The invention of Canadian-American sports coach Dr. James Naismith in late 1891, basketball was first played at the YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) in Massachusetts. Naismith had been tasked with finding a way to keep kids active indoors during New England winters. After some trial and error, the game was invented and a colossal sports industry was born. The YMCA gym floor was made from maple planks, which is still one of the standard materials used today.
The main reason maple is used is because of its strength. With regard to the use of wood, the Janka hardness test (also known as the “Janka scale”) specifies the hardness of each type of wood. Maple rates at 1450 on the scale, white oak comes in at 1360, 1320 is for white ash, and 800 is for mahogany. Often when maple basketball courts are installed, the maple wood will typically sit on a subfloor made from a softer wood, such as Douglas fir (the Janka hardness test gives it a score of 660) or white pine. western (420). There are many types of subfloors that are used in gyms around the world, but they all have the same fundamental objective: to reduce the impact on the ankles, knees and lower back during a game.
Since maple is robust and resistant to scrapes and scratches, these inherent advantages make it the perfect surface for gym sports flooring. Specifically, maple offers great shock resistance and is tough and tough enough to withstand heavy traffic without damage. Maple is not only robust, but its grain is also extremely tight, which means that its fine fibers help prevent splintering. Therefore, it is more difficult for dust and loose hair to nest between the cracks.
You may never have noticed it in everyday play, but every time your foot hits the ground, there is an infinitesimal amount of recoil. This is because the floor provides players with a bit of a “give in”, acting as a shock absorber. This results in less wear and tear on the player’s body, making a substantial difference to their fatigue levels as they age (known in the industry as an orthopedic surface characteristic).
When a sports court floor has been installed successfully, it is sanded well and smoothly before applying two coats of polyurethane sealer. The glossy urethane will give the surface a smooth and shiny appearance. Once dry, the game lines are painted and graphics added. Most high schools, colleges, and universities will have their college logo applied, while private gyms, professional basketball courts, and other sports venues tend to choose to apply their own corporate logo or endorsement brand. After the game lines and logos are finished, two or three more coats of urethane finish are applied. When the entire process is complete, the lines and graphics become part of the sports floor itself.
Many gym flooring manufacturers and professional sports facility companies recommend that a sports court be repeated at least once every two years. Additionally, any sports floor surface should be cleaned with a damp mop frequently, preferably once a day. If possible, it is advisable to dry mop the entire area between each activity to remove random dirt particles.