Okay, here’s my blog post about setting up portable basketball flooring, written in a casual, first-person style:

So, I finally got around to setting up that portable basketball court in my backyard. You know, the kind you see advertised sometimes, with interlocking tiles? I’ve been wanting to do this for ages, and this weekend, I just went for it. Let me tell you, it was… an experience.

Getting Started

First, I ordered the flooring online. There were tons of options, different colors, sizes, the works. I measured my space, did some quick math, and hit “buy.” Easy peasy, right? Wrong! The delivery… Man, it was those packages is heavy!

The boxes arrived, and I was like, “Okay, let’s do this!” I dragged everything out to the yard. First mistake: I should have opened them closer to where I was actually putting the court. Lesson learned.

The Actual Work

• Step 1: Clear the area. This seemed obvious, but I still managed to miss a few rocks and twigs. Which I found later, painfully.
• Step 2: Lay down a base (optional, but recommended). I used some landscape fabric I had lying around. Figured it would help with drainage and keep weeds from popping up between the tiles.
• Step 3: Start snapping! This was actually kinda fun, at first. The tiles interlock, like giant puzzle pieces. You just line them up and stomp on them, and they click together.

After about an hour, my “kinda fun” turned into “my back is killing me.” I definitely underestimated how much bending and snapping was involved. I took a break, grabbed some water, and powered through. I called the children to step on tiles together.

Getting the edges right was a little tricky. I had to cut some of the tiles to fit the space. I used a regular saw, nothing fancy. Just be careful, measure twice, cut once, all that good stuff.

The Finished Product

Finally, after a few hours of sweat and a couple of choice words, it was done! It actually looked pretty good. I grabbed a basketball and took a few shots. The bounce was decent, the grip was good, and most importantly, it felt solid.

It’s not perfect. There are a couple of spots where I messed up the alignment a little, but overall, I’m happy with it. Now I can shoot hoops whenever I want, without having to drive to the park. Plus, it’s a good excuse to get outside and get some exercise.

My advice if you’re thinking of doing this: Get a friend to help, wear gloves, and don’t underestimate how much work it is. But, it’s definitely doable, and it’s pretty cool to have your own basketball court, even if it’s just a small one in your backyard.