How to Make a Basketball Hoop Inside a House

Outdoor conditions in most climates make it difficult to play or practice basketball outside year round. Make a basketball hoop inside a house, and you can still shoot a basketball when weather and darkness drive you indoors. Indoor basketball hoops can be customized to fit the available free space. Cleared dedicated rooms with high ceilings accommodate full-size basketball hoops, backboards and balls. Multi-purpose indoor spaces with lower ceilings require basketball equipment to be made on a smaller scale.

Things You'll Need

  • Basketball
  • Ruler
  • Thick cardboard or plywood sheet
  • Utility knife or saw
  • Large plastic bowl, basket or cup
  • Drill with bits
  • Mounting hardware
  • Stud finder (optional)
  • Duct tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select the basketball you will be using based on the room you plan to make the hoop in. Full-size indoor basketballs only work in large spaces with no breakable items. Smaller soft foam basketballs are ideal for houses with breakable objects and limited space.

    • 2

      Measure the diameter of the basketball you have chosen by holding a ruler on top center of the ball and noting the ball's width. Cut the backboard material five times as wide and three times as tall as the balls diameter. Use plywood for heavy rubber basketballs and thick cardboard for lighter foam and plastic balls.

    • 3

      Go down two inches from the top and cut off the rim of a large plastic bowl, laundry basket or oversize drinking cup with twice the diameter of the basketball. Be careful not to crush or crease the plastic rim while cutting so that it stays round.

    • 4

      Hold the plastic rim onto the center of the backboard's long bottom side and up about half the diameter of the ball. Use the ruler to make sure the positioning is correct. Drill two small parallel holes where the rim contacts the backboard and use fastening bolts and nuts to secure the rim.

    • 5

      Choose a height and location in the house to mount the indoor basketball hoop. Mount heavy full-size plywood backboards on wall studs for safety and stability. Lightweight cardboard backboards stay in place with a few strips of duct tape.