Tennis Courts
Complete Tennis Court Installation Services
Are you an avid athlete who wants the convenience of stepping out your own backdoor to play an impromptu tennis match or one-on-one game of basketball?
Installing a playing surface made of concrete can give you the home-court advantage, putting an end to the long waits for a vacant public court. But aside from convenience, a concrete tennis court offers plenty of other benefits, delivering enduring performance unmatched by its main opponent, asphalt.
The decision to install a top-of-the-line concrete court is just the beginning, however. You also need to evaluate your site, determine the type of playing surface you want, choose a surfacing system, and even pick out a color scheme. The next step is to find a qualified, experienced contractor who can install the court you want at a fair price. Here are some of the basics you need to know before getting in the game.
Written by Anne Balogh,
How Do You Make A Tennis Court?
How far down do you dig? What's under the court? What kinds of materials are used to build a tennis court? Why do you pick one court material over another? How do you know which type of tennis court is best for you?
Different factors are considered in determining the "right" tennis court: its usage, the soil, court location, availability of materials and the climate where you live.
The major outdoor surfaces are made of asphalt, concrete, clay (green and red), and grass. The asphalt and concrete courts are referred to as "hard courts". (Concrete is gravel, pebbles, or other stones, mixed in a mortar or cement. Asphalt is made of "hydrocarbons" like coal or petroleum. Like other hydrocarbons, asphalt contains oil.)
If you've played on clay courts before you know they allow you to slide over them. Their soft surface prevents the pounding action on the hips and knees experienced with hard courts. The clay surfaces may increase your longevity in the game by reducing those types of injuries. Clay courts are also slower than most other types of court surfaces. That means you have more time to react to the ball and your opponent on these courts. John told us that red clay is generally slower than green clay and when it rains clay courts become even slower.
Material availability and court care is another consideration. The clay we use has to be ordered from the east coast - that increases the overall cost of the court. To prevent clay courts from acting like dust, they have to be watered, rolled (compacted) and broom cleaned regularly. If not maintained properly, you can slide and actually rip or create deep divots in the surface making the court unplayable. In very dry climates like Arizona and southern California, a clay court that has to be watered all the time is not very practical. On the east coast where the climate is humid and it rains throughout the year, a clay court is practical since the court will absorb that moisture.