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Removing an in-ground basketball pole seems DAUNTING.
That’s a fact that you should know, especially when you have to remove the pole for relocation purposes.
But, here’s a catch:
An in-ground basketball pole removal becomes easy when you have the right resources and tips at your disposal.
This is where I’ll become your guide as I will answer how to remove a basketball pole in 10 easy steps.
Moreover, I’ll also share a personal story on how my father took a Bball pole down back when I was a teen.
Anyway, let’s solve your problem first, and then we’ll talk about other things.
Have a glance:
Contents
How to Remove Basketball Pole in 10 Easy Steps
Things You’ll Need:
Before we move forward, there are certain resources that you’ll need for the removal process.
It includes;
- Working Gloves (For protecting hands)
- A standard shovel (For digging purposes)
- Safety goggles (Necessary for keeping eyes protected)
- Sledgehammer (For removing concrete from the pole)
- A Hard Hat (Optional but a good choice if you want to keep yourself protected)
- Local utility company’s phone number (For clearing out the digging area)
- Helpers (You’ll need manpower to take down a standard NBA pole)
Steps to Follow for Removing Basketball Hoop:
- Getting Ready for the Task:
Before rushing yourself into anything, it’s better to get suited up to keep yourself as well as your helpers safe enough.
Wear the gloves, as you’ll have to dig a little bit deep to reach the bottom of the pole. For that, you’ll need to press the shovel a bit and gloves will keep your hands safe.
Wear a hard helmet if you have one, just in case if there’s any mishap.
It’s better to wear an old shirt and trousers, as you’ll have to deal with pulling the pole out as well as digging.
In short, put on all your protective gear before you start taking action for removing the basketball hoop.
- Clearing the Area:
Secondly, clear the pole digging area from children or pets.
This step is quite necessary as you’ll be dealing with a large basketball hoop that might go south if you don’t take proper action.
So, keep your children or pets away from the pole digging area at all costs.
- Checking Out for Buried Utilities:
Before you start digging, check out any buried utilities such as gas, telephone, electricity wires, etc.
The best thing to do in this regard is to call the nearest utility or municipal community and ask them to mark the areas where utilities are buried.
You’ll have to play the safe game here. That said, even if you damage any utility by mistake, you’ll have to pay for the consequences.
Stay ahead of the curve and remove all your doubts regarding the buried utilities before starting the work.
- Start Digging Around the Pole:
Take a shovel and start digging around the pole. Don’t dig the middle as it’s filled with concrete while installing the basketball hoop.
Go slowly and don’t rush anything, as it will take a lot of effort to dig the area surrounding the pole.
Here’s a demonstration of how you’ll have to dig the area around the basketball pole using the shovel.
- Taking Care of the Soil:
While you dig around the pole, it’s necessary to take care of the soil you’ve dug as you’ll have to fill it in again after removing the pole.
Better collect the soil or you could slam the shovel on it two to three times to make it solid enough so that it won’t move due to wind or any other circumstance.
- Dig Till You Find the Bottom:
Next step involves continuing the digging process. You have to find the bottom of the pole.
Usually, you’ll find the bottom after digging at least 2 to 3 feet. Ensure digging from each area so that the pole could be pulled out easily.
- Rock the Pole to Make it Loose:
Use the manpower of your helpers and start rocking the pole forward and backward carefully.
You have to make it loose enough to pull it out with ease and convenience.
Keep rocking until you feel like the pole’s about to get detached from the surface.
- Use Wood Ramps:
Wood ramps would make the pulling out job much easier.
Adjust two wood ramps on the side through which you are about to pull the basketball hoop.
The wood ramps must touch the bottom of the hole you’ve dug so that they won’t move while you pull apart the pole.
- Take Out the Basketball Pole:
Use help from your friends and start pulling out the pole from the hole. It’s an effort-taking process, so ensure that you have at least 3 helpers available for the help.
Simply pull it out and take it away from the main location to clear the area.
- Restoring the Landscape:
You don’t wanna leave the mess behind, right?
Use the collected soil to fill up the hole accordingly. If it’s less, then take some soil from your backyard and use it to restore the area you’ve dug.
That’s not the end!
What if you want to remove concrete from the pole?
That’s easy too!
Follow me up:
How to Remove Concrete from Basketball Pole?
Simply use a sledgehammer and start hitting the concrete with as much force as you can.
It will take around 10 to 15 minutes to get rid of the concrete, but you’ll eventually remove it.
So, keep up with the sledgehammer and if possible, give your helper a shovel so that he could remove the scattered debris with a shovel to avoid any mess.
How to Remove Basketball Pole Using a Truck and a Tow Rope?
There’s another method to remove a basketball pole from the ground as well. It involves two necessary things, i.e. a truck and a tow-rope.
This process works the best when you are alone.
Simply dig the hole around the pole with the shovel until you find the bottom. Rock it bottom and forward to make it lose.
Secondly, adjust two wood ramps properly and tie the pole with a tow-rope. Take the other hand of the rope and tie it to the truck.
Drive the truck slowly and gently and use the rear camera angle to see whether the pole is getting pulled out or not.
After you pull out the pole, simply restore the landscape with collected soil and use a sledgehammer to remove concrete from the hoop accordingly.
Here’s a video demonstration of how to disassemble a basketball pole using a truck and tow rope:
Cutting Old Basketball Poles Using a Reciprocating Saw with Metal Blade:
If you think that the pole has done its job over the years, and it’s of no use, then simply cut it with a reciprocating saw with a metal blade.
Keep all precautionary measures in mind while you try to cut the pole, such as wearing safety goggles and gloves, etc. Gloves are also necessary when you mount a basketball hoop to your roof.
My Personal Experience on Basketball Pole Removal:
Back when I was only 15, we had to relocate to a whole new place, and it was the time my father decided to remove the basketball pole on his own.
Fortunately, we had a truck available at that time. I helped him dig a hole around the pole until we reached the bottom. Both of us rocked it forward and backward until it was loosened enough.
Next, father sat in his truck and started driving it while I adjusted the wood ramps and kept forcing them into the bottom with my feet.
It took us 30 minutes to pull out the hoop securely and I was glad I helped my old man in every way possible.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s
- How do you take down a basketball pole?
Use a shovel and start digging around the pole while keeping all buried utilities in check. Dig until the bottom of the concrete and start rocking the pole forward and backward.
Use help from your friends to pull down and slide the pole away from the hole. Refill the landscape and remove concrete from the pole using a sledgehammer. That’s how you take down a basketball pole.
- What do you do with old basketball poles?
You could use old poles for different purposes. You could hang lights on them using DIY methods. Or you can also cut them into pieces and use them to make a DIY fence. Depends upon how creative you can get with the pole.
- How do you fix a rusty pole?
Outdoor basketball poles could often catch rust and corrosion. To fix that, use a wire brush and remove as much rust from the pole as you can.
Secondly, put an all surface enamel oil primer on it followed by all surface enamel paint. It will fix the rust and corrosion and will keep the pole protected from harsh weather conditions at the same time.
To Conclude:
How to remove a basketball pole is something that seems difficult. However, with proper steps, you can easily take it down with safety and protection.
Follow the guide I’ve mentioned above and it will take no more than 20 to 30 minutes to remove the pole from its base.
Share your stories on removing your first-ever basketball hoop and I’ll respond to them within a short time.