If you're having a tennis court built on your residential property or outside a school or recreational facility you own or manage, you'll need to choose the surface material. This might include concrete, grass, clay or artificial turf, and since each of these has their own pros and cons, it's good to simply note some differences between them, and you can then decide the best court surface for your needs.

Concrete

Concrete allows a lot of speed to tennis balls, meaning that the balls will move faster and bounce higher on a concrete surface. This can be good for schools, where younger students want a challenge, but not so much for a senior centre, or even for your own home, if you're not a fast runner. Concrete will also eventually crack and need repairs or resurfacing, but it's easy to clean concrete after a storm, as you can simply sweep the surface or use a leaf blower to remove debris. Lines on a concrete court are also very visible, so this surface is good if you plan on night-time games.

Grass

Grass surfaces will slow down the balls in play and will also absorb impact, so there is less risk of damage to your knees and joints if you choose a grass court. As with a standard lawn, a grass surface will need regular mowing and even seeding to repair damaged areas. You will also need to rake or otherwise "tidy up" the grass surface to remove debris, especially after a storm that may leave behind leaves, twigs and the like.

Clay

Clay courts also slow down ball speed and absorb more impact than concrete. While clay won't typically need patching or other such repair work, the clay can get spread around the court and even outside the bounds of the court so you would need to sweep or otherwise maintain it regularly.

Carpeting

Artificial turf, which is a type of carpeting, may offer the most flexibility for a tennis court surface. You can add as much padding under the carpeting as you want, to slow down play or keep it very fast, and to absorb as much or as little impact as needed for safe and comfortable playing. Carpeting is also very easy to clean, as you can sweep it or use a leaf blower to clean its surface. While carpeting is very durable, it's not indestructible, so it will need mending and other minor repairs over time, but most high-quality artificial turf materials will last for years, if not decades, before they need outright replacing.

Contact tennis court builders for additional advice.

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