Tennis Court Construction

What the surface decision governs

The difference between tennis court surfaces is not only visual. The chosen surface governs the bounce height of the ball, the player's ability to slide, the annual maintenance burden and the number of days per year on which the court remains playable.

The acrylic court is the most widely applied tennis court surface in Turkey. It gives a hard, stable surface, needs no daily maintenance and keeps its lines legible for a long time. It does not drain, however, so the surface must dry after rain, and the load-bearing layer has to be prepared in asphalt or concrete.

Club use and private use

A garden court played on for a few hours a day and a club court carrying a full programme of coaching and tournaments do not call for the same surface. Under heavy use the wear rate of the surface rises and the resurfacing interval shortens.

The clay court is preferred for the quality of play it offers, but it requires daily maintenance. Without a routine of brushing, levelling and watering the surface deteriorates quickly. We therefore recommend a clay court to facilities that have a team to carry out that maintenance.

A synthetic turf court drains, and the waiting period after rain is short. In facilities aiming at year-round outdoor use this raises the number of playable days.

Surface and player health

The choice of surface also governs the load on the player. A clay court reduces the sudden load on the joints because the surface allows sliding. On a hard tennis court the same movement produces a higher impact.

Age group and frequency of use are therefore among the decision criteria. In facilities used heavily by children and older players, a softer surface or a proper footwear regime becomes important.

Can the surface be changed

The surface of an existing tennis court can be changed, but the cost depends on the condition of the base. A change from acrylic to synthetic turf can in most cases be made with the base retained.

A change from clay to a hard surface is more extensive: the layers beneath a clay court do not meet the base requirement of a hard surface and the sub-base is rebuilt. In that case the cost approaches that of building a new court.

Why no figures are given

The cost of each of the items below varies with the project, and we hold no publishable measurement for the individual items. Writing a range would imply a precision we do not have.

These items are discussed one by one during the survey and appear as separate lines in the quotation. In a tennis court investment an unexpected cost usually arises here; setting the scope out in writing from the start removes that risk.

When these items arise

Most of the out-of-scope items come to light during the survey. If the slope of the site calls for retaining structures, if the electrical supply is distant or if heavy vehicles cannot reach the working area, these appear as separate lines in the quotation.

In a tennis court investment the most frequent cause of budget overrun is that these items were not discussed at the outset. Setting the scope down in writing removes the surprise.

Foundation and lighting items for an indoor court, itemised →

Setting the scope down in writing

Scope in a tennis court contract is defined by two lists: what is included and what is not. The second list is missing from most contracts, and most disputes arise from there.

Both lists appear separately in our quotation. Where we are subsequently asked to take on an item that was not included, its cost is calculated on the same unit prices.

Why we publish the price openly

Few sites publish the cost of a tennis court. In the review carried out before this page was written we found pages promising a price in the heading and giving no figure in the text. Publishing a range binds us, and we do it deliberately: someone about to make an investment decision needs a starting point.

The width of the range is not an evasion. In tennis court construction the condition of the site alone changes the figure appreciably; a narrow range would imply a precision we do not have.

When we update the range

We review the published tennis court cost range periodically. When an update is made the date on the page changes; the date tells you how current the figure is.

Updating is not only for inflation. Where there is a change in the method of application or in the choice of materials, the range is recalculated and the scope description corrected accordingly.

How to compare tennis court builders

The first thing to look at when choosing between tennis court builders is not price but scope. If two quotations allow for different layer thicknesses and different materials, the difference between them is not a matter for negotiation but the cost of two different jobs.

The second criterion is the date on which the figure was calculated. The third is whether the measurements to be made at handover are set down in writing. If these three answers are not in writing, no comparison is being made.

Where the dimensions come from

Every tennis court dimension on this page is taken from the appendix to the ITF Rules of Tennis and from the TTF text that is its official Turkish translation. The source and page number appear next to each value. The reason is simple: when a dimension entering a tender file or a permit application is questioned, it has to be possible to show where it came from.

The playing area is 23.77 × 10.97 metres for doubles. In singles the width falls to 8.23 metres; the difference is made up by the 1.37 metre alleys on either side. The playing area of a tennis court alone covers 260.8 square metres.

Two frequent mistakes

The first is taking the playing area dimensions for the land dimensions. A tennis court cannot be played without the run-off margins outside the lines; the player has nowhere to reach the ball. The total area required is given separately in the section below.

The second is a unit error. In the TTF translation the height of the centre of the net post is written in centimetres in three separate sentences; the correct unit is metres. Without disparaging the source, a unit error is the most expensive kind of mistake in a technical document, and the values on this site are published in the correct unit.

Courts for players under ten

The ITF defines reduced court dimensions for players under ten. At the red and orange stages the court length and net height are reduced and the ball pressure is lowered. The aim is to let the child cover the court and meet the ball at the right height.

These courts can be built as separate tennis courts, or created by marking lines in a second colour on a standard court. The second route is cheaper, but the density of lines can be distracting in advanced play.

Lines and measuring points

On a tennis court all dimensions are taken from the outer edge of the lines. The one exception is the centre service line; that line is treated as divided along its width and the service boxes are measured accordingly. The distinction looks small but makes a difference at handover measurement.

Line widths are also defined. The baseline may be wider than the other lines. The lines are expected to be flush with the surface so that the ball does not bounce differently on them; a raised line tape counts as a defect in play.

Where tennis court dimensions are to be written into a tender file, it is worth stating the source of each dimension as well. Every value on this page carries its source and page number beside it.

Tolerance and handover measurement

The dimensions of a tennis court are measured at handover. The measurement covers not only length and width but the diagonals: if the diagonals are unequal the court is not square, and that is a defect even where the line dimensions are correct.

Surface flatness is measured separately. Where the gap beneath a straightedge of given length exceeds the acceptance value, water is to be expected at that point.

Why the dimensions are not negotiable

The dimensions of a tennis court are fixed by the rules. Shrinking the court by a few centimetres when the plot proves tight is not a solution: what results is no longer a standard tennis court and cannot host an official match.

Where the plot is insufficient, the right course is to change the scope rather than the dimensions. Reducing the run-off margin from international level to club level gains area without shrinking the court itself.

Mini tennis court dimensions

Mini tennis court dimensions correspond to the red and orange stages the ITF defines for players under ten. The court length and net height are reduced and the ball pressure is lowered.

These dimensions can also be applied by marking lines in a second colour on a standard court. Court dimensions are sometimes written in abbreviated form in secondary sources, but the binding values are in the ITF rules appendix and appear in the table on this page with their source.

Acrylic tennis court

Acrylic is the most widely applied tennis court surface in Turkey. It is built up by laying acrylic resin based coats over an asphalt or concrete load-bearing base. Of the three surfaces it carries the lowest maintenance burden, and the wait after rain is short.

Read more on acrylic tennis court construction

Clay tennis court

A clay court consists of a fine top surface of crushed brick over drainage layers beneath. The surface is yielding, slows the bounce of the ball and allows the player to slide. It is known as the softest tennis court surface in terms of joint load.

The price of this surface is maintenance. It must be brushed after each use, levelled regularly and kept in moisture balance by watering. Without maintenance the surface soon becomes uneven and the lines disappear.

A clay tennis court suits clubs and facilities that have a team to carry out that maintenance. Where no maintenance routine can be established, the same budget gives longer service in an acrylic court.

Synthetic turf tennis court

A synthetic turf court consists of artificial grass laid over a draining base with silica sand filled between the fibres. The quantity of sand governs both the speed of play and the feel of the surface underfoot.

Its clearest advantage is drainage. The waiting period after rain is short, and in facilities aiming at year-round outdoor use this raises the number of playable days. The gradual flattening of the fibres and compaction of the sand are delayed by regular brushing.

Natural grass and why we do not build it

The natural grass tennis court is a surface seen at international tournaments, but it is applied almost nowhere in Turkey and we do not build it either. The reason is climate and maintenance before cost.

A natural grass surface requires continuous mowing, watering, aeration and rest. The court stays closed to play for a significant part of the year. We publish no price range for this surface; we hold no measured source, and it would be wrong to give a figure for work we do not carry out.

How to decide between the surfaces

Four questions settle the surface decision. How many hours a day will the court be used, who will carry out the maintenance, is year-round outdoor use the aim, and what is the player profile. The answers usually bring one of the three surfaces forward on their own.

For a heavily used tennis court with no maintenance team, acrylic is suitable. In a club with a maintenance team that puts quality of play first, a clay court is worth considering. Where year-round outdoor use is the aim in a wet region, synthetic turf comes forward on the number of playable days.

A mixed solution is also possible. On facilities with several courts, building different surfaces side by side answers both different player groups and different weather.

Surface and climate

When choosing a tennis court surface in Turkey the climate of the region is decisive. In regions of high rainfall, draining surfaces raise the number of playable days. In inland regions with a wide temperature range, the expansion behaviour of the load-bearing base comes to the fore.

The freeze and thaw cycle can produce micro-cracking in the load-bearing base. In these regions the drainage must work without fault, no water may remain beneath the surface, and layer thicknesses are selected accordingly.

At coastal facilities, salt and humidity shorten the life of metal equipment. Surface protection on net posts, fencing and lighting masts is therefore assessed separately.

The layers beneath the surface

The visible surface is only the topmost layer of a tennis court. Beneath it lie, in order, the compacted subgrade, the drainage layer, the load-bearing base and the surface layers. What governs the life of a tennis court is the sequence and thickness of these layers.

The drainage layer is the source of most defects. Water left beneath the surface changes volume through the freeze and thaw cycle and pushes the load-bearing base upward. Where water enters and where it leaves is therefore as important as the court dimensions.

How tennis court colours are chosen

Tennis court colours are not only a matter of appearance. Having the playing area and the run-off in different colours lets the player distinguish the area outside the lines at a glance. The rulebook also sets binding limits on line colour and on the surroundings of the court.

In clay tennis court construction the colour comes from the material itself; the tone of the crushed brick varies with the quarry and cannot be changed later.

Read the colour rules and how the choice is made

Ceiling height and a common error

The first question asked when planning an indoor tennis court is the ceiling height. The ITF gives the minimum height measured at the net as 9.0 metres. A greater value is recommended behind the baseline, because that is where the trajectory of serves and lobs comes closest to its apex.

The sentence that recurs in Turkish sources, that an indoor court must have a ceiling of at least thirty metres, is a unit error. In the source text the value is given in feet and has been rounded and taken for metres. Thirty metres is the height of a ten-storey building and corresponds to no indoor tennis court anywhere.

Structure options

Indoor tennis court structures are built in three common forms. Air-supported membrane systems are the quickest to erect and can be dismantled; a fan must run continuously to maintain pressure. Steel frame systems are permanent and suited to carrying insulation and lighting. Structures clad in sandwich panel give the best result in terms of insulation.

The choice should not be made on first cost alone. Heating, ventilation and humidity control account for most of the running cost, and the type of structure governs that cost directly.

The price range for the indoor addition is open-ended. The width of the span, the snow load and the level of insulation determine the upper bound, and all three vary with the project.

Running costs and internal conditions

Three values govern playing comfort in an indoor tennis court: internal temperature, relative humidity and the air change rate. When humidity rises, condensation forms on the surface and the floor becomes slippery; this is the most common problem in indoor courts.

Ventilation is therefore as important as heating. In a building that is well insulated but poorly ventilated the heating cost falls while the condensation problem grows.

Lighting is also handled differently indoors. Because natural light is limited the luminaires run all day, and the ceiling height governs the choice of luminaire.

Before moving to an indoor court

The decision to build an indoor tennis court is taken together with the operating model. The structure provides year-round use, but heating, ventilation and lighting form a continuous cost. How many hours a year the court will be hired determines whether that cost can be carried.

A seasonal solution is also possible. Demountable membrane systems are erected in winter and removed in summer. This route keeps the outdoor court experience while gaining an indoor season.

Choosing a surface for an indoor court

Choosing a surface for an indoor tennis court proceeds differently from an outdoor one. With rain and sun out of the picture, drainage and colour fading lose their weight as criteria.

The criterion that comes forward is behaviour indoors. A surface that generates dust raises the ventilation load in an enclosed volume; hard surfaces and synthetic turf are therefore the more common choice for indoor courts.

Indoor tennis court dimensions and cost

Indoor tennis court dimensions are the same as an outdoor court; the only variable is the height and span of the structure above. The court cannot be made smaller, because being indoors does not change the rules of play.

The cost of an indoor tennis court consists of two items: the court itself and the structure. The range for the structure is open-ended, because span width, snow load and insulation level determine the upper bound.

Demand for indoor courts in Ankara concentrates in the winter months. Our base is in Çankaya, Ankara, and for projects within the city the survey can usually be scheduled in the same week.

Detailed cost breakdown →

Survey and contract

Tennis court construction begins with an inspection of the site. During the survey the slope, bearing capacity, drainage condition and site access are assessed on the ground. The output of this stage is a quotation written item by item.

The contract sets out in writing the scope of the work, the properties of the materials to be used, the dimensions and the conditions of handover. A scope that is clear in the contract removes most of the disputes that arise during construction before they begin.

Construction and handover

Once the preparation works are complete the load-bearing base is laid and left to settle. This waiting period is not a step that can be skipped; if the surface is applied before the layer has settled it returns later as cracking.

Surface application depends on the weather. Acrylic coating is laid within a defined range of temperature and humidity. Working in an unsuitable period shortens the life of the surface.

At handover the dimensions are checked, the lines are inspected and the net height is set. The court is handed over with its dimensions verified.

What is checked on site

Three measurements govern the work during construction. The first is the degree of compaction of the load-bearing base. The second is the flatness of the surface; this is what prevents water standing. The third is the court dimensions and line widths.

The acceptance values for these three measurements should be written into the specification. Where they are not, what will be accepted at handover becomes a matter of dispute.

Five headings to settle at the outset

Putting the following five headings in writing at the survey removes most of the later disputes: the number of courts and their dimensions, the surface type and layer thicknesses, the scope of perimeter equipment, whether there will be lighting, and the handover measurement criteria.

These five headings appear as separate lines in the quotation. Giving a tennis court quotation as a single line makes comparison impossible and hides differences of scope.

After handover

Handover is not the end of the work. On a newly built tennis court the behaviour of the surface is watched over the first months. Where there are signs such as standing water, lifting at the line edges or colour variation, they are dealt with under the guarantee.

The maintenance schedule is issued in writing at handover. It differs by surface and sets out what is to be done in the first season, with dates.

Who takes on what

On a tennis court project the boundary of responsibility has to be written down. The legal status of the land, the permit application and the utility connection usually rest with the client; preparation, construction and handover measurement rest with the contractor.

Where the boundary is left vague, the work stalls on an item both parties expected and neither carried out. Setting this division out clearly in the contract is the simplest measure against a slipping programme.

Maintenance varies by surface

The life of a tennis court depends as much on its maintenance as on its construction. On an acrylic court maintenance amounts to keeping the surface clean and watching for points where water collects. On a clay court maintenance is a daily operation covering brushing, levelling and watering.

On a synthetic turf court regular brushing delays the flattening of the fibres and the compaction of the sand. On all three surfaces a thorough annual inspection is recommended.

Resurfacing and life

Resurfacing is the renewal of the upper layers while the base remains sound. It requires a markedly lower budget than building a new tennis court, and carried out at the right time it extends the life of the base.

We do not write a number of years for service life on this page. Life varies with intensity of use, climate and maintenance routine, and we hold no publishable measurement. Giving a figure would imply a precision we do not have.

A maintenance schedule is issued in writing at handover, according to the type of court.

The annual maintenance plan

Annual maintenance is built around two inspections, at the start and end of the season. Before the season the surface is washed, the lines are reviewed and the tension of the net and posts is set. At the end of the season, water drainage and a record of surface wear are what matter.

Recording wear regularly means the timing of resurfacing comes from observation rather than guesswork. On a tennis court, resurfacing that is left too late multiplies the cost the moment it begins to damage the base.

Common maintenance mistakes

The most frequent mistake is using unsuitable pressure and chemicals to clean the surface. High pressure washing wears the top layer of an acrylic tennis court, and harsh chemicals fade the colour.

The second is neglecting the drainage points. A blocked outlet leads to water standing on the surface and to accelerated wear at that point.

The third is failing to set the tension of the net and posts. A slack net is not only a defect in play; the uneven load on the post bends it over time.

Rules of use extend the life

The cheapest measure that extends the life of a tennis court is a clear set of rules of use. Requiring suitable soled footwear, keeping the court to its intended purpose and keeping hard objects off the surface all affect surface life appreciably.

A short list of rules posted at the court entrance lowers maintenance costs at most facilities. That list is handed to the facility at handover.

Keeping a maintenance record

Recording the maintenance carried out, with dates, is the cheapest way of managing the life of a tennis court. The record means the decision to resurface comes from observation rather than guesswork.

What the record needs to contain is short: cleaning dates, observed points of wear, repairs carried out, and net and post adjustments. These four headings carry the history of the court even when facility management changes.

What to bring to the discussion

To assess your request, the location of the plot, its approximate dimensions and the cadastral information if available make a sufficient starting point. If you hold a site plan or a topographic survey you can attach it to the form.

Knowing how many tennis courts you have in mind, whether the court is to be outdoor or indoor, and whether use will be private or at club level speeds up the first assessment appreciably.

How the process runs

After the first conversation the site is inspected in person. Following the survey a tennis court quotation written item by item is prepared and sent to you.

Once the quotation is agreed, a contract is drawn up and a programme of works is issued. Progress is shared throughout construction, and the measurement results are given in writing at handover.