An extremely crucial element of all outdoor sports and activities is the surface on which the sport is played. Every sport requires a different type of flooring for the sport to be conducted without any hassles and barriers. The right kinds of sports flooring prevent the risk of injuries and unwanted infection. There are multiple types of sports flooring available in the market.
Some of the popular sports flooring in the market are vinyl flooring, wooden flooring, cement flooring, and mat flooring. Vinyl flooring is mostly found in badminton and table tennis courts. Wooden flooring is most often used in basketball courts. Cement flooring can be found in open-air basketball courts and badminton courts. Mat flooring can be found in sports arenas used for wrestling and tae-kwon-do.
Flooring for basketball courts is often chosen based on the location of the court. If the court is constructed in an open location, cement is used to construct the court. Whereas, if the court is built in an enclosed auditorium, then different types of woods are used to make the basketball floor. The type of wood used in basketball often depends on the weather of the location of the court. While choosing the material for the flooring, the hygiene aspect that the product can offer should also be kept in mind.
What are basketball courts made of?
The basketball flooring is often made with a polished maple wood material. This is also known as a hardwood court. Hard maple is a wood that is most ideal for basketball flooring since it is a wood of dense quality; it is a hardwood with fine fibers, which prevents it from splintering. Also, the tightly packed wood eliminates the possibility of dirt and grime collecting in the crevices of the flooring, making it quite low maintenance and durable material for indoor basketball courts.
Why is maple wood used often in making sports flooring?
- Maple is a wood with a Janka hardness rating of 1450, which is ideal for basketball flooring and for other indoor sports courts.
- Maple wood has high shock resistance and hence doesn’t get damaged easily due to athletic pressure like jumping, foot traffic, etc. It’s high shock resistance, and density helps it to endure strong wear and tear. This is the reason why maple wood is often used in bowling alley floors so that it can resist tears from the continuous rolling of balls and falling of pins.
- Maple is wood is easily available in the local market, and it doesn’t take a lot of sourcing. This makes it easy to have an uninterrupted supply of the material. Also, maple has a light color naturally. This makes it easy for all colors and patterns to be clearly visible on the surface.
Apart from maple wood, indoor courts are often also constructed using vinyl for the flooring.
Benefits of using vinyl in sports flooring:
- Vinyl is highly durable
If installed properly, vinyl flooring can last for years at a stretch with almost negligible maintenance. Since vinyl is a waterproof material, it is great for places with heavy rains and humidity. Also, vinyl being soft flooring is not as loud as other floorings made with wood and cement.
- Vinyl is extremely hygienic
Being resistant to water and absorption of other materials makes vinyl an extremely hygienic choice for public sports complexes. Since the material cannot absorb water, this prevents it from growing any bacteria and mold. It is also very easy to clean and doesn’t require any special cleaning methods and detergents.
- Vinyl is a very economical material
Since vinyl doesn’t require special cleaning, lasts years if installed properly, and doesn’t absorb water and any other liquids, it is extremely low cost and affordable.
Why is it necessary to have the right sports flooring?
The appropriate sports flooring will not only make playing sports a lot easier and fun, but will also prevent any unwanted accidents and injuries. The right material used in the flooring will eliminate the risk of unwanted diseases and infections.
Thus, it is extremely important to choose the right kind of flooring for a specific kind of sport. Only a safe and effective floor will promote the sport in the right way and increase its fun among all others new to the game.