| Problem |
Description of Appearance |
Possible Causes |
Potential Remedies |
| Fading |
Surface color is faded, washed
out, or slightly chalky looking. |
Oxidation of surface due to sun
exposure, excessive wear without resurfacing, defective surface material
(usually very rare.) |
Acrylic resurfacing |
| Discoloration |
Dark green, brownish or black dusty,
sticky or slimy areas on courts, especially in areas puddling, frequent
shadowing by trees or buildings. |
Mold, mildew, algae, fungus or
other vegetative growth due to, excessive shading, poor drainage, or poor
maintenance. |
Washing with a mild detergent,
correction of court drainage, acrylic surfacing, elimination or pruning
of nearby vegetation, correction of surface drainage outside of court areas. |
| Birdbaths |
Randomly located elliptical, or
elongated depressions 1/4" or less which tend to puddle and hold water
after the rest of the court has dried |
Poor slope of the court pavement
improper paving of the court, settling or upheaval of the court, pavement,
base or subsurface. |
Peeling, patching, or regrading
of the court pavement, acrylic resurfacing, correction of surface drainage
outside of court areas, reconstruction of court pavement in severe cases. |
| Bubbles |
Soft humps or blisters in court
surface varying in size from 1/4" to several feet in diameter, isolated
hollow sounding areas below court surface. |
Excessive moisture below court
pavement, standing water over court surface, poor surface or subsurface
drainage outside court areas, build-up of excessive acrylic surfacing layers. |
Correction of drainage problems
outside of court areas, leveling or regrading of pavement, patch or remove
bubbled areas, acrylic surfacing. |
| Rust Spots |
Orangy-brown, rust colored stains
or streaking in random patterns over court surface. |
Poor maintenance of court surface,
contamination of court surface material during installation, presence of
pyrites or iron deposits in court pavement mix. |
Overlayment of court surfacing
or repaving of court, and new acrylic surfacing, in minor cases removal
of, spots, patching and resurfacing. |
| Hairline Cracks |
Fine hairline like cracks of variable
lengths of ten occurring over entire court surface. Usually of shallow
depth in the court surface or uppermost layer of pavement. |
Contamination of court surfacing
during installation, use of incompatible surface, materials or solvent-type
coatings, improper pavement seal coating, or improper pavement mix design. |
Surface or pavement overlay treatments,
and new acrylic surfacing. These cracks have the potential to develop into
structural cracks over longer periods of time and exposure. |
| Raveling |
Pock-marked pavement, spauling,
or crumbling of surface and pavement. |
Oxidation of surface and pavement
due to prolonged wear and exposure to the sun. |
Surface or pavement overlay treatments,
and new acrylic surfacing in more severe cases, reconstruction of court
pavement and new acrylic surfacing. |
| Alligatoring |
Alligator skin-like pattern of
interconnected cracks usually in court surfacing and varying in depth.
Often accompanied by loose particles of surface material. |
Contamination of court surfacing
during installation, use of incompatible surface materials or solvent-type
coatings, improper pavement seal coating, or improper pavement mix design. |
Surface or pavement overlay treatments,
and new acrylic surfacing. These cracks have the potential to develop into
structural cracks over longer periods of time and exposure. |
| Structural Cracks |
Cracks which penetrate into the
pavement often occurring in long straight lines or irregular patterns emanating
from a clear point in the pavement, such as net or fence posts. |
Improperly constructed pavement
joints, thermal shock, shrinkage of pavement due to oxidation, heaving
of base or subbase, tree roots, improperly designed or constructed post
footings. |
Surface or pavement overlay treatments,
or reconstruction of court pavement and new acrylic surfacing, complete
reconstruction of court for more severe cases. |
| Upheaval or Depression |
Isolated vertical displacement
of court pavement more than 1/4" above or below the surface. |
Frost heaves, swelling of base
or subsurface soils due to improper drainage, tree roots, or decomposition
of organic matter in subgrade or court, poor compaction of base or subbase. |
Usually complete reconstruction
of the court pavement or in more severe cases, reconstruction or relocation
of the entire court. |
