Tag Archives: asphalt

Asphalt Sport Surfaces

How long should asphalt cure before applying sport surfaces

Question: How long should asphalt cure before applying sport surfaces?

Answer:  New asphalt should cure a minimum of 14 to 30 days, prior to application of a sport surfacing system.

Asphalt Curing & Sport Surfacing Systems

Asphalt consists of rock, generally limestone, and liquid asphalt.  The liquid asphalt, also referred to as asphalt cement or asphalt binder, is the “glue” that holds the rock together and enables the paving layers to bind to the prepared base.

When asphalt is newly paved in place, it exudes some excess asphaltic oils during the initial curing of the slab.  It’s important to let some of the oils cure out, before application of any coatings, sealants, and sport surfaces.

Prime Asphalt Curing Conditions

Risks of Inadequate Asphalt Curing Before Surfacing

If the asphalt is too rich with asphalt binder and hasn’t had the opportunity to cure, or release the initial gush of asphalt oils, it can potentially lead to:

  • Lack of proper coating system adhesion (which may result in peeling and other paint and coating failures)
  • Staining, yellowing, and discoloration of the sport surfaces and coatings.

What are prime conditions for asphalt curing?

Hot & sunny conditions will help to pull the rich asphalt binder up to the surface.  Once the excess oils are pulled to the surface, it is also important to have rainfall.  This helps to rinse some of the oils away and “unplug” the pavement voids.  The combination of sun to draw the oils to the surface and water to rinse them away, allows for continuous prime curing conditions.

If the conditions are good, the asphalt can be ready to coat in a minimum of 14 days.  The safer option is to wait 30 days, if time allows.  If conditions are warm and sunny after paving, but the area experiences a drought, rinsing of the surface by manual methods can help to keep the curing process in motion.  Indoor asphalt curing can take longer than 30 days,  to ensure sufficient release of oils.

Asphalt Sport Surfaces

Since there are variables, and no actual testing processes to guarantee initial curing, it is best to allow proper time for adequate curing.  Sport coating manufacturers & experienced sport surfacing contractors are the best source for recommendations, when it comes to proper application timing.  Rushing to resurface your tennis, pickleball, or basketball court before the asphalt is ready can lead to expensive problems now or down the road.

Indoor Asphalt Curing

clay balls, court surface bumps, Pickleball Court Surfaces, Pickleball Courts, Tennis Court Repair, Tennis Court Resurfacing

Asphalt Impurities & Clay Balls on Sports Court Surfaces

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Another common issue seen on athletic court surfaces arises from asphalt impurities, most commonly clay balls.  In this bulletin, we will explain the occurrence of asphalt impurities & clay balls on sports court surfaces.  

The appearance of clay balls begin with small bumps that appear in random areas of the court surface.  When you push on these bumps, they feel hard and do not give.  If you carefully cut into the bumps, you should discover a small pile that looks like ash.

How to clay ball deposits get below the court surface?

Asphalt is made up of rock (mostly limestone, with some other aggregates).  It is held together by asphalt binder, derived from the oil refining process.  Clay deposits are naturally occurring, and heavier in certain regions throughout the ground and rock quarries.  When excavating the limestone, it is impossible to remove 100% of the clay that is laced within.  As shown in the picture below, you can see random pockets of clay in the uncoated asphalt voids.

Why do the court surface bumps appear?

Asphalt is a porous pavement and will allow sub-surface moisture to breathe through it.  Acrylic sport surfacing systems are semi-permeable and will also allow a moderate amount of moisture to breathe through and escape.  Properly constructed courts should be pitched at 1% for drainage, but there is still ground moisture that travels up through the slab.  When the surface of the court is heated from the sun, it draws moisture up from beneath the court in a vapor state.  As the moisture is migrating through the asphalt,  it is absorbed into the clay deposits and the acrylic surfacing layers slow down the escape.  During the process, the clay balls swell and create the visible lumps on the surface.

Clay Ball Bumps On Sport Surface

How to remove clay balls from court surface

So, how do you remedy the situation and remove clay balls from the court surface?  This is usually just an aesthetic issue and normally not a problem that will affect play and the ball bounce.  If it becomes a problem, or when it is time to resurface the court, the following procedures can be performed:

If the clay balls are not creating issues with play and you can wait to remediate the clay balls situation, it will allow time for any potential swelling reactions.  If you do this as soon as it happens, and resurface the court, others may pop up shortly after.  You can remove them as they show up, but you will likely see the touch-up from the different of texture and color.

Avoid Recycled Asphalt For Sport Surfaces

Other asphalt impurities can also create problems with court surfaces.  If possible, avoid using recycled asphalt as it may contain unknown foreign items (i.e. shingles and other various materials).  It is also important to seek out experienced sport construction companies, as they may know what quarries to avoid based on past history of clay deposits and foreign materials.  Contact us for free referrals to qualified installers.

 

Tennis Court Accessories, Tennis Court Crack Filler, Tennis Court Repair

Why Do Tennis Courts Crack Under The Tennis Net?

Question: Why do tennis courts crack under the tennis net?

Answer: Tennis courts often develop cracks under the tennis net for a few related reasons:

  • Tension on the cable that supports the tennis net
  • Concrete footers that hold the tennis net posts in place

Tennis court net posts are secured by a concrete footer, when installing an asphalt tennis court.  The footer can be in place prior to the asphalt paving process or it can be installed after the tennis court has been paved.  There is a plastic or galvanized sleeve set within the net post footer, which makes the net post removable and easily replaceable.

Tennis nets are suspended by a cable, which is secured to the dead-end post, and wound or tightened with a wind assembly from the other post.  The average recommended tension on the net cable is 400 to 450 lbs.  The sustained tension from the  cable tends to pull the post footers in and can often create cracks into the surrounding asphalt.  Square or rectangular footers will often send cracks from the corners into the surrounding asphalt.  Round footers can also create cracks under the net, so it’s best to consult with an experienced court builder or resurfacing company to discuss the proper way of installing net post footers.

Here are some diagrams that show the right way to shape and install the court footers, to minimize inward shifting:

 

Net Post Footer Installation
Center Strap Anchor Installation

Concrete & Asphalt Surfaces

Concrete and asphalt expand and contract at a different rate.  When concrete is place next to asphalt, the gap between them will likely exhibit movement.  This can also happen with light posts, fence posts, shade structures, and other amenities.

Here are a few more pictures showing cracks under and around the tennis court net line:

Asphalt Cracks Under Tennis Net
Tennis Net Post Footer Cracks
Tennis Court Cracks Under Net
Tennis Net Post Crack
Asphalt Tennis Court Crack Under Net

Filling Cracks On Tennis Courts

Once the cracks have started, it’s all about maintenance.  SportMaster produces easy-to-apply crack fillers and sealants.  These products are not a structural fix, but more of a “band-aid” for cracks.  They will minimize the amount of water that flows through the cracks and into the base of the court.  Water can loosen the compacted base, and expand to create more damage during freeze-thaw periods.

Net Post Footer Cracks
Cracks forming at the concrete footing corners

If the cracks are larger than an inch wide, and very deep, we recommend having a professional tennis court contractor take and look and provide recommendations.  Many times they will need to fill the large cracks with concrete, asphalt, or other specialized means.  At some point, reconstruction or an overlay is the best long-term solution.

 

Pickleball Court Surfaces, Tennis Court Surfaces

Can Pickleball Be Played On A Tennis Court?

Pickleball has become one of the fastest growing sports in the nation.  The demand for places to play Pickleball leads to the question, “Can Pickleball be played on a tennis court?”  

Yes, Pickleball can be played on a tennis court surface, and we will discuss some great options to keep Tennis and Pickleball players happy.

Blended Pickleball Lines On A Tennis Court

A common trend, that is working well, is to maximize the current “real estate” of existing tennis courts.  That is usually a “win-win” and has been done for years with tennis and basketball court combinations.  By USTA and ITF rules, tennis court lines must be white.  Pickleball court lines can be added in a different color, so that tennis or pickleball can be played on the same court (at different times, of course) and the eye can focus on the applicable set of playing lines.  As with the USTA’s kids tennis program known as 10 & under tennis or Quickstart, it is usually recommended to paint the Pickleball lines in the same color family as the court surface color. To better explain, if the court color is blue, apply the Pickleball lines in a shade of blue that is lighter or darker than the surface color. This makes the lines less distractive to tennis players.

How Much Does It Cost To Add Pickleball Lines To A Tennis Court?

This is a relatively inexpensive process and is usually performed by a qualified tennis court contractor.  It can range anywhere from $250  to $600 per court, depending on a variety of factors:

  • Existing surface condition (how much cleaning and prep is needed in order to get the new line paint to adhere properly)
  • Total number of Pickleball courts to be painted (better price per court, for multiple applications to minimize mobilization)
  • Lower cost to apply the Pickleball lines as the tennis courts are being resurfaced.

To get a free estimate from a qualified Pickleball court contractor on your facility, contact us and we can put you in touch with an experienced installer.

Pickleball Court Construction | Permanent Pickleball Courts

There is also a boom of permanent Pickleball courts being installed in park districts and residential settings.  Since Pickleball courts are smaller (44′ x 20′) than tennis courts (60′ x 120′), more and more avid players are building backyard Pickleball courts.  It is great fun for families, kids, and older players alike.  In fact, many older players that are unable to physically handle tennis are turning to Pickleball for fun and fitness.

Pickleball court construction utilizes the same construction methods as tennis and basketball courts.  Generally they are comprised of an asphalt or concrete substrate, and then surfaced with a non-slip, textured SportMaster brand of acrylic surface.  Here are some additional resources for Pickleball court construction, surfacing, and striping layout:

  • Pickleball Court Surfacing Specifications – Asphalt
  • Pickleball Court Surfacing Specifications – Concrete
  • Pickleball Court Striping Layout & Dimensions – Diagram

 

 

Tennis Court Surfaces

What causes bubbles or blisters on a tennis court surface?

Bubbles and blisters on a tennis court surface, or other coated sport surface, are fairly common.  This is usually a result of improper tennis court construction or malfunction of the drainage system. When sub-surface water becomes excessive and is not properly drained away from the court, it can breathe through the slab in a vapor form and create hydrostatic pressure under the coatings.  This pressure builds more in weaker surface areas and creates a blister or bubble.  When the blister is raised, water vapor stretches the coating film and slowly breathes through to escape.  After most of the water pushes through, blisters usually lay back down and disappear until the next rain or precipitation event.  It’s important to note that excessive watering (sprinklers) around the court edge can also lead to blistering problems.  That being said, it’s very important to minimize accumulation of water beneath the court slab.

bubbles blisters pickleball court surface
Bubbles or Blisters on Court Surface

How Do I Get Rid of Bubbles and Blisters on a Tennis Court Surface?

In order to take care of the bubbles and blisters, long term, you will need to do some investigating.  Start by making sure any and all drains around the tennis court are free of debris or anything that would prevent proper flow of drainage water.  You may want to enlist the help of an architect or excavation professional in order to evaluate the current drainage system and see if it was installed properly, or at all.  If the court substrate is concrete, you must ensure the following:

  • Was a vapor barrier installed beneath the court when poured?
  • Are there perimeter drains that can take the water away from the court when it runs off after a rain? (Important that water is intercepted on all side of the slab, to prevent water beneath the court)
  • Was the concrete allowed to cure for 28 days, prior to coating?
  • Was the concrete surface acid etched to neutralize the alkalinity and balance the PH?
  • Were any curing compounds used on the concrete?
Court Surface Edge Drain
Surface-type drain – good for the low court edge

 

 

 

 

 

The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) maintains construction guidelines for asphalt and concrete tennis court and sport surfaces.  Ensure that the construction of the court meets their guidelines and find out from the tennis court builder if they followed the ASBA recommendations.  This may help you figure out why the blisters are occurring.  If you are still not sure what to do, feel free to fill out the contact form on this page and we can put you in touch with a SportMaster recommended, tennis court builder.  They can perform a free site visit with you and provide feedback and estimates for repair, resurfacing, or re-construction. You can view our Engineering Specification for Athletic and Recreational Surfacing on our SportMaster site.

Tennis Court Blisters
Tennis Court Blisters
Tennis Court Surfaces

What Causes Rust Spots On A Tennis Court Surface?

In various regions, rust spots are a common sight on tennis court surfaces.  They are actually visible on driveways, parking lots, and other asphalt surfaces, but they are more pronounced on a colored tennis court surface.

The rust spots are the result of metallic minerals, called pyrites, that contaminate the stone used to create asphalt.  Asphalt pavement and acrylic tennis surfaces allow vapor to transmit, or breathe through them.  When the mineral pyrites become wet, they rust and bring the stains upward into the acrylic surfaces.  These rust stains are unsightly and mostly an aesthetic issue that don’t affect the ball bounce or play of the game.  However, sometimes the aggregate reacts, swells, and pops out.  This leaves a rust stain and sometime a small mound with a tiny hole in the surface.

Rust spots on tennis and pickleball courts

Unfortunately, there isn’t a good or compatible primer or stain blocker that can prevent this from happening.  Non-breathable primers, like polyurethane, can cause much bigger problems like splits or bumps in the asphalt (due to hydrostatic pressure that pushes up from under the asphalt). The best defense is a good offense, which means:

  • Use only non-recycled asphalt when paving tennis and basketball courts
  • Do research: Stay away from limestone or aggregate sources with known contamination issues
  • Talk to an experienced architect and/or tennis court contractor ahead of time in order to avoid the wrong asphalt type and source.
What causes rust spots on a tennis court
What causes rust spots on a tennis court?

If it is too late and you already have rust spots on your tennis court, here are a few tips:

  • Your tennis court contractor can use a hand drill and drill out the reactive spots.  Acrylic Crack Patch can be used to repair the surface holes and the court can be touched up or completely resurfaced.  Sometimes there are hundreds of rust spots and drilling is not always a viable option.
  • This may sound silly at first, but you can pick a color scheme that closely matches and doesn’t contrast the rust color (i.e., Brown, Maroon, Red)

For more information on this, fill out the contact form on this page and we will be happy to answer your questions or put you in touch with a local tennis court contractor.

 

 

Tennis Court Crack Filler

How Long Does Tennis Court Crack Filler Last?

Question: How long does tennis court crack filler last?

Answer: Cracking of asphalt and concrete pavement surfaces is a common problem. Even if the asphalt or concrete is properly built, there are still variables beyond the control of the contractor and crack filler producer.

There are different reasons for pavement cracking, but a majority of the cracks on concrete and asphalt courts are structural. This means that the cracks go completely through the pavement layers, into the base of the tennis court.

Acrylic tennis court crack fillers are designed to fill and seal off the surface of the crack. This is designed to minimize water and moisture flowing into the crack and stone base of the court, and slow down degradation of the court through further cracking. The main problem is that once a structural crack opens, there are two separated slabs of pavement constantly moving back and forth. This expansion and contraction happens daily, depending on temperatures, moisture, and other environmental conditions. That being said, cracks that have been filled may open within days, weeks, months, or years of application. An Acrylic crack patch is an ideal solution for this common problem.

Pourable Tennis Court Crack Filler
Pourable Tennis Court Crack Filler

Even though we offer some elastomeric acrylic crack fillers, the degree of movement in the crack determines how long the product can perform before breaking open or pulling away from one side of the crack. Frequency of moisture, freeze-thaw, and various climate conditions are other factors that play a role in longevity of crack fillers and repair.

Crack filling is a maintenance role. The best way to maintain a tennis court crack is to fill it whenever you see it open. A good rule of thumb is to check the court(s) over in the spring and early fall (when temperatures are not getting below 50°F or 10°C) and perform necessary crack filling to extend the life of the facility. Many sport surfacing contractors also offer maintenance programs, where they make spring and fall visits annually, and advise court owners of needed crack repairs, resurfacing, or other issues.

 

Acrylic Resurfacer

Does My Tennis Court Need Acrylic Resurfacer?

Acrylic Resurfacer is a product that is commonly used when resurfacing tennis courts and other sport surfaces. All major manufacturers of acrylic sport surfaces produce this product and recommend using it on both new and existing court surfaces. Even though many installers think of Acrylic Resurfacer as a primer, it serves specific purposes not entirely related to good adhesion.

First of all, Acrylic Resurfacer is a filler coat.  It is designed to suspend large amounts of silica sand for the purpose of filling minor voids in the surface.  Asphalt is a common pavement used for tennis court construction.  Mostly comprised of asphalt binder and rock, asphalt can exhibit a wide variety of porosity from one location to another.  Many factors can influence the pavement porosity, from available regional and local sources of aggregate to project specifications.  Acrylic Resurfacer can fill the surface voids to produce a tight surface without voids and pits that show through the pigmented surface layers.  If the surface voids are not properly filled, they can lead to some of the following problems:

  • Pitting on the playing surface
  • Surface pinholes that are created from air in the voids during application of tennis court color coatings
  • Poor coverage rate on the pigmented surface coatings
  • Premature wear of the color coatings (surfaces)

When asphalt voids, or a heavy broom pattern on concrete, are not filled with the heavy sand load in resurfacer, it can leave high spots throughout the entire court surface.  The high spots, top of the rock or broom pattern, are taking all of the wear and the coatings can wear and polish off the high points showing premature wear.  So, not only is it important to use Acrylic Resurfacer, but it is also very important to use the manufacturer’s recommended size and amount of sand in the product.  Applying resurfacer without the correct sand type and load can defeat the purpose of that step in the process.

Secondly, Acrylic Resurfacer creates or restores texture to the surface prior to application of the colored surface coatings.  Existing acrylic sport surfaces tend to become smooth with years of wear.  The fine silica sand that was in the coating eventually rolls out and the acrylic color surface becomes polished and smooth.  The resurfacer uses an angular sand to create a sandpaper-like texture to better accept the color coating layers.  The colored tennis court surfaces contain a very fine, rounded sand to minimize surface streaking and application marks.  If resurfacer is not applied to create proper texture, the color coating can be applied too thin by the application squeegee.  An example for comparison would be cleaning a glass window with a squeegee.  Since the window is very smooth, the liquid glass cleaner is wiped almost completely off.  If there is no texture on a tennis court, the surface coatings will not be applied in an adequate thickness.  This will minimize film solids and shorten the life of the court surfacing system.

With its heavy body, one or more coats of Acrylic Resurfacer can also be used for shimming rough surface repairs, and hiding patches from depression or crack repairs.  After application, resurfacer dries to a firm, hard film and can be scraped and sanded prior to application of the acrylic color surfacing coats.

Finally, the only situation where Acrylic Resurfacer is not required is when you have an existing acrylic surface with adequate texture.  This occurs when the courts have been properly maintained and resurfaced before the original texture is lost.  Visit SportMaster for a tennis court maintenance manual and for further care instructions on extending the life of the sport surfacing system.