Traditionally, the ultimate tennis court surface has been grass but maintaining a turf court requires an enormous amount of work and money. These grass courts are being replaced by a variety of new surfaces that prove to be more hard-wearing and require less work.
One of these newer types of tennis court surfaces is made from synthetic grass containing a silicon-based infill. This surface is commonly referred to as a sand filled artificial grass surface.
Sand filled artificial grass tennis courts aim to replicate traditional grass courts in look and clay courts in feel, but they are much more hard-wearing and require much less maintenance to keep them looking good. There is still some maintenance required. In fact, there are some important measures that must be taken to ensure your artificial grass tennis court is at its best.
The artificial grass surface will need the occasional professional treatment, but to minimise that requirement, there is an important regular task you can perform. Using a product such as a Cleansweep on a daily to weekly basis will enable you to quickly remove surface debris. Removing debris is important because when organic matter is lodged into the pile of the artificial grass it increases the chance of algae and moss taking hold. Using a product like a Cleansweep to remove this debris will only take 10 minutes per court and will ensure playing conditions are maintained for longer.
The nature of the sand fill plus the constant traffic and the effects of the weather means that it will become compacted. When the sand becomes compacted it no longer performs the job of enabling the grass tufts to sit upright. When the sand compaction gets too bad the footing will become more unpredictable.
So each year you should call in the professionals who specialize in refurbishing sand filled artificial grass tennis courts. Some of the maintenance steps that may be required include:
- lifting and conditioning the grass fibers
- a high-pressure wash with water
- decompacting the sand infill by power brushing
- sand level adjustment
- sand grooming
- moss and algae spraying
- repair of worn spots
- seam repair
- line repainting
- replacing sand infill.
One of the simplest measures of maintaining your synthetic grass surface is to practice preventative maintenance. What this means is to try to prevent people from entering the court with overly dirty shoes. Provide a mat at the gate, have shoe brushes available, or a gravel tray filled with coarse gravel. The cleaner the shoes that walk on the court, the less debris gets trapped in the grass weave.
While a tennis court made from artificial grass requires less maintenance, to keep the surface looking good, playing well and providing reliable footing, a regular spruce up is a must. As with all products, proper care and attention will prolong the life of your court.
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