How to build a tennis court at home?

Setting up a tennis court in your backyard is entirely possible, but it does require a bit of preparation and some formality.

What permission for a tennis court?

You must be wondering if it is mandatory to apply for a building permit for a tennis court. Don’t worry, it’s not necessary. However, prior notification of the work at your town hall or at the regional planning department is required.

How to build a tennis court?

There are several steps required to build a tennis court:

1. Carry out a study of the territorial configuration

Check if you have a large enough outdoor plot to build a tennis court.

The dimensions of one tennis court are 23.77 meters long and 8.23 ​​meters wide. The double pitch, to accommodate four-man play, will be 10.997 meters wide. In addition to the playing area, also provide an obstacle area called a clearance or development zone. Ideally a field of 36 x 18 metres: with 6.10 meters behind each end line and a distance of 3.50 meters on each side. It is obvious that the land must be buildable.

2. Clean up your yard to keep it clean

Clear brush, remove rocks, wood and other debris. Court terracing is essential to play in total comfort (levelling, backfilling, etc.) Please note that if you have chosen to install a waterproof floor covering on the court, your outdoor tennis court must have a 1% slope to allow rainwater to drain away.

3. Choose the covering

You can choose between so-called hard surfaces, made of concrete or resin, or comfort, made of grass or clay.

– The easiest installation is grounding natural grass or artificial grass. You either install the lawn in rolls or let it grow naturally. It is the most comfortable surface for players, but it must be mowed and watered frequently.

– Courts v clay consists of two layers: a specific layer of limestone, craon, on which a thin layer of clay is installed. It is actually a thin layer of crushed brick that needs to be compacted well. The floor must be maintained every year. However, remember that it is the most difficult surface to play on and needs to be watered regularly.

– To the tennis court synthetic resin, it will be necessary to pour a bitumen coating on the base and then cover it with a rubber mat. The resin is then applied. Plan for at least three layers. This type of terrain is pleasant to walk on, absorbs shocks and provides better grip.

– Tennis court porous concrete or in asphalt requires the installation of drains in a concrete slab. Then a layer of limestone is laid, then a concrete screed, on which aerated concrete is poured and compacted. The surface is not very cushioning, but requires little maintenance.

4. Go to final adjustments

Lay the net and mark the ground to accurately determine the terrain. You can rent or borrow a line tracker. To avoid constantly chasing balls, we recommend installing a mesh fence on posts around the court about 3 meters high. If you plan to play in the evening, you can also install projectors. Of course, you will also need to invest in tennis rackets and balls.

Our advice: for your work, call professionals with QUALISPORT certification or with the Tennis Quality Plan or Padel Quality Plan designation.

How much does a tennis court cost?

Setting up a private tennis court has significant costs. Count between €30,000 and €60,000. This budget depends on several criteria:

– Surface selection (single court or double court).

– Cover type : provide cover between €30,000 and €40,000 for concrete, asphalt or clay and between €50,000 and €60,000 for synthetic resin or grass (natural or synthetic).

– Earthwork : cleaning, stabilization, screed, etc.

– Equipment : a fillet costs around €170. You can also install sports equipment that is not necessary, but brings a little more comfort to your court: referee chair (about 550 EUR), benches (300 EUR), scoreboard (70 EUR), ball machine (800 EUR). etc.

You also have to count between 1000 and 3500 euros per year for the maintenance of your tennis court.

Therefore, installing a private tennis court is possible, but requires significant investment. Choose the covering that best suits your daily practice, but also the weather in your region.