So last Tuesday I got this stupid idea – why not build my own damn basketball court? Got tired of driving 45 minutes just to shoot hoops on cracked concrete. Saw folks online drooling over pro-style maple floors but the quotes made my eyes water. $20k minimum? Hell no. Time to MacGyver this thing.
The Rubber vs. Wood Debate
First headache: rubber tiles or real wood? Rubber’s cheaper upfront – like those puzzle mats kinda stuff. Almost ordered a truckload till I actually played on ’em at the community center. Felt like dribbling on wet sponge cake. Ball bounced all wonky, knees screamed after 10 minutes. Nope. Gotta find actual wood without selling a kidney.
Scrapyard Goldmine
Trolled Craigslist for three nights straight drinking cheap beer. Finally hit jackpot: some warehouse dumping “damaged” oak planks. Rushed over next morning expecting splinters. Turns out just cosmetic scratches – perfect for underfoot! Haggled hard and scored 500 sq ft for $400 cash. My back nearly gave out loading that rusty pickup truck.
Concrete Jungle Prep
My garage slab looked like a war zone – oil stains, cracks, uneven as hell. Swept for an hour. Used that cheap self-leveling cement goop ($27 buckets from Home Mart). Mixed seven bags in a kiddie pool till my arms went numb. Poured it thick over the worst spots. Pro tip: wear boots you’ll throw away later. That crap doesn’t come off.
Plank Puzzle From Hell
Laying wood ain’t like LEGOs. Wasted 3 whole planks figuring out tongue-and-groove. Whacked ’em too gentle? Gap city. Too hard? Split ends. Finally got angry and used my old dumbbell as a hammer. Worked like magic. Cut edges with a jigsaw – smelled like campfire gone wrong. Safety glasses fogged up constantly. Annoying.
The Magic Juice
Read online you need fancy sealant. Almost bought $95/gallon “sports finish.” Then neighbor Larry (ex-roofer) tossed me half-can of oil-based polyurethane. “Same crap different label,” he grumbled. Brushed on two coats. Took forever drying – my cat left paw prints on it. Sanded rough spots with leftover sandpaper. Ball test? Beautiful snap-back sound. Total sealant cost: $0. Thanks Larry.
Final Tally
- Scrapyard oak: $400
- Concrete leveler: $189
- Cheap-o sealant: FREE (Larry’s stash)
- Misc crap: glue, screws, bandaids for splinters – maybe $120
Under $800 total for a legit court? Yeah buddy. Took two weekends, six bandaids, and one pissed-off cat. Worth every damn splinter. Moral: don’t get scammed by “court specialists.” Be scrappy.
