When most of us think of a basketball floor, we naturally think of wood flooring. After all, we’ve all watched countless hours of college and professional basketball, and there is not one game that we haven’t seen on a wood floor. Wood is indeed a great surface for basketball, but were you aware that there are many other surfaces out there that will work equally well for your amateur athletes and are available for much less than wood?
We’re all pretty familiar with wood courts – typically a blond floor made of maple or a similar hardwood. But selecting a wood floor system is a dizzying exercise because there are literally hundreds of options that you can choose from for the construction of what goes underneath the hardwood surface that we all see. I have on my desk a brochure from a manufacturer of hardwood basketball floors that describes no less than 23 systems in it. It’s difficult to determine which system is appropriate for you facility when presented with this many options.
That’s because wood floors can use a multitude of components in their construction. Plywood, 2″ x 3″ boards (known as sleepers)1″ x 4″ planking, rubber pads, foam layers, metal channels, or some combination of a few of the above are all common in flooring construction. The number of combinations of these elements is virtually limitless but the goal is all the same: developing a floor that absorbs shock from the impact of players landing on the floor, while still being stiff enough to allow a basketball to be dribbled consistently.
Fortunately, there is a way to evaluate each floor on its performance. We in the US have effectively adopted standards that have been recognized throughout Europe for years, known as the Deutches Institute for Normungs Standard or, as we refer to it the DIN standards. Most wood flooring manufacturers submit all of their flooring systems to this testing, conducted by a disinterested third party, and will share with you the results. Keep in mind that not all flooring systems have passed all aspects of these tests, but they are still available on the market, so be careful to inquire about the DIN standards when selecting. But sometimes the final election ends up being determined by budget constraints rather than appropriateness.
However, as I mentioned earlier, wood systems are not the only systems available now. Wood is an excellent system with lowlife cycle costs over its 30-40 year life. Yet it has a high initial cost, and you will find that synthetics are much less expensive with similar life cycle costs, in spite of the fact that they don’t have the lifespan of a wood floor.
Synthetics have come a long way from their early days and are now quite attractive, easy to maintain and safe. They now tend to divide into one of three types of construction: Rubber or PVC sheets, interlocking polypropylene tiles or poured polyurethane systems. Pricing for these systems range from half or less the cost of a wood floor for polypropylene tiles, to nearly as much as a medium priced wood floor for poured polyurethane systems.
The rubber/PVC sheets typically have a wear layer that is available in any color or even a wood grain appearance and are underlain by a thin layer of rubber or foam that allows for shock absorption while still providing adequate ball bounce. They typically come in rolls or large sheets that are laid on site and then welded together using a heat process that gives the floor a seamless appearance. They can then be striped for whatever sports you require, using a special tape or paint that adheres well to this surface.
A poured surface is similar, with a shock absorbing granular rubber underneath the wear surface, but the whole system comes to your facility in a liquid form and is applied in a number of layers. This flooring can also be striped and is available in several colors. The key to this system is an able and very skilled installation team who can make sure that the product flows evenly and is perfectly level.
Polypropylene tiles are quite popular lately because they are the least expensive alternative, come in an array of color, and can be easily removed and repaired if needed. These too can be striped and are available in either a grid pattern or a solid surface. The thing to be most careful of with these tiles is that they are well manufactured. Most are, but some companies, in an effort to jump on this trend, have produced tiles that still need some adjustment. Every tile should fit firmly together and solid tiles should have a uniform appearance on the face. As always, check references when selecting these or any other surfaces.
When considering alternatives for your basketball area, you should take into account your budget, the appropriateness of the floor for all events you envision occurring in the area, and the general look and feel that you desire for the area. By carefully considering these criteria you will be able to arrive at the best choice for your facility and your users.
Steve Chase is the General Manager of Exerflex. He can be contacted at 800.428.5306, or by email at exerflex@exerflex.com.
When most of us think of a basketball floor, we naturally think of wood flooring. After all, we’ve all watched countless hours of college and professional basketball, and there is not one game that we haven’t seen on a wood floor. Wood is indeed a great surface for basketball, but were you aware that there are many other surfaces out there that will work equally well for your amateur athletes and are available for much less than wood?
We’re all pretty familiar with wood courts – typically a blond floor made of maple or a similar hardwood. But selecting a wood floor system is a dizzying exercise because there are literally hundreds of options that you can choose from for the construction of what goes underneath the hardwood surface that we all see. I have on my desk a brochure from a manufacturer of hardwood basketball floors that describes no less than 23 systems in it. It’s difficult to determine which system is appropriate for you facility when presented with this many options.
That’s because wood floors can use a multitude of components in their construction. Plywood, 2″ x 3″ boards (known as sleepers)1″ x 4″ planking, rubber pads, foam layers, metal channels, or some combination of a few of the above are all common in flooring construction. The number of combinations of these elements is virtually limitless but the goal is all the same: developing a floor that absorbs shock from the impact of players landing on the floor, while still being stiff enough to allow a basketball to be dribbled consistently.
Fortunately, there is a way to evaluate each floor on its performance. We in the US have effectively adopted standards that have been recognized throughout Europe for years, known as the Deutches Institute for Normungs Standard or, as we refer to it the DIN standards. Most wood flooring manufacturers submit all of their flooring systems to this testing, conducted by a disinterested third party, and will share with you the results. Keep in mind that not all flooring systems have passed all aspects of these tests, but they are still available on the market, so be careful to inquire about the DIN standards when selecting. But sometimes the final election ends up being determined by budget constraints rather than appropriateness.
However, as I mentioned earlier, wood systems are not the only systems available now. Wood is an excellent system with lowlife cycle costs over its 30-40 year life. Yet it has a high initial cost, and you will find that synthetics are much less expensive with similar life cycle costs, in spite of the fact that they don’t have the lifespan of a wood floor.
Synthetics have come a long way from their early days and are now quite attractive, easy to maintain and safe. They now tend to divide into one of three types of construction: Rubber or PVC sheets, interlocking polypropylene tiles or poured polyurethane systems. Pricing for these systems range from half or less the cost of a wood floor for polypropylene tiles, to nearly as much as a medium priced wood floor for poured polyurethane systems.
The rubber/PVC sheets typically have a wear layer that is available in any color or even a wood grain appearance and are underlain by a thin layer of rubber or foam that allows for shock absorption while still providing adequate ball bounce. They typically come in rolls or large sheets that are laid on site and then welded together using a heat process that gives the floor a seamless appearance. They can then be striped for whatever sports you require, using a special tape or paint that adheres well to this surface.
A poured surface is similar, with a shock absorbing granular rubber underneath the wear surface, but the whole system comes to your facility in a liquid form and is applied in a number of layers. This flooring can also be striped and is available in several colors. The key to this system is an able and very skilled installation team who can make sure that the product flows evenly and is perfectly level.
Polypropylene tiles are quite popular lately because they are the least expensive alternative, come in an array of color, and can be easily removed and repaired if needed. These too can be striped and are available in either a grid pattern or a solid surface. The thing to be most careful of with these tiles is that they are well manufactured. Most are, but some companies, in an effort to jump on this trend, have produced tiles that still need some adjustment. Every tile should fit firmly together and solid tiles should have a uniform appearance on the face. As always, check references when selecting these or any other surfaces.
When considering alternatives for your basketball area, you should take into account your budget, the appropriateness of the floor for all events you envision occurring in the area, and the general look and feel that you desire for the area. By carefully considering these criteria you will be able to arrive at the best choice for your facility and your users.
Steve Chase is the General Manager of Exerflex. He can be contacted at 800.428.5306, or by email at exerflex@exerflex.com.
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