# Basketball Court- Half Court



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

you need a gravel base for drainage first. 4" - 6" of 3/4" trap rock will work, compacted each 2" 2" Asphalt for the top coat. Search on line to get a template to paint the court marking.


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## TammyF (Jan 13, 2012)

Hubby and I own a paving company, and asphalt not really a diy project due to equipment needed to install it properly. I am not saying you couldn't do it, but I am telling you it won't be fun..... it wont be pretty..... and there is a pretty good chance you wont be happy with the outcome!!! Its HOT NASTY HARD work even with the proper equipment and a trained crew.. 
The best rake hands and roller operators make it look easy! 

Asphalt is a perishable product.... it's hot when you get it from the plant (400 degrees give or take a few). If you don't get it installed, raked properly and compacted fast enough you end up with an uneven ugly mess or worse a big black rock stuck in what ever you try to haul it with!!! 

I don't know where you are but around here you would be hard pressed to find a plant that would fire up and dump a manageable amount (manageable being how many pounds of hot mix you can shovel and rake and compact before it gets cold) of asphalt on a trailer or in the bed of a pick up for the average diy'er. 

If you plan to do asphalt, and there is a chance you will ever park on your basket ball court this is what you will need. 
For 900 sq ft 
4 inches compacted depth of limestone flex base ..... appx 22 tons. Its pretty pricy if you by it from a landscaping company..... (we buy it directly from the pit)
ss1 tack coat between the rock and the aspahlt. 
2 inches compacted depth of type D hot mix asphalt...... appx 11 tons. 
If I were you I would get a few quotes from your local paving contractors for asphalt. Ask for refrences, and make sure they are bidding apples to apples on sq ft and depths..... 

I don't do the concrete bids around here so I don't know how many yards of concrete or linear feet of rebar you are gonna need but I do know you don't need to dig a hole and fill it with base rock.
If you plan to pour concrete and you think you might ever park on it excavate to 7 inch depth, set your forms.. install 2 inches cushion sand.... install #3 rebar on 18 inch centers and pour 5 inches 3500 psi concrete. Broom finish so it wont be slippery. Then back fill with soil after you pull your forms...
When figuring the cost of diy concrete pad don't forget to figure in the cost of form wood..... And for a pad that size you are gonna need some help with the screed board!!! 
If you are gonna paint it, home depot sells a traffic marking paint in spray can and a spray can holder thingy with a wheel .... cant vouch for how long the paint will last though.... Sherwin Williams also sells traffic paint by the 5 gallon bucket..... but that's a lot of paint and its pricey. 
Hope that helps!!!


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... Tammy, why don't you fill in the blanks in yer profile...
It'd be nice to know *Where* yer located...

The way you do pavin' in yer area, Ain't the way it's done 'round here....
Such as,....
'round here, asphalt is graded as Type 1, Type 3, Type 6, 'or Type 7...
Type 1 is also known as Base,...
Type 3 is also known as Binder,...
Types 6, 'n 7 are top coats, 6 bein' coarser than 7...
Of course, there's also variations within these types....

Also,....
'round here, a layer of crushed limestone is at a minimum, 8", not 4"...
A tennis court, or basketball court might get by with 4", but if there's Any chance of it bein' parked on, 8" is the minimum...

Oh, 'n 1 last thing,....
Tac'in' the stone, before layin' blacktop is a total Waste of money, 'n tac....
Tac on existing blacktop is 1 thing, which helps hold the new to the old, but tac'in' stone ain't...

I do agree with ya, that hot mix asphalt is *NOT* a diy job though...
Kunsoo should be callin' 'round for estimates, if he's goin' with asphalt....
Concrete, could be done diy,...
900sq.ft. oughta be 'bout a truckload...


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## TammyF (Jan 13, 2012)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,.... Tammy, why don't you fill in the blanks in yer profile...
> It'd be nice to know *Where* yer located...
> 
> The way you do pavin' in yer area, Ain't the way it's done 'round here....
> ...


Bondo..... I am in Texas

Type A is probably what you would call base its 1 1/2 inch 
Type B is binder
Type C is 5/8 topping
Type D is 3/8 topping 
I don't know why but I never thought about it being called something else in different regions.... all I can say is I am a Texas girl and the farthest north I have ever been is Oklahoma so it never really occurred to me!! LOL
You are right tack on overlays and repairs, and we use penetration on new construction here..... sorry about that!!! Ordered 500 gallons yesterday for an overlay and had tack on my mind......blonde moment..... duh!!!! 
We have a small 20x20 asphalt pad in the back pasture that hubby built with 4 inches limestone, and 2 inches type D that he parks what ever equipment or truck they are working on so they can get away from the fire ants, but our sub base is pretty hard, no issues with drainage and does not pump water so those specs work....


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## TammyF (Jan 13, 2012)

kunsoo said:


> Hey everybody. Let's start off by saying that I'm planning on making a basketball court by the dimensions of 30x30 feet with a portable basketball hoop not in the ground(cheaper). I plan on digging 7in down throughout. I didn't really know what to lay for the foundation like gravel or what not. Also I didn't know what material I should use as the top of the court either concrete or asphalt. All I care about when picking between the two was the cost, which would be cheaper? So yeah it would be great if someone(hopefully an expert) would help me in saying what materials i should use to make this basketball court. Also any precautions i should take when starting the build.


I FORGOT TO MENTION THE MOST IMPORTANT PRECAUTION OF ALL!!!!! CALL FOR A LINE LOCATE BEFORE YOU DIG!!!! If you don't and you hit a fiber optic cable or gas line you will be sorry!!! All lines should be deeper than you will need to dig but ya never know and its better to be safe!!!


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> Bondo..... I am in Texas


Ayuh,.... No frost then,....

'round here, frost will go 4',...
prevailin' soils are brown clay, or solid sedimentary limestone... little in-between...
We box out a hole, with pitch for drainage, 'n fill it with crushed limestone, 8" is minimum...
Fabric, 'n more stone for heavier traffic of course...

Our materials are similar, just different names....


> All lines should be deeper than you will need to dig but ya never know and its better to be safe!!!


That's the truth, they're Never as deep as they say they are.....


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## tractorfarmer (Jan 4, 2012)

I think if you are going to all the trouble of making a court, why not have some well set posts for the backboards? That seems like a minor cost.

And why not try grass? Can that be done? They play tennis on grass.


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## tractorfarmer (Jan 4, 2012)

Maybe grass is a bad idea. But I don't think using either concrete or asphalt will be inexpensive, so I would try to make it dual purpose. Either for other sports, parking, or storage. But a court is like a swingset. How long are the kids going to use it for?


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