Cushioned tennis court surfaces are available as a premium option, when surfacing tennis, basketball, and other sport courts. These systems are classified as cushioned hard courts, since they are acrylic-based in formulation.
The SportMaster ProCushion system is designed to provide player comfort and minimize shock on the body. The rubberized sub-layers absorb energy and reduce strain on the knees, hips, and other joints. The feedback that we have received, from tennis pros and avid players, is very positive. When asked if they physically notice a difference between playing on a hard court vs. playing the SportMaster ProCushion, players don’t feel as sore the next day. They can play longer without as many aches and pains, and prefer playing on cushioned tennis court surfaces whenever possible.
Cushioned Tennis Courts
Cushioned Tennis Court SurfacesCushion tennis court systems are designed by applying multiple, rubber-containing coatings beneath the standard acrylic color coating surfaces. The SportMaster ProCushion system consists of two different sizes of rubber. The standard ProCushion system starts with 3 coats of CushionMaster II, which is comprised of coarse granules. This product provides the build-up of the system, and leads to most of the soft feel and thickness. The 3 coats are followed by 2 coats of CushionMaster I. This product includes fine rubber, which fills in any remaining voids left from the previous coats.
After all of the cushion layers, the tennis court color coatings are applied, and the surface is striped for the specified game(s).
Here is a short video on mixing and application of the SportMaster ProCushion system (cushioned tennis court surfaces)
Cushioned Tennis Court Maintenance
Cushioned tennis courts, just like hard courts, are very easy to maintain. Make sure to keep the surface somewhat free from debris to minimize abrasion from stones, dirt, etc. Depending on the conditions around the court (trees, shade) an occasional rinsing or blowing-off is all that is needed.
Since the court is soft and contains layers of rubber, it is important to protect the surface from heavy equipment (like high-lifts when changing lights or performing ceiling and roof maintenance), and even the weight of heavy benches or equipment can create dents on the surface.
The initial cost of a cushioned tennis court surface is greater than a standard hard court surface, but it is a good long-term investment. The cushion layers remain under the colored surface coatings and will provide cushioning for many years. Only the color coatings will have to be resurfaced every 4 to 8 years, to bring the color and texture back to prime condition.
Finally, the SportMaster brand uses elastomeric, or flexible, resins as the binder for the CushionMaster layers. Unlike competing brands, this ensures that the acrylic binder doesn’t become hard around the rubber granules, minimizing the soft feel of the system.