The British weather is infamous for being unpredictable, but in the winter months it becomes all the more volatile. The harsh weather can play havoc with your tennis court surface as excessive moisture can cause pooling and mould growth, and falling organic matter, such as leaves and pine needles, can cause discolouration. Whilst we’ve covered how to maintain your court over winter in a previous article, you may want to consider the benefits of completely resurfacing your tennis courts.
When to resurface your tennis court
No matter how well installed your original tennis court was, years of use will cause the base to crack and the paint to fade and chip away, and whilst regular tennis court maintenance and the occasional deep clean will treat most superficial damage, there will come a time when your court will need to be entirely resurfaced. Tennis court resurfacing should be carried out when you first notice cracks or dents, known as ‘birdbaths’, starting to appear on the surface of your court as the problem will only worsen over time.It is important to note that you should always hold off on resurfacing your court until spring; winter weather is too wet to allow tarmac to be laid properly, and muddy conditions can leave you with an uneven surface.
Why resurface your tennis court?
Resurfacing is important to ensure the safety of your court users; not only are cracks and irregularities on a court’s surface a trip hazard, they can also cause muscle, joint and ligament damage if a player was to misjudge the surface they are treading on. On top of these potential safety risks, an uneven tennis court will also greatly interrupt the flow of the game – the ball will bounce off in angles if it hits an uneven surface or a crack in the floor, which can cause the players to miscalculate their aims and affect their game.
Resurfacing options
Once you’ve decided to resurface your tennis court, you next need to decide on how you want the surface to be constructed. Materials and construction techniques may have advanced since your initial surface was laid, meaning there may be more options available to you now. For example, for a high-quality surface that is suitable in all weathers, opt for a macadam court; a hard, porous surface with excellent water drainage. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a surface that looks like the real deal, you can opt for a synthetic turf. There are also a range of paint coating choices available, including acrylic non slip coating to reduce the risk of injury or polyurethane spray coat to increase durability or longevity.Another option to really make the most out of your sports surface is to upgrade your tennis court to a multi-use gaming area and allow the space to be used for football, basketball and netball, and thus suited to wider range of people.For the maintenance or resurfacing of multi-use gaming areas or tennis courts, Charles Lawrence can help. We have decades of experience in constructing quality sports surfaces, and all of our work is fully approved and guaranteed, so you can rest assured that your new surface will last for many years to come. For more information on our services, or for your free quote and site visit, contact us here and we’ll be happy to discuss your requirements in more detail.
