Does your once beautiful and pristine backyard court now have cracks snaking across the surface? Unfortunately, even if you take excellent care of your court, cracks come with the territory. While most courts can last for years before accumulating cracks, they’ll happen sooner or later. Here is what you need to know about why backyard courts can end up cracking and what you can do about any cracks your court has.
How Long Do Courts Last Without Cracking?
So, cracks are an unfortunate part of owning a court, but how long can you expect your court surface to last before it starts cracking?
This varies. Generally, concrete courts last longer than asphalt courts. The better maintained the court is plays a role as well, as does the court’s location, age, and what the weather’s like in your area. The majority of courts can last years before sustaining damage like this, but every court will get cracks at some point.
If you don’t know much about court surfacing, this may seem like a red flag. However, it’s normal and expected for courts to need to be resurfaced after 4-8 years. This is because they are constantly exposed to the elements and hopefully are being used often to play games or practice your sport of choice.
All that wear and tear takes its toll, resulting in damage. It’s the same as with anything – tires need replacing after a certain amount of time, roads need to be repaved, concrete needs cracks filled… As nice as it would be to have a backyard court surface that lasts forever, sooner or later, it’ll sustain damage.
Why Do Backyard Courts Crack?
There are three main reasons why courts crack: 1) the ground, 2) the court’s age, and 3) the weather where you live.
- Ground Movement.
The ground your court is constantly moving and setting. Over time, this causes strain on your court and can cause it to crack. You can’t control the earth, so you see why we say that cracking is an inevitable part of having a basketball, tennis, or pickleball court.
- Age.
The older your court is, the more susceptible to damage it becomes. This is because it has undergone extensive strain from ground movement, exposure to weather, and significant wear and tear. Asphalt courts tend to crack sooner than concrete courts.
- Weather.
This is the most common culprit behind why backyard courts crack. Unless you have an indoor court or a court cover, your court doesn’t have any protection from the elements. This subjects your court to a great deal of strain and wear and tear. Temperature fluctuations cause tension in your court, leading to cracks. Once cracks have formed, exposure to rain, snow, and sprinkler water worsens them.
What Should You Do If Your Backyard Court Is Cracking?
Cracks allow moisture into your court, and if left to their own devices, will only worsen. This can result in significant damage to your court surface, as well as increased risk for injury, as players may trip on cracks and fall and end up hurt. Plus, they ruin the aesthetic appeal of your court.
If your backyard court is cracking, what you should do will depend on the severity of the crack. For small, minor cracks, you can have them filled with crack filler. Bear in mind that crack filler does not repair the crack, but it does keep the crack from spreading. Crack filler keeps moisture out of the cracks. In time, though, crack filler reopens. As such, this is a great temporary solution, but it’s not a permanent fix.
If you have severe cracking, you can have your court resurfaced. If the cracking extends beyond the court surface to the court itself, you may need to have a new court installed.
Professional Court Resurfacing For Pickleball Courts, Tennis Courts, Basketball Courts, And More
If your backyard court is cracking, give the experienced professionals here at Pickle Court Surfacing a call. We provide professional court surfacing services, including court resurfacing. We take pride in helping home and business owners around Midway, UT, elevate their courts with beautiful court surfaces. Court resurfacing gives your court a surface that’s brand new so that you can continue to make the most out of your investment.
To learn more about our court surfacing services, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
