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Tennis
COURT IN THE ACT ...
Consultant BOB FROUD on the do’s and don’ts of tennis court construction and maintenance
A new tennis court represents a major investment whether it be funded by club members, schools, individuals or external funding bodies. In many cases, it can take years of fundraising and involvement with planners and consultants before the dream of a new court becomes a reality. Then that magical day arrives when the contractor hands the new, or refurbished, facility over to the client. From that point onwards, the client has a duty to himself, and to all those that have contributed to the project, to protect the investment. This is done through regular maintenance and inspection of the courts and the enforcement of do’s and don’ts to court users. If the correct maintenance procedures are not adopted, years can be taken off the life of a court surface. It is also important to remember that an installer’s guarantee is usually conditional on the surface being regularly maintained by the owner. The maintenance procedures on
a tennis court depend on the type of playing surface and the owner should have included an annual maintenance budget in his costings at the early stages of the project.
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This is the most popular type of court in Britain. The benefits of this type of surface is that it drains well and can be played on in most weathers all year round. It’s also relatively long-lasting, with a life expectancy of about 10 to 12 years.
quite simple. The most basic requirement is to keep the surface clean. Leaves, tree blossom, pine needles and other organic debris are common contaminants on tennis courts. They must either be swept or vacuumed off before they begin to rot down and block the interstices of the macadam, reducing porosity. This type of contamination can also cause the court surface to become slippery. The courts should also be pressure washed about once a year to remove any surface film of organic
Maintenance of a new court is contaminants.
Another common problem is moss and algae growth which can make the surface slippery. The contractor will advise on suitable treatments to kill moss and algae. If the surface starts to soften in hot weather (this can happen in the first one or two seasons), stop play immediately. In cold weather, chemicals should not be used to remove snow and ice. Be patient and let it thaw. If the macadam starts to ‘fret’ (loss of aggregate), inform the installer immediately. Make sure you have rubbish bins near to hand and close the gate when the court is not in use. The same maintenance applies
for paint coated porous macadam courts. The owner should be aware that the slip resistance of the painted surface will decrease with age. If players complain about the slip resistance (commonly under damp or wet conditions), pressure washing can help. The required level of slip resistance is stipulated in the SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction and Maintenance of Tennis Courts. Subject to the courts being properly maintained, the court should satisfy the slip resistance criteria for at least twelve months following painting. An acceptable performance from coatings may typically be expected for three or four years if the court is used for its intended purpose and is maintained properly. The porosity of the macadam decreases after each re-paint of the courts. It is a high risk strategy to clean the courts ‘in house’ using a high pressure water process as the paint coating may be dislodged from the surface.
Acrylic Courts
This type of surface consists of an acrylic paint coating applied onto a dense macadam surface. The new surface should be
swept or vacuumed of any leaves and organic matter. A regular inspection of the courts is essential and any cracking or crazing must be reported to the installer immediately. If water permeates between the acrylic paint and macadam, delamination
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