How This Whole Basketball Floor Idea Started

So I got this rubber basketball in my garage. Love that thing. But the concrete floor? Killer on the knees, man. Saw those portable rubber gym tiles online, but wow, way too pricey for my budget. That got me thinking… gotta be a cheaper way to make something portable and decent for dribbling.

Digging Around for Stuff

Checked the shed first. Found an old stack of those thick rubber mats you put under washing machines. Kinda thin alone, but maybe layering? Then spotted some leftover plywood sheets from an old shelving project propped up in the corner. Hmm… wood on top of rubber? Could that work for bounce? Didn’t want anything permanent, needed to stash it away after.

Stuff I gathered:

• Bunch of those rubber washer mats
• Two half-size plywood sheets (about 4ft x 4ft each)
• My drill, box of screws, roll of that sturdy duct tape
• Wood stain and a brush (leftover from the deck)
• Sandpaper block

Slapping Things Together

Started in the driveway. Laid down the rubber mats first, two layers thick. Felt pretty solid stepping on it. Then hauled the plywood on top. Big gap down the middle where the two sheets met. Annoying. Figured I could tape ’em together underneath. Flipped everything over – mats on top, wood down. Hard work. Duct taped the heck outta that seam, like three layers across it lengthwise.

Flipped it back. Now the mats were underneath, plywood on top. Seam felt better. Screwed the plywood sheets down into the rubber mats around the edges. Not deep screws, just enough to grip. Worried they might tear out. Wanted some grip on the wood, so used the sandpaper block roughing it up a bit. Then slapped on that leftover deck stain. Smelled awful, dried kinda patchy. Looks rustic? Whatever. Took overnight to stop being sticky.

Testing the Sleeper Floor

Next morning, dragged it outside onto the patio bricks. Was lighter than expected! Threw the rubber basketball down. Bounce seemed okay, not NBA court level but way better than concrete. Tried a dribble. Ball came back up decently. Moved a bit on the bricks when I ran, but felt alright. Load test? Hauled two heavy bags of gardening sand onto it. Held up. Biggest win? Pushing it back into the garage corner afterward. Takes maybe two minutes to slide out or stash. Done.

What Worked & What’s Wonky

Portable? Heck yes. Floor moves easy and folds semi-flat. Bounce? Survived my awful dribbling skills. Cost me basically nothing, just stuff lying around. Gotta admit it ain’t perfect. That taped seam underneath feels like a weak spot long-term. Might split if someone big jumps on it. And the stain? Looks rough. Probably should’ve sanded better first. Getting a little squeak when you shift weight fast near the edges too. Still, for a cheap, sleeps-in-the-corner solution? Does the job.