A DIY backyard basketball court will make your home the most popular spot on the block. Here’s what you need to know before you get started.

Nothing makes summer more fun than late-night basketball tournaments. If you have a hoop and a driveway, kids from every corner of the street can gather to play, then leave for dinner or schoolwork, only to fall asleep to the sound of basketballs clinking on the pavement.

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Garage hoops are great. And, if you live near a park, you can play full- or half-court games with real court lines. But what if you could make your own? How cool would that be?

You can! It’s a big endeavor, but manageable with help and forethought. We’ll walk you through the basics so you understand what you’re getting into.

Planning Your Backyard Basketball Court

With a project of this size, it’s important to start with a well-thought-out plan. Before you pick up a shovel or a concrete form, map out your ideas with software like SketchUp, and investigate how much the whole job is going to cost.

Start here:

Choose the size

Determine how much space you can allocate for your court. Compared to football or baseball, basketball requires a smaller playing field, but you will have to give up some of your yard.

College and NBA courts are 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. If you can do this, wow! Congratulations!

If it’s too big, make it a half court or even smaller. With a half court, you’ll still need a width of 50 feet, but only 47 feet for the length. Don’t forget to leave room for out-of-bounds play, so building up to the edge of your brick house won’t work.

If a half court doesn’t fit in your yard, make it smaller to suit your needs.

Choose the playing surface

Backyard basketball court typically start with a concrete slab that you can play on or cover with other materials. Here are some popular options:

• Modular tiles: Interlocking polymer tiles are placed on top of slabs. They’re easy to put together and provide great drainage. Have companies like VersaCourt print multiple sport boundaries on your court. Play basketball one day, pickleball the next!
• Acrylic: Durable acrylic coatings can be applied to slabs with or without cushioning systems underneath to create custom-colored playing surfaces.
• Asphalt: Most of us have played on asphalt courts; it’s a common choice for schools and parks. It’s softer than concrete and relatively inexpensive compared to other options. But it doesn’t last as long.

Get a permit

Anytime you plan to build on your property, especially for a large project like a basketball court, call the city or check their website to see if you need a permit. Unless you live in a really rural area, you probably will.

Make your plans before you apply. Confirm any easements bordering your property. And if you plan to cut down trees, make sure that’s included in your permit application.

Option 1: Concrete slab

This is the foundation of most backyard basketball court, and it’s a lot of labor. If you’re pouring the slab yourself, get some help.

For a half-court or larger court, hiring professionals may be beneficial. If you have a lot of dirt to move, at least rent a skid steer to make the job easier.

Here are the basics:

• Mark the corners of your court and check the slope with a string and level.
• Remove vegetation and level the ground by adding or removing soil. Depending on how much soil you want to remove, you can build the court above ground level or dig it down so it’s level with the ground.
• Set the concrete forms and square the corners. Allow a 2% slope for rainwater to drain before placing the forms around the perimeter.
• Fill in gravel four inches below the top of the forms. Tamp the gravel. Install rebar or steel mesh.
• Pour concrete from one end of the forms to the other. Wear rubber boots and pull the concrete toward you with a 2×4 screed and rake, leveling the concrete on top of the perimeter forms.
• Smooth the surface with a float. Do the finishing work and cut control joints to prevent random cracking.

Option 2: Asphalt court

Instead of pouring a concrete slab, you can lay down asphalt. If you’ve ever seen a highway or driveway being built, you know it’s not as DIY-friendly. To get that smooth surface, asphalt must be leveled with a one- to three-ton roller.

Laying asphalt is also messy work, as it consists of gravel, sand, and sticky binders like bitumen.

Just like concrete, the base is important. You’ll need well-compacted soil, as well as a tamped or rolled gravel layer. Drainage is also important on top of the court, as water pooling can shorten its life. Unlike concrete, you don’t need forms to lay down asphalt because the sides slope into the ground.

If you’re going with an asphalt court, hiring a contractor is probably your best option.

Add playing surface

Depending on the surface you choose, when the concrete is dry, add your playing surface or add paint lines if you are using concrete. Modular tiles are shipped individually so you can fit them together like a puzzle. This is the most user-friendly of the playing surface options.

If you choose an acrylic playing surface, you can hire someone to apply the surface or DIY it. These applications begin with a primer and resurfacer, which prepare the court and help with adhesion. Next come several cushioning layers, and finally the acrylic surface layer.

If you choose an asphalt court instead of concrete, there is not much to do other than add boundary lines with paint.

Add basketball goal

By now, you should know what kind of goal you’re installing. Portable goals are inexpensive and work well. But if you’re building your own court, you can also install a permanent goal that rests on footings. These are available from brands like Goalrilla and Silverback.

Follow the instructions that come with your goal, but typically you’ll need to dig three or four feet of footings. Do this with a post-hole digger. Or, to make it easier, rent or invest in an auger.

The goal footing should be close to but separate from the court to prevent vibrations. Once you’ve dug the hole, insert the concrete forms and pour concrete into the hole. Sink the anchor system that comes with the goal into the concrete, making sure it’s centered and level. Once it’s set, call a helper and bolt the goal to the anchors.

Add lighting and landscaping

Now that you have a court, you want people to watch you play, right? Decorate your court by adding benches for spectators as well as landscaping to integrate the court into your yard.

And finally, depending on the size of the court, your porch lights probably won’t be suitable for night games. If you’re installing a permanent basketball goal, look for light attachments like this one from Goalrilla that go directly onto the goal, or install floodlights on footings around the perimeter.