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Court Construction and Maintenance: Maintaining Order

Regular care and maintenance is cost-effective and will keep courts looking and playing great. The Annual Maintenance Planner on the following pages, excerpted from the “Tennis Courts” manual, is essential for your courts.

A well-constructed and well-maintained tennis court will offer years of play. To maximize the useful life of any type of court, facility owners and managers should develop and implement a regular schedule of maintenance.

Regular inspection of the court and repair of minor irregularities is more cost-effective than allowing the court to deteriorate to the point where it requires major repair or reconstruction. Even with regular maintenance, over time, all courts will need some repair.

The most important step in maintaining all types of court surfaces is to keep them clean by removing debris immediately and by spot-cleaning spills as soon as they occur. Practice preventive maintenance by prohibiting food and beverages (except water) on the court area and by prohibiting smoking on the court. Provide wastebaskets to encourage players and spectators to keep the surface clean. Pick up stray balls, ball cans and “pop-tops,” which can damage the court surface, become a tripping hazard and make the court area unsightly. At the end of the playing season, inspect all court equipment and order any replacement parts so that the equipment can be repaired during the off season.

The amount of maintenance required by a particular tennis facility will vary depending on the geographic location, the amount and type of use, player conduct and alternative use, if any. In any case, the owner should develop an appropriate maintenance plan, ensure that maintenance is performed at timely intervals and keep records of maintenance procedures and conditions or problems noted. The need for excessive maintenance may be an indicator of more serious problems.

The chart on the following pages, excerpted with permission from the 2012 edition of “Tennis Courts: A Construction & Maintenance Manual,” covers maintenance issues for many types of courts and includes pre-season, post-season, daily, weekly and long-term maintenance. However, to make sure you’re hitting the maintenance bull’s-eye for your facility, make sure you have the complete “Tennis Courts” manual on hand, which give comprehensive information for maintaining all types of courts.

To order or download “Tennis Courts: A Construction & Maintenance Manual,” visit sportsbuilders.org or call 866-501-2722.

From the March 2013 issue
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