What is the difference between acrylic and polycarbonate backboards?

Asked by: Tamara Hunt

Acrylic and Polycarbonate are essentially very similar materials. They are basically both clear plastic materials. However, polycarbonate is marketed as being bullet proof whereas acrylic is not.

What is the best material for a backboard?

Polycarbonate is the strongest of the materials and is practically shatterproof. Backboards made out of Polycarbonate materials limit how much the ball bounces after missed shots.

Is polycarbonate good for a basketball backboard?

Polycarbonate backboards are five times stronger than acrylic ones. Much like acrylic, polycarbonate backboards are built for durability. Polycarbonate also comes at a good budget price as acrylic backboards do.

Is an acrylic backboard good?

Unlike glass, acrylic backboards are much more forgiving when it comes to vandalism such as rock throwing, etc. Because acrylic is a softer material than tempered glass, a rock or other hard object thrown at an acrylic backboard will more than likely just bounce off with little to no damage.

What type of backboard is best for outdoors?

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate: This type of backboard is durable and made for the outdoors. Weather will least affect this type of backboard.

How long will acrylic backboard last?

15-20 years

If someone throws a rock at an acrylic backboard, it will likely just bounce off with little or no damage and will remain mostly clear for 15-20 years when used outdoors.

How do you clean a polycarbonate backboard?

For glass backboards, a glass cleaner of white vinegar and water is a great choice. However, for acrylic, go for something even milder, like Dawn dishwashing liquid. Once you’ve given your backboard a good scrub with a soft rag, dry your backboard with a squeegee to eliminate streaks.

Is acrylic better than polycarbonate?

Acrylic has roughly 17 times the impact resistance. Polycarbonate is the stronger material at 250 times the impact resistance of standard glass. Polycarbonate offers much more resilience than acrylic, making it ideal for highly demanding applications like bullet-resistant windows.

What is the best material for an outdoor basketball backboard?

If you’re building a backyard court for outdoor play, suitable backboard options include plywood and acrylic. Marine plywood is particularly durable, resisting warping and weather damage. If you go the acrylic route, the best choices are heavy-duty varieties such as Plexiglass or Lucite.

What kind of basketball backboard should I buy?

The Backboard



A good rule of thumb is to choose a backboard size based on the size of your playing space. If you’ve got a home court or a large driveway, go for 72” – 60” backboards. If you’re looking for a goal to put in a one-car drive way, shoot for the 54” – 44” range.

Is a glass backboard better than acrylic?

However, if you’re looking to simulate professional environments, the tempered glass backboard will just be the best choice for you. However, if durability is your main concern, then acrylic is the way to go, as it is the most durable out of the two backboard types.

Can acrylic backboards shatter?

Acrylic basketball backboards tend to be even more shatter resistant than glass. The thickness of the acrylic can greatly affect its performance and price. Thinner acrylic can momentarily give under the pressure of the basketball, which can change the angle of the rebound.

Why does the NBA use glass backboards?

Today, NCAA and NBA backboards come in 1/2-inch thick tempered glass. Tempered glass is made shatter-resistant through a rapid heating and cooling process. This is what gives a backboard its strength and causes it to break into smaller pieces if a player manages to shatter it.

Is acrylic stronger than tempered glass?

Acrylic has a higher impact strength than glass and does not shatter when exposed to high strains. Shattering into small, blunt chunks is desirable for applications in which tempered glass is used, e.g. in automobiles. However, shattering is not desired for the use of glazing underwater.

How thick are acrylic backboards?

Most are 3/8 inch thick although some manufacturers offer full ½ inch thick backboards which is the same used at competitive levels (NCAA, NBA, etc.).

Should I get a glass backboard?

Tempered glass backboards provide much less vibration and greater rebound capability. This is essential when looking for the best performance. Tempered glass will cut out any of the drum effect and provide a consistent rebound.

Is a 60 inch backboard big enough?

The smaller-sized backboards, typically between 44″ and 54″, save on space and are good for a standard two-car driveway. The 60″ backboard is a great midway point, saving space but still offering a larger size for banking shots.

What size backboard does NBA use?

The backboard shall be a rectangle measuring 6′ horizontally and 3 ½’ vertically. The front surface shall be flat and transparent. A transparent backboard shall be marked with a 2” white rectangle centered behind the This rectangle shall have outside dimensions of 24” horizontally and 18” vertically.

What is an NBA backboard made of?

tempered glass

It is a raised vertical board with an attached basket consisting of a net suspended from a hoop. It is made of a flat, rigid piece of, often Plexiglas or tempered glass which also has the properties of safety glass when accidentally shattered. It is usually rectangular as used in NBA, NCAA and international basketball.

What are Spalding backboards made of?

Spalding- 54″ Polycarbonate Backboard NBA Portable Basketball System/Hoop –

How do you fix an acrylic backboard?

Which is the same material that is the backboard made up. And we are also going to need the acrylic glue.

What is the most durable basketball?

The Wilson NCAA basketball is another ball that is suitable for outdoor and indoor use, made from durable composite material for optimal grip and ball control. It has a robust outer layer to improve its durability, with the composite leather surface also serving to absorb the moisture the ball might pick up from sweat.

What basketball has the best grip?

Best Basketball For Grip – Spalding TF-1000 Classic ZK.

Is Spalding or Wilson a better basketball?

According to George, the Wilson ball doesn’t have the same “touch” and “softness” that Spalding basketballs have: “Not to make an excuse or anything about the ball but I said that it’s just a different basketball. It don’t have the same touch and softness that the Spalding ball had.

Which basketball is best for beginners?

Best basketball for beginners in India

• Spalding Rebound Rubber Basketball. The Spalding Rebound basketball is said to be a waterproof ball, making it suitable for outdoor courts on rainy days. …
• Nivia Graffiti Basketball. …
• Cosco Dribble Basketball. …
• Cosco Hi-Grip Basketball. …
• Nivia Europa Basketball. …
• Belco Street basketball.

How do you know if a basketball is good?

The size 5 basketball is typically for children under the age of 9 and has a circumference of 27.5 inches the second feature you're gonna consider is material leather basketballs are soft and supple.

How much should a basketball cost?

A Spalding replica ball retails at $59.99. At most sporting goods stores, you can get an indoor basketball for probably around $30. If you guessed either of those prices for how much an actual NBA game ball costs, you’d be way off. According to the Spalding website, an official NBA game ball costs $169.99.