Asphalt courts, or hard courts, are one of the most popular surfaces for tennis in the United States. In fact, the US Open switched from clay courts to asphalt in 1978 and hasn’t looked back.
From their cost-efficiency to their low maintenance, asphalt tennis courts are an easy choice for the private fitness club training the future pros to the apartment complex wanting to build a great new amenity for its residents.
What isn’t easy is properly installing a tennis court. That takes the true quality workmanship Bituminous Roadways, Inc. provides.
It’s All About Precision
Installing tennis courts is a multi-step process that includes evaluating the condition of the underlying soil, correctly paving the area, and then color coating it. All of this has to be done exactly right, both for tennis regulation standards and for long-lasting quality.
Regulation Size
The regulation playing area of a tennis court as determined by the International Tennis Federation is precisely 78 feet in length and 27 feet wide for singles play and 36 feet wide for doubles.
In addition to these dimensions, it is important to include extra space around the court for benches, additional players, and even judging chairs for tournament play. The minimum suggested size of the full court should be no less than 120 feet in length and 60 feet in width.
Perfect Slope and Elevation
In order to allow for water runoff and vegetation control, tennis courts must be elevated between 4-6 inches above the surrounding ground. Depending on the condition of the soil below the court, the base course of crushed aggregate needs to be at least 4 inches and compacted to a minimum of 95% for the tight structure a court must maintain.
The slope of the court is also a precisely calculated installation. Drainage is necessary for the playability and longevity of the court, but too much slope causes problems for players and the stability of the asphalt. A tennis court slope must be no more than 1% and should be sloped evenly from end to end or side to side with no dips in the middle.
Correct Lines
Finally, it is imperative that the color coating and line painting be exact, using a textured acrylic paint that both allows for grip so players don’t slip and fills the pores in the asphalt. Having this professionally done is the only way to achieve the perfect tennis court.
This was a reconstruct project for the Brooklyn Center School District. These tennis courts are also striped for Pickleball.
Reconstruction vs. Repair
While it is possible to do a mill and overlay on tennis courts, we don’t recommend it, especially if there are cracks in the court. Cracking might be due to subgrade problems that a repair or overlay won’t fix and will cause you to spend more money down the road.
The more financially sound option is to reconstruct or perform a new construction. That way all the subgrade can be checked and managed, and the court can be fully and properly installed to all those precise specifications.
Choose Bituminous Roadways for Your Tennis Court Installation
With more than 75 years in the asphalt industry, we have the experience to do precision projects, like installing tennis courts and other athletic surfaces. Whether you need one court or ten, call the Twin Cities’ leader in asphalt court construction at 651-686-7001 or contact us online today!