COMMON COURT PROBLEMS
Even the most well built court will experience problems at some point.
CRACKS
Cracks are most common problem on hard courts, even the most well constructed court will develop cracks.
Asphalt will oxidize as it gets exposed to the elements causing it to loose flexibility and become brittle.
Cracks can also be caused by poor construction methods such as improper base compaction, improper asphalt mix design, inadequate asphalt temperatures during installation.
Most structural cracks cannot be permanently fixed, expansion and contraction of the pavement will always cause stress in the cracks. When a court is badly cracked and has other issues such as depressions and moisture problems it can be a better investment to completely rebuild the courts instead of chasing cracks every year.
Post tension concrete courts is the preferred method of court construction. Post Tension construction reduces or eliminates the need for control joints, helps the courts resist cracking and, if cracking occurs, helps to hold cracks together.
PEELING/BUBBLING
Bubbles in the acrylic coatings are most often are caused by moisture between the pavement and the coatings. Moisture trapped below the slab can be drawn up through the pavement. The trapped vapor then breaks the bond between the coating and the slab, forming a bubble.
Installation of a vapor barrier and proper application of acrylic surfacing materials should prevent bubbling.
On concrete courts with no vapor barrier a 2 part epoxy primer must be used to prevent hydrostatic pressure from breaking the bond between the concrete and the coatings.
When recoating a concrete court it's better to remove existing acrylic layers before recoating since each additional layer reduces the permeability of the surface. Resurfacing will not fix a court that is bubbling, on most occasions we would need to completely remove the entire coatings and restart the coating process.
LOW SPOTS/BIRDBATHS
A birdbath is any area on the court that holds surface water after being flooded and let dry for about 1 hour. Any low spot that covers a nickel is considered a low spot. We can fix birdbaths that are in a tolerable range, we pour an acrylic mix over the low spot and screed it with a straight edge flush to surface.
Common causes of low spots are settlement of pavement, improper base compaction, organic material under pavement and frosts heaves. Only reconstruction or a new pavement overlay will fix mayor depressions.
FADING
Hard courts may show signs of wear, these are primarily caused by use and exposure to sun.
Hard Courts should be resurfaced every 4-8 years depending on the use. We use materials with the highest quality pigments and compounds, allowing for a long-lasting, durable, and fade-resistant finish.
TREE ROOT DAMAGE
Tree roots will grow anywhere there is uncompacted soil and oxygen, which can be under your court. Tree roots can cause the pavement to buckle which can cause a hazard. On most occasions the affected area must be removed and replaced with new asphalt. It is advisable to install a root barrier if there are trees around a court to prevent further damage.
RUST SPOTS
Rust Spots are caused by pyrites or iron deposits in the asphalt mix. These minerals oxidize forming rust spots.
We offer a latex based primer specifically designed to prevent asphalt impurities from leeching onto the new paint. Contact us to learn more.