Setting up a new basketball hoop can be a bit of a challenge. If you’ve decided to go with a more permanent approach as opposed to a mobile hoop, there are a couple options. Installing a permanent pole in the ground, or getting a wall mount for the hoop and installing it on the garage, the house, or a wall.
To install a basketball hoop on the garage, you will need a basketball hoop wall mount and compatible basketball backboard and rim. Set the height of the rim to the ground at 10 feet, and draw a free throw line 15 feet from the hoop to comply with NBA regulations for a more realistic practice.
That sounds simple enough right? Well, there’s a bit more to it so I will go into more detail about the planning, set up, and installation so keep reading.
If you already have a basketball wall mount set, then great, let’s jump into the steps. If you haven’t selected a hoop yet, I recommend at least a 54″ wide backboard for a two car driveway sized area, like this Silverback 54″ Wall Mounted Basketball Hoop Set (link to Amazon).
Smaller areas can get away with smaller backboards, but it’s best to get as close to regulation size as possible for training purposes.
Plan Hoop Location
This might be the most important step starting right away. You want to make sure the location you pick will be suitable for playing basketball, but also that players won’t be in the way of other things going on in the area.
- Centered on playing area
- Out of the way if possible
- Highest hoop adjustment will set the top of the rim 10 feet from the ground
- Enough area to draw a free throw line 15 feet from the backboard
If at all possible try to mount the hoop in the center of the playing area, for example if you plan on playing on a concrete slab or a driveway. Keep in mind the height you will want the hoop to be at. It’s recommended for 4th and 5th graders to play on an 8 ft hoop, 6th graders to play on a 9 ft hoop, and everything above should play on the regulation height 10 ft hoop.
The hoop I recommended above has a 2.5 foot adjustment range to cover all of those heights. It’s best to make sure that the top of the rim will be 10 feet from the ground wherever you plan on installing the hoop if you want to be within high school, NCAA, and NBA court regulations.
A regulation free throw line is 15 feet from the front of the backboard. If you plan on practicing for an actual basketball game, It’d be nice to have at least that much space on the court. We will get into the other markings later on, but up front, it’s good to have a plan to fit your needs.
Tools And Set Up Equipment
Now that you’ve decided where you want the hoop to be mounted, it’s time gather the tools and equipment. Most of the wall mount basketball hoops will come with lag bolts meant to mount the bracket, and I was able to do so with just an impact drill and the correct size socket.
Tools Required:
- Lag bolts (if not included) or nuts and bolts
- Socket set and drill, or a set of wrenches
- Stud finder (recommended)
- Ladder (or two if you have help)
The equipment you will need should all come in a set if you got it from a decent company. For example, the Silverback 54″ Wall Mounted Basketball Hoop Set (link to Amazon) comes with everything you need. The wall mount, backboard, and rim.
If you’re piecing these parts together yourself, be careful that not all companies make the equipment to the same specs. The holes won’t line up or you’ll need to make modifications and things like that. That being said, they do make a Universal Mounting Bracket from Amazon, but still make sure it will work with your backboard before buying.
Find Studs To Install The Wall Mount
We’ve got all the tools, equipment, and know where to mount the hoop now. I recommend finding a wall stud to drill the wall mount into. This is easy to do on an unfinished garage usually, because you can look on the inside of the wall and find a stud to use. I’ve actually added pieces of 2×4 into the wall to keep the hoop centered where I wanted it.
On the side of a house, or a wall that is covered on the other side, this may be a little tougher. In that case, use a stud finder and do your best to install the wall mount securely into a frame stud.
For a concrete or brick wall, I would simply not use the lag bolts and use concrete anchors of an appropriate size to install the wall mount.
Install The Wall Mount
Hopefully you were able to find a stud, or add 2×4’s where you want to mount, without too much trouble. Before trying to just drill the lag bolts into the stud, you should drill a pilot hole first. This will help the lag bolt seat correctly and lower the chances of splitting the stud.
Some sets will come with a nut and bolt rather than a set of lag bolts. If that’s the case, drill a hole the size of the bolt, and simple bolt the mount into place using the bolt, nuts, and washers.
Here’s a video of the steps we’ve covered so far that might help you out if you prefer a visual. This guy was piecing together a backboard he got that didn’t come with a wall mount, but it might help to see the issues he had.
Install The Backboard And Rim
Some sets come with backboard and rim already installed onto the wall mount, and some come in all separate pieces. If they come in separate pieces, I found it easier to install the wall mount when it was a standalone piece by itself. Then attaching the backboard and rim with the included bolts.
On the other hand, I then had to make three trips up and down the ladder to install each part individually. It’s all personal preference which approach you take here.
If you feel like you could use some help on any of those steps, I suggest looking somewhere like HomeAdvisor Handyman Services where you can find a local helper to give you a hand.
Check Tightness Of Equipment
Once the wall mount is secure and everything’s in place, I like to do a once over check on all the equipment, moving parts, and bolts to make sure everything’s nice and tightened down properly. If you did a good job, this step will be quick, easy, and will give you a little peace of mind.
This is also a good time to make sure the adjustable action of the hoop mount is functioning properly. Simply move from it’s lowest setting to its highest and confirm everything’s in working order.
Mark The Basketball Court
I wrote a whole article about Basketball Court Dimensions for high school, College, and NBA regulation courts. So if you have the space, and you’re picky, you can check out all the official measurements. But for the average backyard or driveway basketball court set up, you’ll probably be fine with a simple key and free throw line.
I recommend using a decent kit like this Easy Basketball Court Stencil Kit (link to Amazon) to map out the court under the hoop. I think it adds a nice touch to the feel of the court, even if it’s simply in a driveway.
Here’s the instructional video for the stencil kit above, so you can see if it’s a project you want to tackle.
Play Basketball
That’s it! You now a have a sweet basketball hoop set up to play basketball on. Check out these 14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages to get some ideas for the different games you can play on your new hoop.
There shouldn’t be too much maintenance for these types of wall mount basketball hoop set ups. Once a year I like to go out and check the tightness of all the bolts again, usually when spring starts before the hoop starts getting a lot use.
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