Having an outdoor court is such a fun way to get outside and enjoy the sports you love to play. However, just like with anything else, you have to take good care of it to keep it in good shape. The same goes for your court. Doing the small things daily can significantly extend the life of your court, making sure that you’re able to enjoy it long-term. Here are the five things you can make daily habits to extend the life of your court.
1. Sweep or Blow Off Debris
If your court is outdoors, it’s inevitable that dirt, sand, rocks, leaves, and other debris will get onto its surface. Though it may seem harmless and unavoidable, it can actually act like sandpaper on the surface of your court. If that debris isn’t removed, it will grind into the surface each time someone plays, ripping away the surfacing.
One good thing to get into the daily habit of is using a leaf blower or a push broom to remove debris from your court. Though it may seem like this is something you can just do every once in a while when the debris gets bad, you’re not entirely wrong. However, you can make it easier on yourself by doing just a quick sweep daily, focusing on corners, doing extra passes on windy days, to keep your court in peak condition for longer.
2. Rinse Off Dust & Spills
Even if your court looks clean, dust, mud, and other residue can build up quickly. Especially if your court is outdoors, debris can stain or stick to your court. In addition to the elements causing damage to your court, there will also inevitably be drink spills and other things that will need to be cleaned up quickly as well.
As well as sweeping and blowing off the debris with a leaf blower, use a hose to lightly rinse off the surface of your court. For spills, those will need to be spot-cleaned immediately to prevent staining. After you rinse your court off with water, make sure that it fully dries, and that there’s no standing water left. By getting into the daily habit of giving your court a good rinse regularly or every couple of days, you can prevent staining and discoloration, keep the surface grippy, and stop buildup that can degrade the surfacing over time.
3. Check for Standing Water
Standing water is the number one long-term killer of outdoor courts. It causes cracks, warping, and mold on your court over time, making it unsafe. Getting into the daily habit of removing water from your outdoor court as soon as you can is one of the best things you can do to extend the life of your court.
When you go to rinse off the stormwater or the melted winter snow, check to see if there are puddles on your court. If there is standing water on your court, use a squeegee to move water off the surface and off the edges. Make sure to also keep the drains and edges clear from water, too. Doing this small daily habit will help to prevent cracks from forming underneath your court, reduce the risk of mold and algae, and help the coating on your court last longer without peeling.
4. Use Proper Footwear Only
Whether your court is indoors or outdoors, what goes onto your court is important. Your court can take damage from more than just whether, that’s using and wearing the proper equipment when using it will help extend the life of your court.
Having those who use your court get into the daily habit of wearing clean, non-marking athletic shoes. Keeping their muddy shoes, cleats, or other shoes off the court will keep your court in good condition. Another thing to avoid is dragging heavy equipment across the court. Things like goals or chairs should, if possible, not be on the court, but if they are, don’t drag them to prevent scratching. Also, be mindful of your pets going onto the court. Their nails can scratch the surface.
5. Do a Quick Visual Inspection
There will likely be times when your court doesn’t get used for a while, and you won’t think to check up on it. However, doing even the quickest look over could lead you to catching problems early and saving you money.
When getting into the daily habit of doing a quick visual inspection of your court, you’ll want to look for: small cracks or chips, fading or peeling, low spots where water collects, and loose edges or seams. This daily habit will help you avoid expensive repairs later by doing the small fixes now and keep your court looking professional.
Why Choose Us?
At Precise Pickleball Courts, we understand that doing all the daily habits isn’t always possible. Even if you do your best to keep your court in its best condition, your court will inevitably still need help. If your court is looking worse for wear, we can help give your court a refresh with a court resurfacing.
If you don’t currently have a court, but want one, we can do that too! From designing your custom court to surfacing the court, we’re there for you every step of the way. Contact us today for a free estimate or to learn more.
