One of the significant advantages artificial grass tennis courts is that the maintenance is easy. Less time for maintenance and more time for tennis! If the materials used to make artificial surface for tennis courts are of high quality and if it was properly built, by the guidelines, then the requirements for tennis court maintenance are not very strict.
However, every tennis court needs more thorough maintenance now and then. Regular maintenance is essential to guarantee the excellent playing properties of the court over time. Usually, the maintenance takes place in spring, before the new tennis season starts.
So how to carry out the artificial grass’s spring maintenance?
Step 1: CLEAN THE COURT
First, the trash (leaves, tree branches, and all the other rubbish) on all over the the tennis court layout must be cleaned. The cleaning must take place to prepare the court for all the following steps.
Step 2: BRUSH THE COURT
The second essential step of thorough spring maintenance is brushing the court. Artificial grass needs to be brushed to remove debris, trash, and moss. It is easier to brush the court with a suitable rider with a rotary brush, but as a DIY project, the brushing is completely feasible with a basic hand brush.
Step 3: REPLACE THE SAND
As a third step, you need to replace the sand that has been lost during the last season and the previous step, brushing. The suitable sand for artificial grass is a round-shaped quartz type of sand, dry for the installation. Also, the artificial grass has to be dry as well to achieve the best final result. The amount of sand needed for one court is about one big-bag (approximately 1.2-1.5 tons).
Even a long time after artificial grass tennis court installation, it is possible that loose piles can be spotted during brushing. During installation, installer will cut rolls to size and cut in the lineation. The cut piles are thus no longer anchored to the ground cloth and may be pulled loose during brushing. In the course of time, this innocuous phenomenon disappears.
Step 4: ROLL THE COURT
This step is necessary if your tennis court has a base that is made of crushed stone. In that case, it is recommended to roll over the court with a roller weighing 600-700kg. This step is important to make the whole structure of the court more compact.
Step 5: REINSTALL THE NET
If all the previous steps are completed, it is now finally time to reinstall the net removed for winter. Congratulations – you are ready to go!
Current daily maintenance
Trash on all over the the tennis court layout must be cleaned. If a drainage has been installed on the court, it must be checked and maintained. If the court surface is neglected or under heavy cover from trees and shade, mold and mildew can become a problem. In the long term, leaf material can start composting or may get pulverised so that it finds its way deeper into the mat and provides good breeding ground for moss and weeds. Also any weeds on the edges of the court must be removed. The easiest way to do it is with a leaf-blower. Its important to follow the instructions of the court maintenance guideline to prevent the infilling being blown from the mat.
Loose seams need extra attention as these may put athletes at risk if not repaired in time. It is recommended to visually inspect the joints and edges of the artificial grass once a month as you walk along the court.
During the first three months after installation, check that the filler sand level is uniform and, if necessary, brush the surface once a week with the appropriate brush. Avoid brushing in rainy weather or when the artificial grass is wet. The surface of the artificial grass must be dry to allow the filling sand to be brushed evenly. If sand sticks to the brush, the conditions for brushing are too wet.
You’re done with the maintenance!
Now is the time to start playing tennis and enjoy your freshly maintained court! However, keep in mind regularly checking on your court and removing all the trash and debris from the court. And keep in mind – regular maintenance guarantees that your court will be in a good state even after 10 years time!
