Want to play soccer in the backyard? 5 steps to building a basketball court

Building a basketball court isn’t rocket science, but it doesn’t pay to start completely ignorant. Here are five steps that should be followed if you want to set up a playground in the corner of the yard or on the village square.

Choose a suitable location

First, you have to find a suitable location for building a basketball court, while of course you have to take into account the dimensions of the court. The standard size of the street basketball court is 15×11 meters, but if you want to build a practice corner in your own yard, the court can also have other dimensions. It is important to find a sufficient area of ​​land and make sure that the location is safe – the ball can sometimes fly beyond the field and it is better if there is no neighbor’s window or flower bed right next to the ball field.

If possible, it would be better to avoid the lowest corner of the territory, where rainwater and other mud will collect, rather choose a higher place.

If the planned field is not in your yard, but the plan is to build, for example, a village or community ball field, you must of course make sure that the landowner agrees with the facility, be it a private person, municipality or state. If necessary, permits must be coordinated with the local government.

Prepare the foundation

First, it should be made clear what the soil of the planned field site is like, how much needs to be dug and backfilled depends on it. If there is a normal soil or soil-clay layer, then it is worth digging to a depth of about half a meter so that a proper and solid foundation can be made on top. When digging, you should remove all obstacles such as stones, roots and weeds. However, there are places in Estonia where a paas can be found from a depth of 20 cm, it makes no sense to start cutting it. The paas is not a bad option from the point of view of the ball field, because there is stable soil inside the ground. With the preparation of the subsoil, it becomes clear how much and what type of filling material needs to be used. And is it necessary at all, because if a new pitch is built on top of an old asphalt pitch, for example, the base is already there, it is necessary to remove the old asphalt, level the pitch, add crushed stone if necessary and put a new layer of concrete on top.

Fill and compact the base

After finishing the preparatory work, fill the base with suitable material. For example, if about half a meter of the surface has been excavated for the foundation, then about 20 cm of draining sand layer and 15 cm of load-bearing rubble layer can follow. Both layers must be properly sealed, then the concrete slab will not be empty somewhere below and will not cause any subsequent subsidence. Base layers are necessary to prevent frost heaves and allow water to seep into the ground. If water accumulates under the concrete slab, in winter the water becomes ice, which starts to lift the square. The field becomes uneven, and the concrete slab may also flow. If there is a situation referred to in the previous point, where there is limestone under the field, then a rubble pad and a concrete cover are sufficient.

Order concrete work

A suitable concrete must be weatherproof, able to cope with every season in Estonia and withstand summer heat and winter frost. The ordered concrete can also be laid down yourself, if it is a small playground built in your own garden. At the same time, a true beginner could still call for help. The concrete must be straightened, properly sanded, and before it starts to set. The bigger the square, the more efficiently you have to work. In the case of a fairly large field, a team of 2-3 members is needed, with a well-established division of labor and a clear understanding of the work methods. You have to know how to install, how and when to sand, when to do aftercare so that the concrete doesn’t dry out. It would not be recommended to build a playground for the first practice of working with concrete.

Draw the court and install the basket ring

You could wait at least a month to draw the square, and if you paint larger surfaces, even a few months, so that the water can evaporate from the concrete slab. Recommendations and instructions for this can be obtained from the supplier or manufacturer of the selected product.

In the case of the last stage, the size of the court is again important, whether it is a corner for practicing soccer at home or team training and competitions will also take place on the court – then the court should be lined according to the rules of the basketball game. Use durable paint material and correct dimensions so that the markings are clear and accurate. In addition, install the basket ring according to the standards, making sure that it is properly attached and safe for use. The field built for your own use can be designed as you wish, for example marking a free throw line at a suitable distance. In the case of the basket, too, it is not necessary to consider the standard height, but to consider more the players, who are often children. Then the best option is an adjustable basket table, which can be raised higher as the players grow.