Installation process and acceptance checklist for suspended interlocking sports flooring

Golmud No. 3 Middle School (delivered in 2024) — construction site of a plateau campus venue

So which material should I actually choose?→ Material comparison · Selection (suspended vs. acrylic/silicon PU/PVC…)

6-step installation process

Step 1: Base inspection

• Flatness: Deviation ≤ 5mm per 3 meters (cement/asphalt surfaces usually meet this)
• Drainage slope: 0.3–0.5% (from court center to perimeter)
• Cracks: Widths < 5mm can be laid over directly; > 5mm must be repaired first
• Standing water: The base must not have long-term water pooling (thoroughly dry it before installation)

Step 2: Color scheme and orientation planning

• Multi-color patterned courts: first produce a pattern diagram with CAD, with each individual tile corresponding to a coordinate
• Solid-color courts: determine the assembly direction (generally with the light, to reduce the visual appearance of seams)
• Large formats ANK5/ANK6: we recommend offsetting seams by 1/2, for a look close to a single continuous floor

Step 3: Lay from the center of the court outward

This isKey points easily overlooked. Lay from the center outward to keep the main court (the 5v5 basketball area) made of whole tiles, handling the incomplete edge tiles by cutting. Starting from a corner causes seam misalignment and inaccurate line marking in the main court.

Step 4: Leave sufficient expansion gaps (most important)

• Perimeter expansion joints: ≥ 2cm (between the court and the surrounding wall/edge strip)
• Span expansion joint: Add one 5mm expansion joint every 15m (when the venue is > 30m)
• North / Northwest / Plateau regions: All expansion joints are left at the maximum value

Insufficient expansion joints leftThe root cause of 90% of summer buckling. PP material expands 0.7‰ for every 10℃ rise in temperature; a 30m court expands about 20mm in summer at 40℃.

Step 5: Mark lines (optional)

• Single-tile inlaid lines(recommended): use tiles of different colors to lay out standard lines that never fade
• Outdoor paint spray lines: Patterns are flexible, but require re-spraying every 2–3 years

Step 6: Edge trim finishing

Finish the perimeter with matching aluminum alloy edge strips or plastic trim strips—both attractive and trip-proof. Edge strip options:

• Ordinary community courts: plastic press strips (low cost)
• Campus / commercial venues: aluminum alloy edging (more attractive, durable)

Acceptance Checklist

Typical construction period

Common installation errors

FAQ