Alright, let’s gab about this here floorin’ stuff, the kind they use for basketball, you know? Folks call it “laminate Basketball hard portable wooden flooring,” fancy, huh? But listen, it ain’t all that complicated.

What kind of floorin’ is good for basketball?

Well, I’ve seen all sorts. Some are made of wood, real wood, like the trees growin’ outside. They say that’s the best, the “sprung wood” they call it. Fancy folks use it inside, you know, in them big gymnasiums. But it costs a pretty penny, I tell ya.

Then there’s this other stuff, looks like plastic, they call it “vinyl” or “modular tiles.” It’s cheaper, and they use it outside too. Seems like most folks like it ‘cause it don’t cost as much as that wood stuff. They even make it look like wood, but it ain’t the real thing, you understand? It’s like them fake flowers, pretty to look at but ain’t got no smell.

• Wood floorin’: Good stuff, but pricey.
• Vinyl or tiles: Cheaper, good for outside too.
• Concrete and asphalt: Hard as a rock, but not so bouncy.

Wood floorin’ versus that fake stuff, what’s the diff?

Now, the real wood, that’s solid all the way through. You can sand it down and fix it up if it gets scratched. But that fake stuff, the “laminate,” that’s just a picture of wood glued on top of somethin’ else. Once it’s scratched, it’s scratched. Can’t fix it, no sir. You gotta replace the whole dang thing.

It’s like this, you buy a good sturdy table, it lasts you a lifetime. You buy one of them cheap particle board things, it’ll fall apart in a year. Same with this floorin’. You want somethin’ that lasts, you go with the wood. You want somethin’ cheap and easy, you go with the fake stuff. It’s all about what you can afford, you see?

What’s the toughest wood out there?

They say there’s this wood, “Ipe” they call it, or somethin’ like “Lapacho,” tough as nails, they say. But good luck findin’ it, and if you do, it’ll cost ya an arm and a leg. Hickory’s another tough one, more common than that “Ipe” stuff, but still strong. But you ain’t gonna find these in that fake floorin’, no way. That fake stuff is made of who-knows-what, just pressed together and slapped with a picture.

So, what about this portable wooden floorin’?

Now, that’s somethin’ else entirely. That’s the kind you can move around, see? Like if you wanna have a basketball game in your backyard, you can lay it down, then pick it up when you’re done. It’s usually made of wood pieces that fit together, like a puzzle. Or sometimes they make it with them tiles, easier to carry around I reckon. Handy if you don’t have a permanent court, or if you wanna move the game around. But you gotta make sure it’s laid down flat, or else folks gonna be trippin’ and fallin’ all over the place.

What’s the bottom line?

Well, it all depends on what you need and how much money you got. If you want the best, and you got the cash, go with the real wood, the sprung wood if you can. If you’re on a budget, or you need somethin’ for outside, that vinyl or tile stuff is alright. And if you need to move the floor around, then get yourself some of that portable floorin’. Just make sure it’s strong and safe, ‘cause nobody wants to play basketball on a wobbly floor, that’s for sure.

And that’s about all I know about this floorin’ business. Hope it helps ya make up your mind.