Our synthetic carpet sports surfaces such as Savanna, Sporturf, Omniclay and Tenniturf surface provide an ideal medium for resurfacing old courts. By using our craftsmen to lay a carpet over your old court, you can benefit from a very attractive alternative to conventional tarmac resurfacing, which calls for a minimum of 30 tonnes of hot tarmac, and the presence of big rollers and tractors in your garden.
Synthetic carpet offers a host of benefits. It’s looks good, it’s easy on the joints, it grips when it’s damp, and it’s suitable for other sports too. Maintenance is simple, even on courts that are prone to moss, algae or bird droppings, because you can pressure wash at full pressure. We offer a full tennis court cleaning service - to see more about this, click here.
Installation is relatively easy too, with no need for heavy lorries and equipment in your garden. Synthetic carpets come in rolls of fabric and 25kg bags of mineral dressing which can be carried in. This is especially helpful when the original access used to build the court has been lost through plant growth, hard landscaping, and later construction.
Drag the divider to see the before and after pictures of a tennis court resurface
Not all old courts are suitable for macadam resurfacing. Grey-green grit courts were never built to take the heavy rollers that are needed to lay hot macadam. Similarly old macadam courts that are not strong enough to take a roller on them can be resurfaced with artificial grass. As an added benefit, a synthetic carpet insulates the foundation and will reduce the effects of freezing on an old ash base.
Old courts were made without geotextile weed barriers underneath them. It's because of this that weed growth can be a real problem with old macadam tennis courts. Laying a synthetic carpet over an old macadam surface will repel weeds.
The solid nature of synthetic carpet allows it to be laid without raising the concrete or brick edging from the perimeter of the court. If required, it can be laid over the edging up to the fence. The net post sockets will not need to be raised if they are in good condition. We simply adjust the posts to give the correct net height.
Overlaying an old Macadam court with a synthetic carpet makes a lot of sense. If an old base needs to be replaced to take the heavy loads imposed by laying a new macadam surface, it can be far cheaper to simply clean the surface, patch any rough areas and lay a carpet straight on top. Furthermore, a carpet doesn’t need repainting after seven years. This means that after seven years, you will have paid no more for an artificial grass surface than you would have done for Tarmac – and you’ll have had seven years playing on a far better surface.
AGE | 5 TO 10 YEARS | 10 YEARS + (GOOD CONDITION) | 10YEARS + (POOR CONDITION) | 10 YEARS + (DISRUPTED FOUNDATION) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
COMMENT | You can opt to re-cover the court with a new hard surface or to use the existing court as the base for a synthetic carpet. There are two options available. | A court in good condition will have a flat surface, no visible weeds, little moss growth and limited loose clippings. There are three options available. | A court in average condition for this age will have a surface that is still flat with some weeds. It will be mossy, have limited chippings and only some root damage. There are two options available. | After ten or more years, a well-worn court may have a bumpy surface. Weeds will be growing through the court. There will be holes in the court and root damage. A court in this condition must be rebuilt. This involves laying a new stone foundation to a depth of 100-150 millimetres, to which new edgings must be added. There are two options for the surface of the rebuilt court. |
OPTION 1 | Repaint the court surface with Pladek. £3,000 - £4,000 + VAT. | Clean, binder coat and paint. £3,000 - £4,000 + VAT | Resurface with macadam and Pladek. £25,000 - £30,000 + VAT | Reconstruct with new foundations, new edgings, new macadam surface and painted with Pladek finish. From £41,000 - £66,000 + VAT. |
OPTION 2 | Lay a synthetic surface over the existing macadam court. £23,000 - £28,000 + VAT. | Resurface with macadam and Pladek. £25,000 - £30,000 + VAT. | Lay a new macadam base and then add a synthetic surface. £40,000 - £45,000 + VAT. | Reconstruct with new foundations, new edgings, new macadam base, lay a synthetic surface. £53,000 - £78,000 + VAT. |
OPTION 3 | Lay a synthetic surface. £23,000 - £28,000 + VAT. |
En Tout Cas also provide a full tennis court maintenance and cleaning service. Maintaining and cleaning can help extend the life of your tennis court. It can also ensure it remains safe to play on, by removing slip hazards such as moss and algae. For full details on cleaning and maintenance, please see our tennis court cleaning and maintenance.
The cost of resurfacing a tennis court will depend on the level of refurbishment required. If your court is under five years old, and is in good condition, and only requires repainting, it may cost in the region of £3,000 to £4,000.
Older courts, in good condition, that require a macadam base can cost between £25,000 and £30,000, or those that require a macadam base and synthetic surface can expect to pay around £40,000- £45,000.
Courts in poor condition, requiring new foundations and edgings can cost around £41,000-£66,000. If you also require a synthetic surface along with this, you can expect it to cost between £53,000 and £78,000.
The court resurfacing varies upon requirements. At En Tout Cas we take the time to fully understand your specific requirements and assess the current condition of your court. From here we can make the best recommendation for you. Following this project will usually involve cleaning the base, any damage is repaired if needed. The new surface is then installed - whether that be a synthetic surface or a macadam one, or both in some cases, before finally the court is painted or finished with the pladek surface.
Choosing when to resurface your tennis court is an important consideration; as you’re likely wanting to disrupt play as little as possible. Winter is often a good time, as your court is likely to be in less use. However, cold temperatures can sometimes slow down projects - although not always. Alternatively, very early spring can also be a good time, with temperatures increasing slightly, and the court still not being in heavy play.
This will depend on the type of resurfacing project being undertaken. A simple painting project will only take 3 to 5 days to complete, relaying a new synthetic surface on a macadam base will likely take around 1 to 2 weeks to complete. Rebuilding a court, including its foundations and edges is a bigger project, and will likely take around 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
There are a number of signs you can be on the lookout for if you’re wondering whether your court needs resurfacing. If there are puddles on your court that remain, there are cracks, or cracks are getting bigger, players are complaining about the surface or are tripping over, the surface is bubbling or the colour is fading, are all tell-tale signs your court needs some attention.
This very much depends on how well your initial court was built, how well it has been maintained and how much heavy use the court has had. No matter how well they have been built or cared for, in the end your court will need refurbishing, restoring it to its former glory. Generally speaking, most hard courts will need re-painting every 5-7 years and resurfacing every 10-15 years with our artificial ‘Savanna’ surface needing resurfacing every 20-25 years. It will be dependent on the level of care and maintenance carried out, and it’s important to look for signs of wear and tear to ensure it remains safe and fully functional.
Our brochure is full of all the information you will need to make a decision on the right tennis court and surround to make your vision become a reality.
