Construction of a Traditional Clay Tennis Court
Traditional clay is the surface used at French Open (Roland-Garros) and has historically been adopted by many tennis clubs in France. Soft and comfortable to play on, it requires expert maintenance to preserve its playing characteristics.
The Base.
The foundation of a natural clay court generally consists of a draining layer made of discontinuous-graded ballast, followed by a sealing layer made of clinker or pozzolana, and then a base layer of craon limestone or 0/2 limestone, compacted to a thickness of 4 to 6 cm.
This limestone layer provides the flexibility and comfort of the surface. It is essential to install it properly and to ensure, during annual maintenance, that it does not mix with the clinker or pozzolana underneath.
The Playing Surface.
The crushed brick playing surface represents only the final millimeter layer, approximately one ton per court. This top layer provides the sliding properties characteristic of clay courts.
Between each application of crushed brick, the surface is rolled until a perfectly even finish is achieved.
Plastic court lines are installed before the final application of crushed brick and are compacted using a roller.
