Clay Court Maintenance

Here are some maintenance recommendations from Har-Tru for your Har-Tru courts and Hydrocourts:

Daily Maintenance for a Har-Tru Court

Brushing: Brushing a Har-Tru court redistributes the loose top dressing material and smoothes it out after play. Brushing also dries the court out so it should only be done just prior to watering or if your court is too wet.

Watering: Water keeps a court firm and stable and ensures proper traction. Watering should take place as needed to keep court conditions optimal. At most facilities watering is done overnight and once during the middle of the day. Whatever the schedule, it should be designed to provide the court with enough water to keep it playing well until the next watering cycle.

Rolling: Rolling a court will make it firmer and faster. It also helps prevent too much loose top dressing material from building up on the court surface. Rolling is particularly important for tennis courts coming out of the winter in a freeze/thaw environment and should happen daily in this setting until the court reaches an optimal compaction. Subsequent rolling can be done as needed to achieve desired playing conditions. Rolling is most effective in the morning when a court has moisture in it.

Daily Maintenance for a HydroCourt

A few simple daily routines will keep your court looking and playing great for years to come. These routines can take as little as 10 minutes a day and involve three things: brushing, watering, and rolling.

Brushing: Since a HydroCourt stays at optimal moisture it requires very little brushing. The brushing that does take place is most effective when using aggressive grooming tools such as the Gator Rake or the Steel Bristle Drag Brush. These tools will help keep an optimal amount of loose sliding material on the surface.

Watering: HydroCourt waters automatically as needed. Water levels can be adjusted in the control boxes as necessary.

Rolling: Rolling is important for tennis courts coming out of the winter in a freeze/thaw environment and should happen daily in this setting until the court reaches an optimal compaction. Subsequent rolling can be done as needed to achieve desired playing conditions but is not typically required for HydroCourt.

Periodic Maintenance for a Har-Tru Court

Periodic maintenance on a Har-Tru court addresses court changes that occur over time. These should include repair of divots and low spots, inspection of tapes for areas where the lines are high or the edges are curled, the elimination of growth around the perimeter of the court, scarification of any hard or slippery spots, and the clearing of drainage channels.

Periodic Maintenance for a HydroCourt

Periodic maintenance on a HydroCourt addresses court changes that occur over time. These should include scarification to prevent and eliminate growth and to prevent and reduce hardening of the court surface, adding Coarse Blend to maintain optimum traction, and the clearing of drainage channels.

Annual Reconditioning for a Har-Tru Court

The reconditioning process includes four segments: cleaning, leveling, top dressing, and laying lines.

Cleaning – Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles.
Leveling – Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas.
Top Dressing – Add new Har-Tru at a rate of two tons per court.
Laying Lines – Install new line tapes. Re-using tapes is acceptable if the texture has not been worn off.

Annual Reconditioning for a HydroCourt

The reconditioning process includes four segments: cleaning, leveling, top dressing, and laying lines.

Cleaning – Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles.
Leveling – Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas.
Top Dressing – Add new HydroBlend at a rate of one ton per court.
Laying Lines – Install new line tapes. Re-using tapes is acceptable if the texture has not been worn off.

We can assist you with all of your clay court needs.  From ordering Har-Tru materials, topdressing, laser grading, installation of line tapes to our extensive line of court accessories.  Contact us today!