How to Build a Basketball Goal

If you're tired of dealing with the hassle of finding an open gym or a park available to practice your basketball skills, building your own basketball goal is a good alternative. Basketball goals are sold at most stores that sell sporting goods and come in two types of kits. In-ground basketball kits are designed to be placed in the ground with a concrete base while portable basketball kits sit on a free-standing base which allows for easy storage. Both kits take some time and some effort to assemble, but are worth the work.

Things You'll Need

  • In-ground or portable basketball kit
  • 50 lb. bag of sand (portable kit)
  • 850 lbs. of Ready Mix Concrete (in-ground kit)
  • Wrench
  • Screwdriver
  • Tape measure
  • Ladder
  • Level
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Instructions

  1. How to Build a Portable Basketball Goal

    • 1

      Place the base included in the portable basketball kit in a desired location. Fill the base with sand for stability.

    • 2

      Connect the pole to the base. Poles in basketball kits generally come in three pieces and are attached using the braces which are also included. Attach the braces to the base and to the pole using the appropriate nuts and bolts. If your system is adjustable height, attach the height adjusting arm to the back of the pole.

    • 3

      Attach the rim to the backboard using the appropriate tools according to the instruction manuals included with the kit. Attaching the rim before placing the backboard on the ground will be easier than trying to attach the rim once the backboard is attached to the pole.

    • 4

      Connect the backboard to the pole using a ladder and a wrench. Most basketball backboards are attached to the pole using six nuts that can be tightened in pre-drilled holes on both the backboard and the pole.

    How to Build an In-Ground Basketball Goal

    • 5

      Dig a square hole approximately two feet by two feet by two feet.

    • 6

      Mark the basketball pole included with your in-ground kit 18 inches from the bottom using a marker and measuring tape. Some basketball kits include pre-marked poles.

    • 7

      Mix the 850 pounds of concrete using the easy-to-follow instructions on the back of the concrete bags. Fill the hole completely with the concrete and spread it to ensure that it is even. Insert the pole all the way to the marker and let it cure for 48 hours before continuing to the next step.

    • 8

      Attach the rim to the backboard using the appropriate tools according to the instruction manuals included with the kit. Attaching the rim before placing the backboard on the ground will be easier than trying to attach the rim once the backboard is attached to the pole.

    • 9

      Connect the backboard to the pole using a ladder and a wrench. Most basketball backboards are attached to the pole using six nuts that can be tightened in pre-drilled holes on both the backboard and the pole.