CLAY COURT REFURBISHMENT 
CLAY COURT REFURBISHMENT
A little about the process
“Clay Surface” is part of a group of sports surfaces used for mainly Tennis and Bocce and is one of the many different types of surface that we provide.
Our emphasis on quality has led to Mor Sports working at some of the world’s most prestigious tennis facilities, and we have built clay courts at a World Famous Grand Slam Tournament Venue.
Clay
All clay courts are a porous court surface material consisting of natural crushed stone, that is ground, screened, and graded. It may or may not be mixed with a chemical binder to form a stable homogeneous mixture. All clay courts have an affinity for water and for them to operate correctly they need to be able to retain moisture, or be regularly watered.
Construction
Our construction of clay court facilities begins with excavating, grading and compacting the court’s sub-base. This part of the operation is carried out by machines controlled by laser, ensuring that we have a base that is uniform with the correct pitch, which is suitable for us to build the court upon.
Continuing with the installation of curbs, foundations for net posts, as well as fence posts and fencing around the court’s perimeter, we prepare the court ready for the main build elements.
A bed of screenings is then laid and depending upon the Clients requirements we can construct for them either overhead or below ground watering systems. For sub irrigated courts the screenings are laid inside pond liner type liners which includes the water feed pipe. For overhead watering systems we install water feed pipes and sprinklers.
Once the screenings are laser levelled and rolled firm, the clay material is installed on top of the screenings in a single, firm, unified layer “bonded” by the presence of moisture. Again, to ensure quality, this operation is carried out by laser-controlled machines.
For tennis courts, the job is completed with the installation of playing lines, nets and posts.
Refurbishment Projects
We can provide a free, court survey and inspection service to establish exactly what is required to return your clay facility to its optimum performance level. Our free, no obligation service includes checking the average surface depth in several areas across the court. This allows Mor Sports to provide you our most competitive quotation to repair your court.
Our Court Survey Service includes the following elements:
- Planning – The best time for us to carry out the court survey, with our goal being keeping player disturbance and court down time to an absolute minimum
- Identifying – The court condition and record all of the main areas of concern, including, depth of clay loss, depressions and if the court has “flattened out”
- Examining – the best technique based upon court layout the most cost effective method of correcting thin areas and making minor grade changes
- Reporting – To the Client the main findings of the court survey, provide competitive costs and detailed options for any refurbishment works necessary
- Defining – Within our detailed method statement the exact methods to be used to refurbish the court (s)
- Installing – The clay materials following state of the art techniques
- Maintaining – Our customer relationship by providing ongoing advice and guidance
Where Clients use our court survey service, we establish for them whether their courts need “top dressing” or “laser grade resurfacing”.
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Top Dressing
Mor Sports have the people, procedures and equipment to help you with all of your top-dressing needs. Top dressing is required yearly because all clay courts lose material over time due to the effects of wind, rain, play and how the courts have been maintained. These factors determine how much clay Clients will need for their top dressing projects. In places like Florida where high rainfall and heavy all year-round play causes high levels of material loss, courts could lose 3- 4 – 5 tons per year which needs replacing on an annual basis.
Clients understand that it is vital that the correct fall or pitch of the court surface is maintained. This is particularly important for overhead sprinkler irrigated courts, which, due to the nature of the courts should receive refurbishing every 4 – 5 years. This major overhaul is described as “Laser Grading Resurfacing”.
This may not be the catchiest title but Mor Sports are experts at carrying out this vital maintenance operation. Our expert builders use equipment that provides precision slope control.
We use the latest, “state of the art” equipment and methods to carry out these larger scale refurbishment projects.
Known as laser grading, a small tractor and a laser controlled grading unit area coupled together. The receiver fitted to the grading unit is programmed to the correct levels to allow accurate grading of the clay material over the entire court. This technique is used where accuracy is essential.
Mor Sports have honed this technique to help improve court quality and surface level accuracy. The main benefits for the Client are reduced costs, reduced court downtime and materials, therefore saving you money.
The Process
Remove the existing playing lines
Removing dead material
Cleaning up dead material (1)
Laser garde the court to the correct levels
Scarify the court
Moving and installation of the fresh material
Laser levelling the fresh material
Clay installed water
Roll the courts
