My wife and I recently built a backyard basketball court and it was a memorable experience. In this post, I will focus on some of the specifics that were used for our backyard project. Prior to starting the project, I did quite a bit of research about basketball hoops and basketball courts. I wanted a high quality basketball hoop that was also adjustable. We have small children, so a hoop that can be lowered is definitely a plus.
I ultimately decided to go with the Mega Slam 72. When I ordered it earlier this year, the selling price was $2,399 (plus tax). The price has since gone up, which brings me to another point I would like to make. Watch for sales, promotions, price drops, etc. Even if you decide to go with a different hoop than the one we got, you may notice changes in pricing throughout the year.
The Mega Slam 72 weighs about 745 pounds and is shipped via semi truck on a pallet. The nice thing is, there is no additional cost to the customer for shipping. At some point after the order is placed, the freight company will reach out to the customer to setup a time window on a certain day for the hoop to be delivered. Someone has to be there and sign for the delivery. The standard protocol is for residential deliveries of this hoop is curbside, so the truck driver may place the pallet at the very end of your driveway or on the street right before your driveway starts.
For the actual court base, my original plan was to go with a concrete slab, but while doing research I eventually came across a product called Ultra Base Foundation Panel. It's an alternative to concrete and there are versions of the panels available that are designed specifically with athletic courts in mind. These panels are interlocking and different than the sport court tiles (however sport court tiles could still be put over the top of the panels similar to that way sport court tiles can be put over the top of a concrete slab base, if a person wanted to add a custom design). The individual panel dimensions are 30” x 30” x 1.25” (when not installed) and 28" x 28" x 1.25" (once installed/interlocked). Each panel weighs about 10.2 pounds.
I decided I wanted to give the Ultra Base Panels a try. I did an initial order of 20 panels. This gave me the opportunity to test it out (jog on it, jump on it, bounce the ball on it, etc) before installing a whole court. I really liked the product and placed another order for more panels. The base cost of the panel is $39.33 per panel. I was able to get a 15% off discount on both orders, so if you're in a situation where it looks like you're about to pay full price, you may want to try to negotiate for 15% off and see what happens. The other cost related thing to keep in mind is there is an additional cost for shipping (unlike the Mega Slam 72 Hoop where the shipping cost was essentially built into the cost of the product). The Ultra Base Panels are also shipped via semi truck and shipping cost will vary based on where you live.
While waiting for the second order of panels to arrive, I got leveling sand and used a lawn leveling rake to work the sand into areas of the yard where the panels would be installed. I also got landscaping fabric that would be placed over the top of the sand on the day the panels were installed.
My wife LaRissa and I were able to install the panels the same day the second order of panels came. She was very helpful with the installation! We (and our children) have really been enjoying the court!
You can see how the court turned out by watching the following short documentary that shows parts of the process:
Here's an affiliate link to the lawn leveling rake that I used: https://amzn.to/4onHAJ6
Ja'Van