May , 2001
TENNIS COURT COATINGS-EQUAL
OR NOT EQUAL
Very often specifications for tennis courts include the name of a particular
product and then allow the substitution of other products by inserting
the words. "or equal". Believing tennis court coatings are equal
is far from factual and is a common misconception. It is obvious they
provide a surface on which to play tennis or similar activities. Therefore,
it would be more accurate to substitute "or equal" with the
words, "or approved substitute" or any other appropriate wording.
By the way, it is legal for a buyer to list one product and not permit
the use of any substitute. This is true whether it be at the private or
municipal level.
The majority of coatings manufactured use 100% acrylic latex as the primary
vehicle for production. Due to the fact that various grades and quality
of acrylics are available from the acrylic supplier and because other
products (too numerous to list) are blended with the acrylic stock to
produce the end result, there is no way any two surface coatings are exactly
the same. Even if competing companies use the same additives to blend
with the acrylic stock, for the end result to be the same the manufacturers
would have to use the same amount of each additive to duplicate a coating
and create an "equal" product. Manufacturers treat their products
with secrecy so that equal duplication is virtually impossible. Because
surface coatings perform the same function, tennis court products should
be though of a s similar but not equal.
Furthermore, the system of surfacing a tennis court a recommended by the
manufacturer can produce a surface that will not be the same or equal
to that of a competitor. A system may use various companion products and
different steps in the application of the coatings and can, therefore,
affect the play characteristics of the surface as well as the wearability,
color retention, and adhesion.
It is apparent that a buyer or designer/specifier such as an architect
or specification writer, has two important choices to make: 1) selection
of the coating system and 2) awarding the contract to a qualified contractor/applicator.
It should be mentioned that some of the best-qualified applicators of
surface coatings do not become involved with the actual construction of
the tennis court. Therefore the buyer may want to deal with two separate
contractors (builder vs. applicator) in order to get the best-completed
project.
In selecting the product to be used, the buyer should compare surfaces
that have been in place at least two years and have received similar amounts
of play. Look for signs of sand abrading from the coating in the high
traffic area (surface will feel smooth as compared to areas in other sections
of the court) as well as the obvious wearing of the color. These tell-tale
signs indicate the surface is wearing rapidly and the normal life expectancy
of 5-7 years will not be met. In addition, notice whether or not the coating
is retaining its original color or is showing signs of accelerated fading
resulting in cosmetic deterioration.
Priority consideration should be given to the manufacturer that has their
own Research and Development laboratory staffed with qualified personnel.
Having an R&D facility is a good indication the company strives to
improve and/or increase their product line; that they want to be a leader
and innovator in the industry and not a follower. For example, a few manufacturers
realize the importance of the type of sand used in the finish coats and
provide a companion product containing the proper sand to which color
is added. This is available to ensure contractors have access to a premium
sand to obtain optimum results when quality local sand is not available.
Admittedly, a good, caring, qualified contractor can use most any material
and make the surface appear good at the time of completion. Obviously,
the opposite is possible, an uncaring, unqualified contractor can apply
a superior product and make it perform poorly and appear an inferior surface.
The good contractor will mix material and execute the application in accordance
to the manufacturer's recommendations and specifications so that maximum
performance of the coatings is achieved. Unless the buyer is familiar
with mixing and application and monitors the progress, an uncaring contractor
can cheat the buyer without his/her knowledge. Referrals and site visitations
can be very beneficial in judging a contractor's qualifications. Don't
rely solely on the contractor's years of experience. To obtain the best
results and satisfaction requires researching the best products and locating
the most qualified contractor.