Okay so this week I wanted to add a basketball court in my backyard gym setup. Had my mind set on that solid assembly wood flooring with rubber basketball finish – the pro stuff, you know? Total pain trying to find legit suppliers though. Here’s how I clawed through it.

Step 1: Google Spiral

First thing? Googled “rubber basketball wood flooring suppliers” like an idiot. Got swamped with shady sites and weird ads. Half the pages looked like they were made in 2005. Clicked like 15 tabs open, saw wildly different prices for what seemed like the same thing. One claimed wholesale but asked for crypto payment? Closed that tab fast.

Step 2: Calling Bluffs

Started dialing numbers next. Guy from some Ohio company goes, “Yeah we got primo maple, lifetime warranty!” Asked for actual photos and proof. Dude sends me pixelated pics with watermarks scraped off Google Images. Could see the Getty Images logo cropped halfway. Hung up. Next supplier kept pushing “eco-friendly bamboo” even after I said six times I needed hard maple.

Comparison Chaos Time

Made this trash spreadsheet with:

• SupplierA: Claimed pro NBA installer certified (doubt it), insane shipping fees
• SupplierB: Actually had legit 3D sample viewer, thick rubber specs, but $4k over budget
• SupplierC: Budget-friendly, samples felt like soggy cereal boxes
• SupplierD: Local! But had only vinyl crap, kept saying “same thing bro”

Ordering Like A Paranoid

Went with SupplierB after harassing them for contractor references. Triple-checked moisture content certificates. Made them do a video call showing unopened crates. Paid with credit card for chargeback armor. Delivery took two weeks – dudes showed up with forklift looking annoyed while I poked every single plank for splits.

Installing The Thing

Floors arrived okay, but install? Nightmare. Hired local guys who “totally do sports floors”. Caught them trying to glue gaps instead of sanding. Fired them halfway. Finished it myself with YouTube tutorials and aching knees. Looks pretty damn pro now though!

Massive takeaway? Too many suppliers selling cheap junk or straight-up scams. If it sounds too good, demand proof until they block you. Worth paying extra for folks who answer calls without ghosting.