If you build an indoor basketball area, one of the things you’ll soon run into is that the walls are HARD. Also your friends and kids sometime lack common sense when defending layups, leading to people running into a hard wall at running speeds. In order to solve this issue, I started looking around for solutions. I found the perfect solution at Amazon, tumbling mats.
Gymnastic Mats for the Wall
While this isn’t necessarily their intended purpose, gym mats works pretty well when screwed to the wall. They provide the cushion you need while also being pretty affordable. The ones I bought via Amazon are shown via my affiliate link below:
BestMassage Black New 4’x8’x2″Thick Folding Panel Gymnastic Mat
I ordered 2 mats for each side of the gym, although at this point I’ve only mounted 2 on the wall since my other goal isn’t permanent (yet). Once my goal on the other side is permanent I’ll be mounting those two on the wall as well. My kids currently just use them for Nerf battles it seems, which is also a pretty good use for them.
I don’t think there are necessarily any downsides to the mats, I haven’t had any problems with them coming off the wall at all even after a couple years. They still look brand new. I fastened them to the wall with screws in the creases that go flush with the wall.
They’re also very light, as an FYI for those parents who are concerned about weight. A lot of gym mats are pretty heavy, these are very light in comparison. Pretty sure that almost any child 6 or older could move them around pretty easily.