CASE STUDIES

PROJECT FEATURES:

Preparation - Cracks were cleaned out to remove dirt, debris and old crack repair materials. We used forced air to ensure we removed all the debris.

Crack & Low Spot Repair - Cracks are filled with a cement compound and ground down to blend in with the existing court surface. Depression were also filled with a cement skim coat to eliminate birdbath and un-even areas.

TriForce Crack Repair System Installation - A multi-layered system was installed over the existing cracks. The TriForce is composed of 3 layers of an engineered fabric membrane that guard against cracks returning to the surface. Additional a fiberglass skim was installed over the low spot repairs which protected against surface cracking. Following installation multiple coats of black acrylic resurfacer were installed over TriForce and the low spot repair work which prepared the court for the acrylic coating system.

Acrylic Coating System - A coat of Acrylic resurfacer (black in color) was installed over the entire court.This material brings the court back to life by resealing the asphalt base, hiding the repair work and restored surface texture while providing a platform for the acrylic color system.

Acrylic Color - Multiple color coats were installed in a two tone color scheme. This completely brought the court back to life. Playing lines and blended Quick Start lines were also installed.

WILMINGTON CHARTER SCHOOL, Wilmington, DE
HARD COURT RESURFACING, completed August 2011

In the summer of 2011, Sport Builder resurfaced the all- weather hard courts at the Charter School in Wilmington Delaware. Although complete surface reconstruction was recommended, the budget required for that work was not available. The solution was a court resurfacing procedure using the Tri-Force Crack Repair System. With extremely old courts like these, the reappearance of minor cracks each year is unavoidable, so the courts do require minor maintenance each year. However the courts remain safe, playable and most importantly usable. No crack repair system in the world can prevent new cracks from forming or old cracks from growing, but systems like Tri-Force are an affordable solution for getting courts back up and running again in a short amount of time.


SEA COLONY, Bethany Beach, DE
STONE DUST OVERLAY, completed May 2004

Since 2002, Sport Builders has been renovating and building tennis courts at Sea Colony Beach and Tennis Resort. This renovation procedure featured a Stone Dust Overlay which is a proven renovation procedure that rectifies extensive structural cracking on All Weather Hard Court surfaces. To date, there are no cracks on the court surface. With this procedure, a new court surface is constructed right on top of the old one. The idea behind a stone dust overlay is use the existing court surface as the foundation for the new court surface while a layer of stone dust is used as a separation layer or slip sheet that prevents reflective cracking. The process begins by routing out the cracks and packing them with a fine stone aggregate called stone dust. A one inch layer of stone dust is laser graded and compacted over the existing court surface to correct slope and planarity issues. Two layers of asphalt (A binder course and a wearing course) are installed on top of the stone dust to establish the new court base. After the proper curing time, a new multi-colored acrylic coating system (playing surface) is installed. With this procedure, the structure of the court was completely rebuilt which eliminated the propensity for cracks to return and has eliminated the need for annual maintenance procedures. Although the courts are resurfaced every 5 years, the structure of the court has remained in great shape.

PROJECT FEATURES:

Crack Preparation - The cracks found on the court surface were routed out. A layer of stone dust was installed and plate tamped into each crack. The stone dust filled the void of the crack, but also allowed for movement under the court.

Net Posts - Because we changed the finished elevation of the courts, new net posts were installed to correct height. This involves the removal of the existing concrete footers and posts followed by the installation of a net post sleeve system (sleeves were set into a new concrete foundation). Net posts have the ability to slide in and out of the sleeve as necessary.

Stone Dust Installation - A layer of stone dust was installed over the entire court surface. The stone dust actually serves as a vibration dampener between the old court surface and the new court. Stone dust also allows for movement which ultimately prevents reflective cracking. Stone Dust also corrected several depressions and uneven parts of the court were laser graded to ensure the correct pitch.

Asphalt Paving - 2 layers of Asphalt are installed right on top of the stone dust layer. The new asphalt system included a 2 1/2” base course followed by an 1 1/2” wearing course. The paving mixture used is designed specifically for tennis courts.

Acrylic Coating System - A multi-layer acrylic coating system is furnished and installed. This system seals the voids in the asphalt, creates necessary surface texture, establishes playability factors and creates a final color scheme. Playing lines are also installed according to USTA specifications.

 


PROJECT FEATURES:

Stone Base Construction - A 6” layer of modified stone was installed directly over the Har Tru surface. The stone was laser graded to increase the amount of slope required for a Hard Court surface and provides the foundation needed for a “hard court” type bounce.

Screenings Layer - A 1” layer of screenings was installed over the modified stone base. This filled in the voids of the stones creating a smooth platform for the Pro Bounce system.

Pro Bounce Installation - The rolls were staged on the court surface, unrolled and seamed together with a weather resistant polyester tape that is sealed with a urethane adhesive. The surface does look like synthetic grass but the fibers of the system create the cushioned comfort Pro Bounce is known for. The system is anchored to a brick curbing that is installed around the entire court perimeter. Ultimately,the system floats over the stone court base.

Sand In-Fill Installation - Sand is filtered into the fibers of the fabric membrane and sealed with a polyseal binder and a pre-measured colorant that solidifies the infield material. This material was sprayed to ensure even coverage. This process was performed several times to ensure the infill completely insulated the fibers of the fabric membrane. The entire surface was then sealed with a PolySeal and Acrylic Binder.

Acrylic Coating System - A flexible acrylic coating system was installed over the entire court surface giving the court the characteristics of a traditional cushioned hard court. The acrylics used are more flexible in nature which allow them to move with system.

HYNANSKI RESIDENCE, Wilmington, DE
SYNTHETIC OVERLAY - PRO BOUNCE, completed October 2012

The Hynanski residence had an old Har Tru court that fell into disrepair. The decision was to convert the court to an all-weather cushioned hard court that was easy on the body, but low in maintenance. Access to the site was a problem so a synthetic overaly was a perfect solutions. Sport Builders reconstructed the court by adding a layer of modified stone which was used to increase the amount of pitch followed by a one inch layer of stone dust. The ProBounce Synthetic Overlay System was then installed directly over top the stone base (without asphalt paving). The ProBounce System was then surfaced to perform like a traditional hard court, but with cushioned comfort.