So I got this idea to build a portable basketball court ’cause my driveway’s cracked all to hell. Couldn’t dribble without the ball going sideways. Saw those fancy expensive portable floors online and thought – nah, I can build this cheaper.
Gathering Stuff
Hit the hardware store first thing Saturday morning. Grabbed:
- Eight 2x4s – the cheap pine ones
- Four plywood sheets, half-inch thick
- Box of screws, buncha wood glue
- Stain for that court look
- Outdoor varnish so rain won’t wreck it
Almost forgot those rubber feet for the bottom! Ran back inside to grab ’em.
Building Process
Laid everything out in the garage. Measured twice like my dad always yelled about. Cut plywood into eight 4×4 squares with the circular saw. Dust everywhere – looked like a flour bomb went off.
Screwed the 2×4 frames onto each plywood square. Made sure the corners were tight. Messed up one frame when I got distracted by a squirrel fight outside. Had to pry it apart and restart.
Glued rubber feet to the bottom frames. Slapped on two coats of stain after wiping off the sawdust. That took forever drying between coats.
Making It Portable
Here’s the smart part: bolted heavy-duty strap handles on the sides. Drilled holes through the frame for bolts instead of screws so they won’t rip out. Made each panel light enough to carry alone.
Left a half-inch gap between panels when laying ’em out. Lets the wood expand without buckling when it’s hot. That warping shit ruined my last DIY project.
Real World Test
Took it to the park Tuesday. Took three trips carrying panels from the truck. Clicked the panels together with these simple hooks I added. Whole court set up in 15 minutes!
Dribbled around – ball bounced true. Jumped for a layup. Wood didn’t even creak! Kids came over asking where I bought it. Felt damn good saying “built it myself.”
Still holds up after three weeks! No splitting, handles haven’t snapped. Might paint foul lines next weekend. Total cost? Like 25% of those store-bought ones.
