If you love playing basketball, there is nothing better than adding a basketball hoop to your backyard or driveway.
While portable basketball systems are increasing in popularity, moving them can be a challenge. This article will offer you some advice on how to move your sand-filled basketball hoop.
Portable Basketball Hoops
Portable hoops are built on A-shaped frames and have a base that you weigh down for support and stability. You could either use sand or water to weigh your portable hoop down.
Contrary to basketball hoops cemented into the ground, portable hoops have several advantages, including their movability.
Should You Use Sand or Water in Your Basketball Hoop?
Filling your portable hoop with water is easier and cheaper because water is readily available.
Using water is also great if you intend to move the hoop around a lot because it is not difficult to remove the water.
The problem with using water is that once it starts evaporating, your base will become less stable. Also, should your hoop's base crack, the water could begin leaking without warning.
The above reasons are why more and more people use sand to secure their portable hoops. Sand offers increased stability as it weighs more than 13 pounds per gallon, while water only weighs a little over eight pounds per gallon.
Considering that most portable hoop bases can hold up to 35 gallons, you can understand the amount of support you can get when you fill them with sand. Also, it is easier to notice when the sand begins to leak.
How Much Sand To Use for the Basketball Hoop Base
Most portable basketball hoops have a base that can hold 35 gallons.
If you fill such a base with sand, buying ten 50-pound sandbags from any home-supply store will do. If your hoop base can hold more than 35 gallons, adjust the amount of bags accordingly.
After you have positioned your hoop in your preferred location, remove the fill plug by turning it counterclockwise, then add sand to the base using a funnel.
Every once in a while, stop pouring the sand and tilt your base to force the sand forward and ensure that you fill the base evenly.
Once it is full, thread the plug into the hole and tighten it by hand. Hand-tightening the plug will make it easier to remove when the time comes to empty the base.
Moving a Basketball Hoop Filled With Sand
While the additional support sand offers is significantly beneficial, it will, unfortunately, make it more challenging for you to move your basketball hoop.
The effort and costs that are sometimes involved when moving your portable hoop might make you question whether the task is a worthy one.
If you are fortunate, your basketball hoop will have wheels on its base that will make moving it more manageable.
If it does, place one foot straight up and against the base's middle section so that the top of your foot is resting along the base while the ball of your foot touches the ground.
Using both your hands, grab the top of the A-frame below the rim. While keeping your feet in place, pull the hoop towards you.
Remember not to pull too fast to avoid toppling the hoop over. Keep pulling the hoop towards you until you lift the back of the base off the ground.
Remove your foot from the base and slowly walk the hoop to where you want to position it. Seeing that the wheels are often only made to go forward or backward, you will need to turn the hoop 90 degrees if you want to move it sideways.
What To Keep in Mind When Moving Your Basketball Hoop
While your portable basketball hoop is always moveable, it will be a bit more challenging if it does not have wheels. Here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with such hoops:
- Assistance: Because sand is heavier than water, you will probably need help to move your sand-filled basketball hoop.
- Collapsible: Though some hoops do not have wheels, they might be collapsible or foldable. Refer to your instruction manual to check if your hoop can collapse into a more manageable frame.
- Non-Collapsible: If your hoop is not foldable or collapsible, you will need to hire professional help to move the basket, especially if you intend to move it to an entirely new location. Remember that a standard basketball hoop is more than 10 feet high and cannot fit in most moving trucks.
- Disassembly: If it is possible, disassembling some of the pieces could make your job easier. Consider removing the backboard from the pole and the pole from the base. You could then move the base around and reassemble the pieces later.
- Base: Although emptying the base will make the work easier, it is challenging. The capped holes used to fill and drain the base are generally on top, meaning that you will have to flip the structure upside down. You could, however, try reducing some of the weight by turning your hoop on its side.
- Protection: If you are fortunate enough to have a hoop that can collapse or fold to a more manageable size, you will only need minimal assistance to load it onto a moving truck. Remember to cover the hard metal structure with packing blankets to protect it from scratches or smashing into other items.
Final Word of Advice: On Moving Hoops Filled with Sand
As we have already explained, moving a basketball hoop filled with sand is no easy task. That is why, as always, safety must come first.
Even if you can lift your basketball hoop on your own, it is still a good idea to have someone else assist you.
Doing it alone increases the risks of your hand slipping, which could cause the basketball hoop to rock backward or forward, crash to the floor, and cause considerable damage or injuries.
It is best to take all the necessary precautions to prevent this from happening.
You definitely don't want to move your hoop like this:
