Alright so here’s how this pad basketball floor thing went down. First off, I really wanted a basketball spot in my garage, but concrete? Forget it, knees screaming after 5 minutes. Saw fancy portable stuff online but wow, the price tags almost made me fall over. Nope. Gotta build my own cheaper version. Figured hardwood was the way to go for a decent bounce, right?

Started hunting materials. Didn’t need full-sized court wood planks – too pricey and heavy. Settled on thick plywood sheets, the good stuff. Still heavy though, let me tell ya. Hauled those big panels into the garage, propped them up on sawhorses. Grabbed my trusty circular saw. Measured out the size I wanted – roughly half-court width but full-length. Didn’t want it massive, needed it somewhat movable. Cut the plywood panels to size. Got sawdust everywhere.

Dealing With the Surface & the Slide Problem

Now, bare plywood isn’t exactly primo for dribbling. Too rough, ball just dies. Thought about sanding it super smooth. Did that. Looked nice, felt smooth… tried bouncing the ball. Disaster. Zero grip. Like trying to play on ice. Slide city. Almost busted my face just trying a simple crossover. Got real mad. Needed a solution fast.

Started experimenting:

• Tried polyurethane: Slapped on a coat. Dried nice and shiny. Ball bounce? Better. But the slide was still awful. Felt like I’d need special sticky shoes. Nope.
• Stumbled on sand: Mixed super fine sand into the next poly coat. Sounds weird. Brushed it on. Dried up, felt gritty like sandpaper. Now the ball wouldn’t slide at all, but wow, the bounce was awful again. Ball hit the floor like a wet sack. Felt dead.

More online digging. Kept seeing folks talk about specific sports floor sealants. Bit the bullet, ordered a can. Pricey little thing. Applied a thick layer onto a test patch. Nervous wait for it to dry. Holy moly! This was it. Ball bounced high and true, and my shoes actually stuck without feeling glued down. Finished the whole surface with this magic juice. Took patience, multiple thin coats, drying time felt like forever.

Making it Portable (Mostly)

Okay, the floor played great. But heavy doesn’t even cover it. Just lifting one panel nearly broke my back. Portable? Yeah right. Needed wheels or something.

Bought the heaviest-duty locking casters I could find. Screwed a set securely into each corner of the panel and into the middle of the long sides for extra support. Didn’t want the plywood sagging and cracking when I walked on it. Actually worked! Flip it onto the casters, tilt it back, and I could kinda wheel it around the garage or even out onto the driveway if I felt ambitious. Takes some muscle, but way better than deadlifting it. Big Win.

Putting it All to the Test

Finally cleared some space in the garage. Swept like crazy (sawdust still lurking!). Wheeled the panel into position. Locked all the casters down solid – wobble means twisted ankles. Grabbed the ball.

Took some dribbles. Perfect feel. Shoes gripped, no sliding. Ball came back up crisp off the wood. Sprinting, stopping, shuffling… the panel felt solid underfoot. Spent a good hour just shooting and dribbling. Knees felt okay! Garage acoustics are terrible though, every bounce echoes insanely loud. Neighbors might hate me soon.

Still need to put lines down for key and free throw. Maybe tape? Not sure yet. Happy for now. Took work, messed up a bunch, spent some cash, but it plays like a real court. Worth every bit of sawdust in my hair.