If you are the owner or manager of a leisure facility, you may be considering the installation of a brand-new tennis court. The sport is becoming increasingly popular across the country and will be sure to add value to your complex. Before you begin planning the process and choosing a tennis court builder to help you, what are some of the big issues you need to avoid, when introducing a surface such as this?
Preparation Is Key
Firstly, it is very important to ensure that the area you choose for the tennis court is ultimately suitable. The earth that is beneath needs to be carefully prepared and compacted properly before work begins above. If not, depressions or low spots can appear on the tennis court surface, once everything is ready.
Try and ensure that the entire area surrounding the tennis court is stable and not subject to drainage issues, or wastage associated with flash flooding. If the land that surrounds the court is subject to a certain amount of erosion, this can lead to the formation of hairline cracks on the surface of the court.
Construction Concerns
When laying the base that will support the tennis court, ensure that proper surface drainage is installed. This will need to be maintained so that it continues to be efficient over time, or a condition known as "blistering" can result. These blisters will appear as lumps or small humps on the surface of the tennis court.
If the concrete beneath is not properly sealed, then water may leak in and this can have a tendency to rust. When it comes into contact with an asphalt ingredient called pyrite, rusting can manifest and it will leak upwards into the acrylic surface of the court, causing an eyesore.
When paving the surface before the acrylic is laid, ensure that this is 100% flat and smooth. If not, a phenomenon known as a "bird bath" will appear, where puddles of water tend to gather on the surface due to poor workmanship.
Sun Protection
If possible, shield the surface of the tennis court from too much direct sun exposure. If you do so, you should be able to avoid too much fading, or the need to resurface too often.
Surface Maintenance
Finally, it's important to use the right type of cleaning solution on the tennis surface to avoid playability issues. In particular, moulds, mildew or algae could form and you will get complaints from players due to poor traction.
Getting It Right
Have a word with the best tennis court construction firm in your neighbourhood, in order to ensure that none of these problems arise with your project.