When you watch basketball, the most familiar sight that you will see is the unique court surface. Of course, with the standard court lines and markings. These basketball court floorings seem firm, sturdy, and shiny. It retains these factors even when the ball bounce and players run around. But, is there any most excellent type of flooring?
The flooring materials are an essential element in a basketball court. Most basketball court floor uses PVC or vinyl, sport tiles, wood flooring, concrete, and asphalt materials. Among these options, vinyl is the most popular type. Its price, sturdy foundation, and sleek design make them one-of-a-kind. Yet, these materials will vary based on the kind of court, its uses, and location.
There are many flooring options for a basketball court nowadays. It’s easy to be mistaken about which ones to choose. This article will guide you in selecting the best ones. Hence, we’re looking at the perfect materials, comparing each, and meeting strict conditions.
What are common materials for an indoor basketball court?
Ever since this basketball game’s sport started, most of the basketball courts, indoor basketball, to be exact, make use of woods. Wood flooring is the traditional basketball flooring material used. There are various woods for the flooring of the basketball court. For instance, hardwood courts or hard maple courts. But more and more new materials are paving the way.
Many basketball court flooring doesn’t have the same type of playing surface. It all depends on the specific court needed, how cost-effective it is, and the kinds of basketball purposes. One of the best flooring materials that are prominent today is vinyl. Many choose to install this one because of the quality, price, and performance.
As we go through, I’ll be discussing the factors and advanced features of materials.
Wood Flooring
As I noted above,wood flooring is one of the best indoor basketball courts. Wood was notable because of its structure and characteristics. According to the National Basketball Association (NBA), you can see most NBA stadium venues made of wood. The hue of the wood helps livens the basketball court by better refracting light. Even its lightness makes it simpler for players to see the ball’s movement because it stands out against it.
Maple is the most used wood flooring. It is impressive with its resistance to splintering and enough flexibility to help the ball bounce without slowing it down. It is the most sought material, whether professional or leisure basketball. Hard maple flooring is prominent in making gymnasiums and indoor basketball courts. And as I’ve mentioned, most of the stadiums or premier NCAA arenas use hard maple. NCAA also noted that they selected 500 northern maple trees to make this beautiful hardwood court.
Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA) states maple’s credibility and standing as a top flooring material. It’s their Janka’s hardness, excellent shock resistance, appearance, and availability. It is also the reason why it is so costly compared to others.
The coequal of maple is oak materials. There are two types of oak materials: white and red oak, which also perform best. Though, oak is like maple. Still, many experts and professionals opted for oak materials.
One reason is the oak’s patterns. There are wavy figures, stripes, rings, or dots, that make them perform better. The porous property of oak also plays a big part in the performance of this material. But, white oak is the most stable among the two based on temperature and humidity levels. Oak is not a good choice if you seek a cheaper alternative. It is more expensive than maple and other woods.
Many basketball courts have more affordable alternative wood options, such as hardwood flooring. But you can expect that the performance and safety are not as good as maple and oak.
Which Wood Is A Better Wood For Basketball Court?
Both oak and maple made a value for basketball courts. Yet, both are different. So, let’s compare their differences in these three aspects.
- The appearance of maple and oak is like each other. Maple has a lighter and softer color contrast to oak’s brownish/grainy tone.
- These materials are durable, but there are slight differences in the Janka hardness test.
- Their prices are high, but they depend on the quality, installation, and other services. But, oak is costlier than maple, ranging from $4.99 to $7.49 per sq. On the other hand, the price of maple varies between $3.74 and $5.00 per sq.
Indeed, these prices will cost more since many professional basketball courts use them. If you are looking for an alternative for your basketball court for your home and space, I got you covered.
We have more basketball materials perfect for indoor and outdoor settings—for example, plastic court flooring. PVC vinyl flooring is a type of plastic flooring. They are affordable, can perform well, and is versatile. So, let’s discuss this other court material.
Vinyl Sport Flooring
Factories develop synthetic plastic materials with solid strength suitable for the basketball court. It has a similar design appearance to the wood, and performance imitates the wood too. For instance, it has exceptional durability making it safer for players. It also has excellent traction, greater shock absorption, and better bounce.
Vinyl is a type of plastic with excellent use for any space, like conventions, parties, and sports events like basketball. It is a notable material for indoor and outdoor basketball courts. If I compare it to other materials, it has many color options and can compete with the performance of wood. Most vinyl provides a higher bounce while dribbling than hardwood. It is also safer for falls due to its higher impact resistance and more shock absorption.
Our vinyl basketball flooring is the best material you can find on the market. You will have no problem practicing basketball skills. And because of the wear-resistant surface, you can run, dribbling, turning, free throws. Our vinyl also gives a high impact resistance, is shock-absorbing, and is highly elastic. It has high friction guarantees with unrestricted movement and in-situ rotation of athletes. It is also environmentally friendly, easy to install, etc.
In TeeLand, we make all our vinyl flooring of high quality. The quality affects the basketball players’ health, comfort, safety, and performance. Thus, we guarantee that you will get the best surface material for an indoor basketball court.
We have varieties of vinyl patterns, such as:
- Maple Pattern
- Oak Pattern
- Fabric Pattern
- Pomegranate Pattern
- Gemstone Pattern
- Gravelly Patter
- Hammering Pattern
- Braided Patter
- Sandy Pattern
- Water Cube Pattern
Of course, depending on the application, you can choose different patterns. If it’s about the basketball court, the standard pattern is wood.
We also have varieties of thickness options that start with 4.5 mm and go up to 8.0 mm. These thicknesses will depend on what basketball court you will set up. All this thickness has a solid and durable layer that can withstand the rigors of any basketball activity.
What are common materials for an outdoor basketball court?
The procedure of waterproofing to make wood floorings like maple materials and hardwood solution destroys plenty of their favorable properties. It is why they are not ideal for outdoor basketball courts.
As a result, many used available and water-resistant materials. For example, concrete, asphalt, and plastic construct outdoor basketball courts. Factors like minimal skin abrasions and little maintenance are a plus point when choosing. And if they can withstand harsh weather conditions too. But the best materials will depend on how much money you will spend, location, and who will play.
Concrete
Hard surface like concrete is an excellent material for outdoor basketball. It is low-cost and has a smooth surface to increase basketball performance. The concrete foundation is easy to make. It only requires the essential equipment and labor to pour the mixture and set it.
It will survive longer if the concrete has a sealer and vapor barrier. It can withstand extreme heat and frost too. It is also possible to add acrylic re-surfacing paint for lines.
Asphalt
Standard asphalt is not only for roads, community parks, or driveways but outdoor basketball courts too. If I compare asphalt to concrete, asphalt is a much more suitable choice for outdoor court flooring. But, both concrete and asphalt have similar compositions. Wherein they have weather sealant to coat them and acrylic paint for lines.
The firm surface of the asphalt offers surface options from smooth to rough. Since it’s soft enough to let you dribble with ease, so don’t worry. But be careful not to run around since it can scrape you up and tumble down! The good thing is asphalt requires little maintenance because it can hide dirt. Its dark color is dark enough not to be get exposed to grime.
Asphalt is also strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions. But not strong enough for the long term. Its entire surface will tend to crack and have surface issues. It is why they will not last long and will break for quite some time.
PVC Vinyl Flooring
As I mentioned, plastic is suitable for indoor and outdoor basketball courts. Its performance is top-notch, even its structure. Plastic is UV resistant which means it has Ultra Violet (UV) protection and protects you from injuries. It will be gentler on your knees and prevent severe falls.
When you set them down, you will get a beautiful sight of an outdoor basketball court.
Furthermore, plastic material can stand as it is or on top of concrete. Which we called the “Multi-Purpose.” By doing so, the plastic flooring improves the safety of the players by providing better traction. There is also a low risk of abrasion, and the ball will have a consistent bounce.
Indeed, vinyl basketball court flooring is a kind in indoor and outdoor settings. Even with all the benefits and performance, it provides. Thus, we’ll discuss each of the edges why choosing a vinyl material is the best.
Resilient and exceptional durability
Compared to other materials in this list, vinyl stood out the most for the outdoor basketball court. It has strong materials and will be long-lasting for how many years. The vinyl surface floor is flexible and stretchy. In which it helps keep its performance and material last. If you build a professional basketball court or a backyard court, vinyl would be a good investment.
Little Maintenance
Most vinyl floors have a non-linear texture that helps with excellent traction. They came in handy, so dirt and debris will not stay on the surface. Which means it’s easy to remove by sweeping it. You can also use a damp mop with detergent and soap with it. For sure, if you maintain it regularly, the basketball court will look new and lively.
Bouncing and Stability
Vinyl will have no problems regarding temperature, pressure, and humidity. Most vinyl will have no problem losing the top surface with fluctuations and alterations. But, it varies depending on the quality and brand of vinyl. It is why TeeLand Vinyl Sports Flooring and PVC vinyl will be a fantastic product and high standard.
Multi-purpose plastic flooring
Among the most versatile flooring you can use in sports, and commercial use is vinyl. Vinyl has functional advantages. One is it resembles traditional hardwood court flooring. It’s also cost-effective, high-quality, and has elevated features. You can use them in many sports like street hockey, volleyball, and basketball.
Cost-Effective
Compared to other types of flooring for a basketball court, vinyl is less pricey. Vinyl sports floor from TeeLand is easy to install to any surface area. Our materials used are stable, comfortable, and durable. Maintaining and cleaning them has a far cheaper cost over time.
PP Interlock Tiles
Have you gone to an amateur outdoor basketball competition? If yes, then maybe you are familiar with basketball court tiles.
Basketball court tiles have a high shock absorption that is best for recreational use. It is flexible, in which you can customize them based on the players’ needs.
If you aim to build an outdoor basketball court that is flexible and replaceable, tiles are an excellent alternative. If you opted for pp interlock tiles, you should know that they last for a short time. At most, they will be around for another 10 to 15 years.
What to keep in mind when choosing a basketball court?
Is it true that all basketball courts are the same? Is all basketball courts’ flooring of the same material, quality, and thickness? Well, not really.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has a set of rules and regulations needed for basketball courts. They based it on technical, financial, and sporting functionality. When making the court, you need to follow these rules whether the materials are expensive, for outdoor or indoor basketball, professional or recreational.
- Because of their flexibility, the flooring should absorb players’ movements and the ball.
- The surface area should be completely flat.
- The flooring material should have a constant point elasticity in all the surface areas.
- Their color must be drab with approximately 0.25-0.50 reflected light factor.
- The floor should be smooth and even throughout, absorbing bounce.
- Players’ feet should be able to travel on the floor surface.
- To avoid excessive vibration, sound absorption is essential.
- There should be a shock absorption for the flooring materials.
Conclusion
To debunk this myth: not all basketball courts use woods. Instead, it is the most preferred of all the materials. There are various materials used in basketball courts. Some you might be familiar with if you are a basketball enthusiast or in a basketball setting.
Vinyl sports flooring, wood, and concrete are the usual floor materials for basketball courts. Maybe in professional and recreational settings. The suitable flooring materials will matter based on the needs, budget, designs, and performance. But, all the materials in this list are workable. All are perfect for your basketball flooring needs indoors or outdoors, especially vinyl.
