at the beginning. Had this patch of my backyard that was basically useless. Mostly compacted dirt with some weeds trying too hard. Grabbed my shovel – the heavy-duty one – and just started digging. Aimed for a flat area, you know? Nothing fancy. Dug down maybe 4 inches deep across the whole space, which felt like forever. Made damn sure it was level. Used this long piece of straight wood and a cheap spirit level. Back and forth, back and forth. Took ages. Felt real good stomping it down afterward, packing that dirt solid.
Laying Down the Base Stuff
This part felt kinda sketchy, gotta admit. Read online about needing a base layer. Went with some crushed gravel stuff. Just poured bags of it onto the packed dirt. Raked it out smooth, trying to get it flat. Didn’t want any bumps underneath later. Then I got this black fabric roll – weed barrier? – laid that right on top of the gravel. Figured it’d keep things from growing up through my fancy court. Secured the edges with some metal staples hammered into the dirt.
The Maple Timber Part – Where Things Got Real
Okay, this was the big part, and honestly, kinda pricey. The maple timber boards arrived all stacked up. Looked real nice, smelled good too. Had to check each one for warps or cracks; sent a couple back. Started laying them out perpendicular to where I figured the main play line would be. Left a small gap between each board, maybe the thickness of a thick coin, for expansion? That’s what the instructions hinted at anyway. Used these thick outdoor wood screws to fix each board down into the gravel and fabric underneath. Tried to keep them straight with my string lines, but man, eyeballing it perfectly was tough. Had to reposition a few boards halfway through screwing. Used my circular saw to cut the boards for the edges. Sawdust everywhere! Safety glasses were fogging up constantly.
Key stuff during the timber part:
- Screw placement matters: Kept them about an inch from each end, and spaced evenly down the length.
- Level check every 3 boards: Got sloppy once and had to unscrew a whole section – sucked.
- Edge boards take time: Cutting them flush to the edge shape was fiddly as heck.
Finally, The Rubber Surface
This felt like the fun bit after wrestling with timber. The rubber came in these heavy, rolled-up tiles. Like giant puzzle pieces. Unrolled the first one in a corner. Had to trim one side to fit snug against the maple border. Used a super sharp utility knife, scoring it multiple times on a straight edge. Peeling off the backing and sticking it down felt surprisingly satisfying. Had to press really hard though, especially around the edges. Made sure each tile butted up tight against the next. Used the weight of the next roll to help press things before sticking it. Went row by row across the whole surface inside the timber frame. Had to cut pieces for weird angles – got the shape wrong twice before finally getting it right. Patience definitely wore thin here! Swept off all the dust and debris before laying each section.
Wrapping it Up & First Shots
Once all the rubber tiles were stuck down inside the timber frame, I went over every single seam with a heavy roller I borrowed – really pressed them flat to make sure they bonded good. Gave the entire surface a final sweep. Last thing I did was roll this clear, kinda thin coating over the rubber surface. Supposed to protect it and keep the color bright? Just followed the can directions.
Then… took a ball out. Stood on the line… took a breath… and shot. Swish. Felt amazing. Court looked legit! Not perfect if you get real close and look for my screw-ups – and I definitely screwed up a few spots – but standing there shooting hoops? Totally worth the sore muscles and gave up counting mistakes.
