Har Tru Tennis Courts

Most people who own and maintain tennis courts, either personally or as part of club, know the basics. The tennis net should extend three feet outside the doubles lines on both sides and should be attached to two side posts at the height of three and a half feet. However, when it comes to Har Tru, or clay courts, there are some important differences for maintenance. Whether it's an old net strap, clay tennis court line tape, outdoor benches, or some other type of maintenance, make sure you understand best practices.

The History of Har Tru

Early clay courts are thought to have originated in England. Because of the harsh sun during the summer months, grass would burn and become dry and brittle. The playing surface, of course, affects the way matches are played, and so clay was used as a way to protect the court.

Modern clay courts started to become popular in the mid 1900s. Clubs and homes would usually use locally available clay or ground up brick, which of course caused a considerable amount of variation in play from court to court and in clay tennis court line tape. The first Har Tru courts became available in the 1930s, which started to standardize clay court tennis play.

Now there are two types of clay used: red clay and green clay. Red clay courts are made from crushed brick, and green clay from crushed basalt (volcanic rock). Clay courts are more common in Europe than North America, though they are growing in popularity in North America. As Har Tru courts grow in popularity in the United States, it is important to understand how to perform proper maintenance on them, as there are some major differences (such as the clay tennis court line tape).

Har Tru Court Maintenance

There are three types of maintenance you need to be aware of with Har Tru courts: daily maintenance, regularly scheduled maintenance, and long term maintenance.

Daily Maintenance: Every morning before the courts are played on, the surface of a Har Tru court needs to be rolled using a court rake. Ensure that the clay tennis court line tape is clean and completely visible. This will help prevent the growth of weeds on the court. Clay tennis court line tape can be cleaned using a line brush. At the end of each round of play, use the drag broom to remove visible scuff marks. The clay tennis court line tape should be broomed before the start and end of play and between if necessary. Additionally, water Har Tru courts on a daily basis to maintain quality and remove dust particles.

Regular Maintenance: There are a few steps of regular maintenance that need to be done on Har Tru courts. First, a tow scarifier needs to be used regularly to prevent the surface of the court from hardening. This will also break up a solidifying hardpan and prevent the surface from becoming excessively hard. This should be done about once a week, along with checking the surface of a Har Tru court for depressions.

If there are depressions in the court, use a lute to rough up the depressed area. Next, add a specific smear to the surface and flatten it out with the help of a roller until the entire area is uniform. After leveling the surface, it must be regularly watered over the next 3 days. Usually, this should be done on a weekend as the court will not be playable in these conditions.

Long Term Maintenance: Long term maintenance is important to keep your Har Tru courts in as good a condition as possible. Though long term maintenance has the most variables to it, in general, a Har Tru court should be reinforced every 5 to 7 years. Resurfacing and reinforcing is usually done using laser temper methods.

That covers most of the general maintenance for Har Tru tennis courts. Whether it is straightening clay tennis court line tape, resurfacing, or scarifying slippery areas, maintenance is important both to keep the courts looking nice and to ensure high quality tennis can safely be played on the courts.