How to Install an Inground Basketball Hoop

If you’re thinking about installing a basketball hoop at your home or business, consider an inground system. Thanks to its durability, an inground basketball hoop will provide years of enjoyment with very little maintenance. Inground systems can also hold heavy-duty backboards and rims to provide the most pro-style feel of any basketball setup.

What scares most people about buying an inground system is the extensive installation process that involves digging and mixing concrete. To help relieve these fears, we’ve developed this simple step-by-step guide to help you install your inground basketball quickly and easily.

Things you’ll need
• At least 2 people
• Shovel
• 850 pounds of concrete mix
• A container big enough to mix the concrete
• Tape measure
• Marker
• Level
• Step ladder

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mark off a level piece of ground for your court and determine your hoop’s location.
2. Because you’ll be digging at least two feet down, contact utility companies to make sure there aren’t any wires or pipes where you plan to install your inground basketball hoop.
3. Dig a hole two feet in diameter with a depth of at least 2 feet. Even though a circle hole will be easier to create, consider digging a square hole. A square hole can give your basketball hoop and yard a more professional look.
4. Mix about 850 pounds of concrete and fill the hole to the top. Tamp down the concrete to release air pockets.
5. Mark a line 15-18 inches from the bottom of your basketball pole.
6. Using at least two people and a level, sink the pole into the concrete up to the line you’ve marked, making sure it goes in straight.
7. If you’d like the option of moving your hoop later, consider sinking a ground sleeve into the cement rather than the pole itself. Learn more about Lifetime inground basketball ground sleeves.
8. Pour more concrete into the pole itself. Before you leave the concrete to settle, verify again that the pole is straight.
9. Give the concrete 48-72 hours to completely settle.
10. Finish assembling your basketball system, attaching the backboard, rim and net according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

While the whole installation process will take several hours and span at least three days, remember that once your inground basketball hoop is installed, you’ll be able to enjoy it for many years to come.