Cracks in your tennis court are not only unsightly, but they can affect your ability to use your tennis court safely. If your tennis court is cracking, you may be wondering what could be causing it to happen. Asphalt is one of the common materials used for building hard-type tennis court surfaces. When it comes to asphalt tennis courts, there are a variety of reasons it may be cracking, including:
Asphalt slowly cures over time, so when it is first poured, it is pliable and soft. This gives the asphalt the ability to flex with the freezing winter temperatures. As the asphalt ages, it becomes harder as it cures. This process happens over a period of roughly ten years, and once the asphalt is completely curing, it becomes brittle due to the oils drying out and shrinking the asphalt.
With the high summer temperatures and cold winter temperatures, older tennis courts in Pittsburgh will usually crack when the frost or temperature change places stress on the asphalt. A crack may begin as small at first but will expand and grow in length due to water filling the crack and freezing.
Cracks can also develop due to the sinking or settling of the sub-base underneath the court. If your court begins to sink, it could indicate poor sub-base construction and poor compaction underneath your tennis court. Sever settling, caused by something buried under the surface of the court, can cause cracking that will make the tennis court unusable.
Cracks can be repaired, but they can not typically be fixed permanently, so they will need to be maintained and repaired again over the years. Cracks can be filled in or covered with a membrane, but the crack will usually return after the winter season. Although filling a crack is the most inexpensive way to maintain and repair your tennis court, it is only a temporary fix. The crack repair won’t usually match the current color of the court and will only last one season. It is essential to maintain these repairs so that your tennis court can still be used.
When it comes to courts with cracked or sunken areas, the best option for repair is to rebuild the tennis court, taking care to resolve the sunken areas before the new tennis court installation. Pittsburgh residential and commercial customers can rely on Sport Court of Pittsburgh for all of their tennis court installation needs. Contact us today to get your tennis court back in shape for spring!
Owner & Founded of J Bird's Landscaping & Owner Sport Court of PA. 18+ Years of experience in Pittsburgh Sport court installation, lawn cutting, patio installation, trucking/hauling, French drain installation, and other landscape/design services.