What kinds of substrates are required?
Substrates for hard courts are either asphalt or concrete. Asphalt has a lower initial cost of installation, but will begin to deteriorate quickly. At five years structural cracks have developed or are developing, as well as birdbaths (depressions in the asphalt). At 20 years major restoration work is required. Concrete can either be reinforced or post-tensioned. Reinforced concrete courts are recommended to be 5″ thick with #4 rebar placed 12″ on center, both directions. Each court should be cast at one time, with no intervening joints. With no jointing, expect random cracking to occur, but due to the rebar, they will open only minimally. Post-tensioned concrete utilizes steel cables in a plastic sheathing, which are placed in a grid through out the slab. A minimum of one full-court is placed at one time, and the cables are stressed to 33,000 psi once the concrete has reached a minimum strength of 2,700 psi (typically 5 to 7 days).
Substrates for hard tennis courts are either asphalt or concrete. Asphalt has a lower initial cost of installation, but will begin to deteriorate quickly. At five years structural cracks have developed or are developing, as well as birdbaths (depressions in the asphalt). At 20 years major restoration work is required. Concrete can either be reinforced or post-tensioned. Reinforced concrete courts are recommended to be 5″ thick with #4 rebar placed 12″ on center, both directions. Each court should be cast at one time, with no intervening joints. With no jointing, expect random cracking to occur, but due to the rebar, they will open only minimally. Post-tensioned concrete utilizes steel cables in a plastic sheathing, which are placed in a grid through out the slab. A minimum of one full-court is placed at one time, and the cables are stressed to 33,000 psi once the concrete has reached a minimum strength of 2,700 psi (typically 5 to 7 days). Although random cracking is likely to occur, t
