If you are a business or an individual looking at tennis court construction, the very first item you need to know is whether you have the required space. As an individual, having your own court to walk onto anytime you want to play is the height of convenience. You can do so when you have a playing surface in your backyard. What are you looking at in terms of space and cost for tennis court construction? We break it down in this article as we focus on the standard size, materials required, and cost.
Dimensions of a Standard Tennis Court
The International Tennis Federation defines the dimensions of tennis courts and they are very specific. There are standard sizes and tournament sizes of tennis courts, with additional space given to the tournament size for judges and player overrun.
Below is a diagram of the exact dimensions that are specified for a standard tennis court:
Minimum Space for One Standard Tennis Court
The minimum suggested length of a tennis court is 120 feet and the minimum suggested width is 60 feet, giving 7,200 square feet of total area needed for a single court.
Playing Area
The playing area of a tennis court is 78 feet in length. Courts used for singles are 27 feet and those used for doubles are 36 feet. The court’s service line is 21 feet from the net.
Tennis Court Measurements
Always measure to the outside of the line for the correct measurement. The Center Line and Center Mark are measured on the centerline of the court.
Side Space and Back Space
It’s important to leave enough space along the sides and back of the playing area. You need a minimum of 12 feet from the sideline to the fence, divider curtain or any fixed obstruction. A minimum of 21 feet from the baseline to the fence or backdrop is required.
Backstops and Fences
Fencing or walls around a court are a minimum of 8 feet high for a residential court and 10 feet high for a club or park facility.
Tennis Court Markings
The white lines that mark the court also have standard thicknesses. All court lines should be a minimum of 2 inches in width and the baseline may be up to 4 inches wide.
Types of Courts
There are several types of court surfaces you can choose and each type has its own characteristics that affect the playing style of the game. And, each surface type has a different cost and maintenance requirement. The four main types of courts are clay courts, hard courts, grass courts, and carpet courts.
Clay
Clay courts are made of compressed shale, stone, or brick. These court surfaces are fairly easy to install and inexpensive, however, the long-term maintenance can be expensive as compared to the costs of artificial tennis court surfaces. With a clay court, the water balance must be monitored with a watchful eye and adjusted, and the court must be rolled periodically to maintain the flatness. Clay courts are traditionally used in the French Open. They have a slower game and give balls a higher bounce.
Grass
Grass courts are made of a thick layer made out of clay, silt, and sand, with a wearing surface made out of natural grass. The Wimbledon Championships use grass courts. A grass-court has high maintenance costs due to the frequent watering and mowing that is required. Grass courts are the fastest type of court.
Concrete
Concrete courts provide a durable and highly stable surface for fast action, high bounces, and reliable ball control. Concrete is one type of “hard” tennis court. Typically, a hard court is covered with an acrylic top that offers some cushioning and smoothes out the surface. This type of court offers a more even bounce than is found on clay or grass.
Reinforced concrete is the usual type of slab for outdoor tennis courts, but post-tensioned concrete is also popular because it provides better performance. Post-tensioned concrete is a slab that is poured over a grid of steel cables that are anchored to beams around the perimeter. Each cable is tensioned as the concrete is curing, which improves the tensile strength of the concrete and allows court construction contractors to build thinner slabs without control joints.
Asphalt
Asphalt is a popular choice for tennis court paving. It requires little or no maintenance and is relatively easy to install. Over 95% of all tennis courts are “hard” courts with two layers of asphalt totaling 5 inches in depth and placed on top of a 6-inch crushed limestone base. Then, the asphalt surface is coated with two coats of filler material and three coats of acrylic tennis court paint.
Synthetic Turf
Instead of using grass, you can get the “look” with synthetic turf. Synthetic turf is a surface that is composed of polypropylene or polyethylene grass fibers infilled with a special graded sand top dressing. This is an ideal surface for older courts that have severe structural cracking. It can be installed on a new concrete, asphalt, or aggregate base. This type of surface is slower and more forgiving like a clay or grass court but without maintenance.
Costs for Tennis Court Construction by Surface Type
The costs for tennis court construction vary, depending on the type of surface used. The table below has price ranges for each type of court surface.
| Court Surface | Cost Range |
| Clay | $30,000 – $80,000 |
| Asphalt | $40,000 – $100,000 |
| Grass | $50,000 – $150,000 |
| Concrete | $60,000 – $120,000 |
| Turf | $75,000 – $100,000 |
Tennis Court Construction Costs
Construction costs range from $30,000 to $150,000. These prices include surface preparation, laying a base, installing a surface, painting, finishing, and net installation. Most construction companies recommend upgrading with a high-quality fence and good lighting, which can cost an additional $10,000 to $30,000.
You can opt for upgrades as well:
Fencing: $5,000 – $15,000
Lights: $2,000 – $15,000
Water fountain(s): $1,000 – $4,500
Gear storage racks and organizers: $200 – $3,000
Shoe cleaners: $400 – $3,500
Backboards and rebound nets: $5,000 – $10,000
Clocks, timers, and scorekeepers: $200 – $1,500
Umpire chairs: $800 – $2,500
Benches: $200 – $2,500
Covers: $500 – $1,000
Tennis bubbles: $6,000 – $150,000
Acrylic surfacing: $4,000 – $10,000
Contact North State Resurfacing for Your Tennis Court Construction
North State Resurfacing can advise you on the construction of your tennis court. Our experienced team will be able to listen to your wants and needs and then arrive at a proposal for what best suits your individual situation. Call us at (919) 877-6972 or contact us to get more information.