Design / Build & Construction

Engineering, Budgets & Permits

Tennis court construction in Northern California requires expert, engineering grading and compaction. These factors will determine the success and longevity of the installation. 

Vintage Contractors maintains a network of soils and civil engineers as well as landscape architects that may assist you in the design, engineering and permit phases of your project. Please contact Vintage to get your project started.

Soils Preparation and Drainage

SOIL CONDITIONS:

In tennis court construction, proper grading and consistent compaction often determine the success of the installation.  To achieve proper grading and consistent compaction, appropriate sub-base conditions are required.

Most sites will require subsoil site investigation.  The only exceptions are sites where the owner, contractor or consultant is very familiar with soil and subsoil conditions, ground water and drainage in the area.  Farmers, pavers or excavators in the area often can provide information regarding soil and subsoil conditions.  County soil survey reports, available from local offices of the Department of Agriculture or cooperative extension agents, also can provide information on the properties of natural soils in given locations.  Soil borings taken and evaluated by a geotechnical engineer are recommended in most situations.

Where no soil problems are suspected, shallow hand dug test pits or backhoe excavation often can provide sufficient information to determine whether or not a particular site is suitable.  Such investigations help determine whether the site is suitable but also provide information with regard to topsoil removal, requirements for excavation and/or fill and water management needs.

One simple way to examine the soil is to dig a hole with a post hole digger to a depth of approximately 5’ (1.524m).  Examine the soil as it comes out of the hole, noting the types of soils and the depth at which each is encountered.

Sand and gravel, sandy loam and sandy clay, often found in dry lakes or river beds, in arid regions and near the seashore, drain and dry quickly and compact well.  These are desirable soils for the construction of tennis facilities.

Peat, humus and loam area often found in forested, farmlands and swampy areas.  These soils are composed largely of decaying organic materials.  They are difficult to compact; they absorb water, which makes them subject to freeze-thaw; and they often settle as decomposition continues.  Organic soils will likely need to be removed and replaced by a more stable base.

Clay is extremely hard when dry, expands and becomes gummy when wet and is subject to freeze-thaw action.  Clay may need to be removed and replaced, depending on the surface chosen and local climate conditions.

Once the soils are identified, notice if and when water begins to weep into the hole.  If water weeps into the hole, wait until the water level evens off.  That is the level of the current water table.  Of course, the water level may depend upon the time of year a test is conducted and upon recent weather conditions.  A test taken after a long rainy spell or immediately after a substantial snow melt will show a higher water level than one taken after a midsummer drought.  For a more accurate measurement of the water table, place a PVC pipe in the hole and measure the water level periodically over time to determine the minimum, maximum and average water table.  If standing water is visible regularly in the hole, it may indicate potential problems for a tennis court constructed on that site.  A drainage system may need to be constructed to lower the water table in the area of the tennis court.

If the hole is dry, a percolation test may determine the soil’s ability to absorb and dispense water.  Fill the hole with water and time its dispersal.  If the hole is dry after one hour, good subsoil drainage exists.  If not, the longer the water takes to disperse the poorer the natural drainage of the site and a more carefully drainage system must be designed.

When preliminary excavations are undertaken, they should be carefully backfilled and compacted.

If undesirable soils and/or drainage are encountered, more careful soil investigation is suggested.  Auger borings should be taken to a depth of at least 5’ (1.524m), or until firm materials are encountered.  Borings should be taken at the corners of the planned court and between courts in a proposed bank of courts with a maximum of 200’ (60.962m) between borings.  If problem soil or drainage conditions are suspected or discovered, more frequent or deeper borings are suggested.  Compression tests, water content and density determinations are recommended on cohesive soils; penetration resistance and blows per foot are recommended for granular soils.  Water level determinations are recommended for all difficult sites.  It is also recommended that professional advice be sought.  A geotechnical engineer or architect can examine the findings and make recommendations on design, site preparation and drainage.

Where expansive, non-compactible and poorly drained soils are encountered and cannot be removed and replace with appropriate fill, asphalt courts are not recommended since these soils constitute an unstable subbase and freeze-thaw action will likely lead to settlement and cracking.  If no other site can be used, soft courts or post-tensioned concrete courts are recommended alternatives.

DRAINAGE:

A suitable site for a tennis facility construction must allow for an appropriate water management system.  Establishing proper drainage is probably the most critical concern in tennis court construction.  Therefore, the ideal site for a tennis facility is high and dry.  Since the site set aside for a tennis facility is sometimes a site unsuited for construction of another structure, water management considerations frequently exists.

Proper surface and subsurface drainage helps to remove water from the courts and redirects water, which may flow over or under the court from surrounding areas.  In addition, where it is necessary to lower the water table under the court, a subsurface drainage system at the perimeter of the court or courts may be required.

Water, particularly under the court, causes erosion of the subbase, expansion and contraction, freeze-thaw action and excessive settlement.  Rainwater falling on the court is a relatively minor concern, though it must be removed and dispersed.  Water under and on the court is the cause of cracking of the court surface, heaving of fence and net post footings, moisture stripping, bubbling or undulation of the asphalt pavement and de-lamination of color coating systems.  Where poor drainage exists, an addition of more base material in construction or continuing repair of the court surface does not eliminate the basic problem which will inevitably lead to surface failure.

Tennis Court Layout and Orientation