Rolled acrylic or modular tile.
Our pick for most backyards: rolled acrylic. Good grip, familiar bounce, easy to refresh.
| Compared on | Rolled acrylic | Modular tile |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic color coats rolled onto the slab, with the lines painted on top. Often called vinyl. | Interlocking panels laid over the slab. | |
| Grip | Good grip | Slicker when wet |
| Bounce | Standard bounce | A lower, different bounce |
| Knees | Harder on knees than tile | Easier on knees |
| Upkeep | Easy to refresh when the color fades | Easier maintenance |
| Cost | Costs less | Costs more |
| Install in cold weather | Coating needs 50°F and rising | Can go in when it is too cold to coat |
Our pick for most backyards: the rolled acrylic system
Most pickleball is played on a rolled surface. It wins on grip, bounce and cost.
Tile is the better call if upkeep or your knees come first, or if it is too cold to coat.
We use Nova Sports USA acrylic systems.
- Systems
- NovaPlay for concrete courts, Novacrylic for asphalt courts.
- Built to
- American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) guide specs, the trade group's written rules for building courts. Tennis lines to USTA specs.
- NovaPlay Pickleball
- Heavy-duty, and harder wearing than a tennis surface. Its texture is low-abrasive, meaning less rough, so it is easier on shoes, balls and bodies.
- Colors
- 12 standard colors
- Free of
- Lead, mercury, asbestos and formaldehyde
A court starts with the slab.
- A 15-mil vapor barrier under the slab keeps ground moisture out.
- The slab gets 1% fall both ways, so rain runs off and never sits.
- New concrete cures about 28 days before any color goes on.
Why coating dates can move
Coatings go down only at 50°F and rising, with the surface under 140°F and no rain in the forecast.
Around the court
Patios, walkways, steps and pool decks can be refreshed too, with a thin cement-based resurfacer (ARDEX CD Fine).
- Finish
- A new-concrete finish over worn or spalled concrete. Spalled means the surface is flaking or chipping.
- Grip
- Broom texture (fine ridges) for less slip
- Weather
- Holds up through freezing and thawing
- Walkable
- In about 2 hours
- Colors
- Gray or white
- Steps
- Blended up to ¼ in. at most, so water still drains
If the slab underneath keeps moving, cracks can come back through a thin resurfacer.
Try your colors.
Pick a court, try sample colors, add a fence and lights. Your design goes into your quote request.