{ "name": "Dink & Done Court Surface Guide", "description": "Pickleball and padel court surfaces: how to identify them, what the manufacturers and associations publish about cleaning them, and what damages them. Every claim carries a source.", "url": "https://dinkanddone.com/surfaces", "version": "1.0", "updated": "2026-09-12", "license": "Free to cite with attribution to Dink & Done (dinkanddone.com).", "note": "Every claim traces to a published source listed in the surface's sources array. Fields marked 'No published guidance found' are genuine gaps in manufacturer and association literature, not omissions. Research files: reference/surface_research_acrylic.md, reference/surface_research_tile_wood_turf.md", "surfaces": [ { "id": "cushioned-acrylic", "name": "Cushioned acrylic", "aka": "ProCushion, Plexicushion, Rebound Ace Impact, cushioned hard court", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "Our standard service. Auto-scrubber with neutral-pH chemistry and no standing water, running a white pad for routine visits and red only for heavy soil or post-construction.", "what": "Acrylic color coats over rubber-filled cushion layers. A typical build is acrylic resurfacer, then coarse rubber cushion coats, then fine rubber cushion coats, then pigmented color coats.", "where": "Indoor and outdoor, over asphalt or concrete. Premium clubs, tournament venues, and facilities selling joint comfort.", "identify": [ "Softer and slightly springy underfoot, with a damped ball bounce compared with a hard court beside it", "Duller sound than bare acrylic on concrete", "Thicker coating stack visible at the court edge, so the step down to the apron is deeper", "Dents from chair legs, equipment or heavy point loads" ], "lifespan": "No cushion-specific figure is published. Acrylic systems generally are given 4 to 8 years between recoats.", "cost": "No published figure for cushioned systems. Manufacturers describe cushion layers as a cost upgrade without giving a number.", "clean_do": [ "Daily: clear debris, sweep with a soft-bristled broom or a blower", "Monthly: damp the surface, then treat stains with household dish detergent", "Indoor cushioned: weekly wet scrub with a soft, non-abrasive pad and a low-foaming, neutral-pH cleaner", "Annually: inspect shaded areas for mould and mildew, and power wash on the lowest setting starting from the high point of the court" ], "clean_dont": [ "Abrasive pads, and never leave detergent behind as a deposit", "Solvents, including methylated spirits, even for grease", "Point loads: chair legs without wooden bases, steel-wheeled trolleys, umpire stands" ], "frequency": "Daily debris removal, weekly sweep, monthly wash, annual deep clean. Indoor cushioned adds a weekly wet scrub.", "damages": [ "Point loads denting the cushion layers", "Racquet strikes leaving dings deeper than 1/8 inch (3 mm)", "Cuts through to the base layer, which let water in" ], "failures": [ "Indentation", "Racquet dings", "Water ingress through cuts", "Staining from ground-in grit" ], "sources": [ { "label": "SportMaster: pickleball court surfaces and construction", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/pickleball-court-surfaces-construction/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Plexipave / Plexicushion court maintenance and repair (PDF)", "url": "https://www.californiasportssurfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/PLEXIPAVE-PLEXICUSHION-COURT-MAINTENANCE-AND-REPAIR.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Rebound Ace Impact care and maintenance (PDF)", "url": "https://www.californiasportssurfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Rebound-Ace-Impact-Care-and-Maintenance.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "USA Pickleball: court construction", "url": "https://usapickleball.org/construction/", "type": "association" } ] }, { "id": "acrylic-over-concrete", "name": "Acrylic over concrete", "aka": "Hard court, PickleMaster, DecoTurf, Plexipave over slab", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "Our standard service, and the most common surface we clean.", "what": "Acrylic resurfacer and pigmented color coats over a concrete slab. The resurfacer is an acrylic emulsion mixed on site with silica sand, which is what gives the surface its grit.", "where": "Indoor and outdoor. The default for purpose-built pickleball construction and for post-tensioned slabs.", "identify": [ "Uniform matte colour with a fine gritty texture you can feel with a palm swipe", "Hard and unyielding underfoot, with a bright, sharp ball sound", "Control and expansion joints telegraph through the coating as straight, evenly spaced lines. This is the fastest way to tell coated concrete from coated asphalt", "At a chipped edge you see a thin coating film over a grey slab" ], "lifespan": "4 to 8 years between recoats (the manufacturer also publishes 5 to 8 years elsewhere, so quote the wider range).", "cost": "$12,000 to $20,000 to resurface a TENNIS court, from a 2019 page. No pickleball-specific resurfacing price is published anywhere we could find, and a pickleball court is far smaller, so this figure must not be quoted as a pickleball price.", "clean_do": [ "Clean once a month", "Use soft nylon or hair-type brooms, and the softest brush available on floor machines", "Neutral-pH cleaners are acceptable", "For mould and mildew, a diluted bleach solution left 20 to 30 minutes, then scrubbed and rinsed. Published dilutions conflict, so start with the weakest: 4 parts water to 1 part bleach", "Remove standing water from birdbaths as often as possible", "Indoors: vacuum frequently, plus at least one annual wet vacuum with mild detergent" ], "clean_dont": [ "Power washing above 1,000 PSI, and never hold a wand tip close to the surface", "Hard-bristled brushes, or scrubbing too hard", "Abrasive or scouring cleaners", "De-icing salt and snow or ice-melt chemicals", "Weed killer, fertiliser and insect control products" ], "frequency": "Monthly. This is stated independently by two manufacturers and is the most consistent number in the whole body of published guidance.", "damages": [ "Pressure washing above 1,000 PSI, or a wand held too close", "Salt and ice melt tracked in over winter", "Standing water and ground-in organic debris", "Acrylic applied over an incompatible sealer, which prevents bonding" ], "failures": [ "Cracking, including white line cracking", "Birdbaths and ponding", "Staining", "Mould in shaded corners", "Delamination over incompatible sealers" ], "sources": [ { "label": "SportMaster: court maintenance", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/maintenance/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "SportMaster: resurfacing FAQ (cost figure, 2019)", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/faq_resurface/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "SportMaster: 10 best practices (PDF)", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/pdfs/knowledge%20base/Knowledge%20Base%2010%20Best%20Practices.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "DecoTurf maintenance guidelines (PDF)", "url": "https://www.californiasportssurfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DecoTurf-Maintenance-Guidelines.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" } ] }, { "id": "acrylic-over-asphalt", "name": "Acrylic over asphalt", "aka": "Converted tennis or basketball court, outdoor hard court", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "Our standard service outdoors. Expect more birdbaths and more organic staining than on concrete.", "what": "The same acrylic coating system as over concrete, but laid over asphalt. Two coats of resurfacer are recommended on new or uncoated asphalt.", "where": "Outdoors, and very common on conversions: old tennis, basketball or hockey asphalt restriped for pickleball.", "identify": [ "Same gritty matte colour coat as coated concrete, but with no control-joint grid. The absence of straight, evenly spaced joints is the tell", "Cracks meander or branch rather than following straight joints", "Black asphalt visible beneath the coating at the apron or a chipped edge", "Dirt rings or stain halos where water stands", "On conversions, ghost lines from the previous sport bleeding through" ], "lifespan": "4 to 8 years between recoats. No asphalt-specific figure is published.", "cost": "Same published tennis-court figure as coated concrete: $12,000 to $20,000, circa 2019, for a tennis court. Named cost drivers include drainage problems, crack and level repairs, mould and moss removal, and birdbath patching.", "clean_do": [ "Clean once a month", "Soft nylon or hair-type brooms only", "In dusty or leafy locations, hose off roughly weekly so contaminants are not ground into the topcoat", "Patch birdbaths: the rule of thumb is to chalk any puddle an hour after rain that could cover a five-cent piece" ], "clean_dont": [ "Power washing above 1,000 PSI", "De-icing salt and ice-melt chemicals", "Leaving bird droppings and organic matter in place: one manufacturer documents contamination blistering both the coating and the asphalt beneath it" ], "frequency": "Monthly, with weekly hosing at dusty or high-traffic sites.", "damages": [ "Salt and ice melt", "Standing water in birdbaths", "Biological contamination", "Incompatible sealers underneath" ], "failures": [ "Thermal and movement cracking", "Birdbaths and ponding", "Blistering and peeling from contamination", "Ghost lines on conversions" ], "sources": [ { "label": "SportMaster: acrylic resurfacer", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/acrylicresurfacer/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "SportMaster: 10 best practices (PDF)", "url": "https://www.sportmaster.net/pdfs/knowledge%20base/Knowledge%20Base%2010%20Best%20Practices.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "California Sports Surfaces: care and maintenance (PDF)", "url": "https://www.californiasportssurfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Sports-Surfaces-Care-Maintenance.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "DecoTurf maintenance guidelines (PDF)", "url": "https://www.californiasportssurfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DecoTurf-Maintenance-Guidelines.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" } ] }, { "id": "modular-tile", "name": "Modular plastic tile", "aka": "Sport Court, VersaCourt, SnapSports, Mateflex", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "A good fit for machine cleaning. Indoors the manufacturer actually specifies an auto-scrubber, which is exactly what we run.", "what": "Injection-moulded polypropylene tiles that snap together over a rigid base, usually a 4 inch concrete slab. Tiles are loose-laid, so a damaged tile is swapped out in minutes.", "where": "Indoor multi-sport gyms and rec centres, outdoor community, HOA and backyard courts, and as a resurfacing layer over old slabs.", "identify": [ "A visible grid of roughly one-foot square tiles with a repeating pattern of small holes", "Seams run the full length of the court in a checkerboard", "Lines are usually a different colour of tile rather than paint, though painted lines on tile do exist", "Hollow, clacky sound underfoot with slight give at the seams" ], "lifespan": "15-year warranties are published by two makers, with one stating a life expectancy of more than 20 years.", "cost": "No published figure. One manufacturer explicitly declines to give one because cost depends on size, excavation, base and accessories.", "clean_do": [ "Indoors: a 17 to 20 inch automatic scrubber at 175 RPM with solution control and a squeegee, using extra-soft contour pads, once or twice a week", "Indoors: a pH-neutral citrus detergent diluted 1 part to 40 parts warm water, with the solution flow set to minimum and the squeegee right behind", "Indoors: daily damp dust mop; run the machine lengthwise, then finish widthwise", "Outdoors: a leaf blower for debris, and a power washer on a low-pressure setting", "Lift tiles in sections to clean the sub-surface when debris packs underneath" ], "clean_dont": [ "Spray a power washer directly at painted lines", "Rest a running leaf blower or hot equipment on the tile, because the heat can damage the surface", "Bring open flame near the surface: cigarettes, grills, fireworks" ], "frequency": "Indoors: machine clean once or twice a week, plus a daily damp dust mop. Outdoors: debris clearing as needed, plus an annual professional inspection and sub-surface clean.", "damages": [ "Heat from equipment left on the surface", "Open flame", "High-pressure water aimed at painted lines", "Edging tools at the perimeter" ], "failures": [ "Debris packing beneath the tile field", "Colour fade, which manufacturers call inherent", "Individual cracked tiles, replaced one at a time" ], "sources": [ { "label": "VersaCourt indoor tile cleaning (PDF)", "url": "https://cdn.versacourt.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/VC_IndoorTileCleaning.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "VersaCourt outdoor tile cleaning (PDF)", "url": "https://cdn.versacourt.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/VC_OutdoorTileCleaning.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "VersaCourt pickleball court FAQs", "url": "https://www.versacourt.com/pickleball-court-faqs.html", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Sport Court FAQ", "url": "https://sportcourt.com/faq/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Mateflex FAQs", "url": "https://www.mateflex.com/resources/faqs/", "type": "manufacturer" } ] }, { "id": "poured-urethane", "name": "Poured urethane and rubber", "aka": "PULASTIC, poured PU, vulcanised rubber sheet, Mondo", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "Machine cleaning is not just allowed here, it is required by the manufacturer. Note the 150 RPM speed limit.", "what": "A seamless poured polyurethane or prefabricated rubber sheet over a concrete slab, usually with a shock layer beneath.", "where": "Indoor multi-purpose gyms, fieldhouses, school sports halls, and increasingly dedicated pickleball venues built inside warehouses.", "identify": [ "Seamless: no tile grid and no board lines, just a continuous matte field", "Slightly rubbery and grippy underfoot, with give but no board flex", "Lines are painted into the surface, flush, not taped", "Matte rather than glossy" ], "lifespan": "No published manufacturer figure for the wear layer.", "cost": "No published per-court or per-square-foot figure.", "clean_do": [ "Dry clean daily with a dust-binding mop, because embedded dust and sand polish the surface", "Wet clean at least weekly with a scrubber dryer, red pads and the manufacturer's cleaner at 1:200", "Deep clean twice a year at 1:10, only once the floor is at least six months old, always followed by a rinse pass", "Remove marks the same day, before they bond", "Cold water is sufficient" ], "clean_dont": [ "Run the machine above 150 RPM", "Let cleaning solution dry on the floor", "Use green or blue pads except on stubborn stains, and accept that they may affect the top layer", "Use foaming agents or solvents. One rubber manufacturer publishes a numeric range: neutral pH between 7 and 9", "Skip the rinse pass after a deep clean" ], "frequency": "Scales with use. Light use (2 to 3 days a week): wet clean every two weeks, deep clean once or twice a year. Heavy use (6 to 7 days a week): wet clean at least three times a week, deep clean three times a year.", "damages": [ "Abrasive grit left in place", "Solution allowed to dry", "Aggressive pads", "Solvents and foaming agents", "Black-soled shoes, which the manufacturer recommends banning" ], "failures": [ "Loss of matte texture and slip resistance from polishing", "Soap residue in the pores where the rinse step is skipped" ], "sources": [ { "label": "Sika PULASTIC general cleaning advice (PDF)", "url": "https://pulastic.sika.com/dam/dms/pulastic/r/EN-pulastic-general%20cleaning%20advice.pdf", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Mondo: rubber sport flooring sanitisation", "url": "https://www.mondoworldwide.com/na/en/spaziomondo/doyouknow/rubber-sport-flooring-sanitisation/", "type": "manufacturer" } ] }, { "id": "wood-maple", "name": "Wood gym floor", "aka": "Maple sports floor, multi-use gym floor with taped pickleball lines", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "no", "verdict_note": "We do not machine clean maple. The flooring association and the manufacturers prohibit scrubbing machines and water, and warn that using one may void the warranty. If your pickleball lines are taped onto a gym floor, the right answer is dust mopping and a finish-manufacturer-approved cleaner applied to the mop, plus a wood specialist for screen and recoat.", "what": "Tongue-and-groove northern hard maple over a sprung or cushioned subfloor, sealed and top-coated with an athletic finish, with game lines painted into the coating.", "where": "Park district gyms, YMCAs, school and church gyms, community centres and fieldhouses. Exactly the multi-use rooms that add taped pickleball lines over a basketball court.", "identify": [ "Visible wood grain in long parallel strips, board joints rather than tiles", "Gloss that reflects the overhead lighting", "Several overlaid game-line colours, with pickleball often taped rather than painted", "An expansion gap at the walls, usually behind a vented base", "Springs underfoot over a long span" ], "lifespan": "More than 75 years with proper care. A 25/32 inch maple floor can take up to six sandings, with sanding recommended every 8 to 12 years and an annual screen and recoat.", "cost": "Refinishing is put at $3 to $5 per square foot including labour and materials, published by a finish manufacturer in its own marketing, with no date on the page. Full replacement cost: not published.", "clean_do": [ "Sweep daily with a properly treated dust mop, up to three times a day on heavily used floors", "Use only products approved by the floor's finish manufacturer", "Apply cleaner to the mop, never pour it on the floor", "Budget for an annual screen and recoat" ], "clean_dont": [ "Never clean with scrubbing machinery or power scrubbers that use water. The association's wording is that water is the floor's worst enemy", "Never use household cleaning products", "Understand the weight problem: riding scrubbers can exceed 1,200 lbs once machine, full tank and operator are counted" ], "frequency": "Daily dust mopping, up to three times a day under heavy use. Annual screen and recoat. Sanding every 8 to 12 years.", "damages": [ "Water from scrubbing machines", "Household cleaners", "Machine weight on the floor system" ], "failures": [ "Board gapping", "Splintering", "Finish chipping and slip hazards", "Voided warranty" ], "sources": [ { "label": "MFMA: daily floor care", "url": "https://www.maplefloor.org/en/daily-floor-care/", "type": "association" }, { "label": "MFMA: power scrubbers position statement", "url": "https://www.maplefloor.org/en/power-scrubbers/", "type": "association" }, { "label": "MFMA: power scrubbers and weight", "url": "https://www.maplefloor.org/en/power-scrubbers-and-weight/", "type": "association" }, { "label": "MFMA: life cycle of flooring", "url": "https://www.maplefloor.org/en/life-cycle-of-flooring/", "type": "association" }, { "label": "MFMA: screen and recoat", "url": "https://www.maplefloor.org/en/screen-and-recoat/", "type": "association" } ] }, { "id": "padel-turf", "name": "Padel turf", "aka": "Artificial grass with silica sand infill, padel court surface", "sport": "padel", "verdict": "core", "verdict_note": "Brushing, sand levelling and glass care. Nothing about padel resembles pickleball cleaning: no scrubber, no flooding the surface.", "what": "Short-pile polyethylene artificial grass over a concrete or asphalt base, dressed with silica sand that holds the fibres up and sets ball speed. Enclosed by tempered glass and mesh.", "where": "Dedicated padel clubs, indoor padel arenas inside warehouses, and multi-sport clubs adding padel beside tennis. In Illinois this is an emerging, mostly indoor format.", "identify": [ "Short blue or green fibres, clearly grass rather than a coating, with sand visible between the blades", "Sand moves underfoot and footprints leave a drag mark in the pile", "Enclosed by glass at the back and part of the sides, with mesh above", "Fibres lying flat and directional at the baseline, corners and door" ], "lifespan": "Club-use turf is put at 4 to 5 years before significant wear. Note that the 35-year figure some makers publish refers to the substructure, not the turf.", "cost": "No published USD figure for turf replacement.", "clean_do": [ "Brush weekly, paying extra attention to the baseline, corners and access points", "Keep sand topped up to within 3 mm of the top of the fibres", "Have the court professionally inspected every 6 to 12 months", "Plan an intensive deep clean annually, done by a certified contractor" ], "clean_dont": [ "Assume blowers, pressure washing or alkaline cleaners are acceptable. No manufacturer or federation publishes a prohibition, but the absence of a written ban is not permission, and each of these moves or contaminates the sand", "Let the sand drop below the 3 mm line, which leaves the fibres unsupported" ], "frequency": "Weekly brushing. Professional inspection every 6 to 12 months. Deep clean annually.", "damages": [ "Fibre matting in high-traffic zones", "Sand migration away from the baseline and corners" ], "failures": [ "Matted fibres", "Low sand levels leaving fibres unsupported", "Uneven ball speed across the court" ], "gaps": [ "Sand quantity per court: not published by any manufacturer we could find", "Sand grain size: not published", "Top-up interval: not published", "Brushing direction: not published", "Glass panel cleaning method and chemicals: not published by any manufacturer or by the International Padel Federation" ], "sources": [ { "label": "CCGrass: padel court construction guide", "url": "https://www.ccgrass.com/padel-court-construction-guide/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "CCGrass: the importance of infill", "url": "https://www.ccgrass.com/the-importance-of-infill/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "CCGrass: artificial turf for padel courts", "url": "https://www.ccgrass.com/artificial-turf-padel-courts/", "type": "manufacturer" }, { "label": "Polytan: turf service and deep cleaning", "url": "https://www.polytan.com/en/service/turf", "type": "manufacturer" } ] }, { "id": "bare-concrete", "name": "Bare or sealed concrete", "aka": "Uncoated slab with painted lines, post-tensioned slab", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "conditional", "verdict_note": "We clean these, but say plainly that there is no manufacturer guidance to follow. We treat them conservatively: neutral-pH chemistry, the gentlest pad that works (white for routine), and water recovered in the same pass.", "what": "A concrete slab with game lines painted directly on it, with no acrylic colour system.", "where": "School and park pads, warehouse conversions, and budget builds across Illinois.", "identify": [ "Grey concrete with painted lines and no colour field", "Broom texture or a polished finish rather than the fine grit of an acrylic coat", "Control joints visible and uncoated" ], "lifespan": "No published figure. Coating manufacturers document their own products, not bare slabs.", "cost": "No published figure.", "clean_do": [ "No manufacturer or association guidance exists for this surface as a pickleball court. Treat it conservatively and follow the acrylic rules, which are stricter." ], "clean_dont": [ "Assume a bare slab tolerates aggressive chemistry just because it has no coating. Painted lines are the vulnerable part." ], "frequency": "No published guidance. Monthly is a defensible default, borrowed from acrylic systems.", "damages": [ "No published guidance found" ], "failures": [ "Line paint wear", "Surface dusting", "Cracking at joints" ], "sources": [], "gaps": [ "No manufacturer or association publishes cleaning guidance for bare concrete used as a pickleball court. This is a genuine gap in the industry literature, not an omission in our research." ] }, { "id": "painted-asphalt", "name": "Painted asphalt", "aka": "Park court, school lot, striped blacktop", "sport": "pickleball", "verdict": "conditional", "verdict_note": "Common at Illinois parks and schools. We clean them, but nobody publishes care guidance, so we borrow the acrylic rules and say so.", "what": "Asphalt paving with game lines painted on, with no acrylic colour system.", "where": "Municipal parks, school lots and older public courts.", "identify": [ "Black asphalt with painted lines only, no colour field", "No control-joint grid", "Cracking that meanders or branches", "Puddles that linger after rain" ], "lifespan": "No published figure for the painted surface.", "cost": "No published figure.", "clean_do": [ "No manufacturer or association guidance exists. Treat conservatively, as for acrylic: soft brushes, no salt, no high pressure." ], "clean_dont": [ "Use de-icing salt, which is prohibited on the coated version of this surface and is no better here" ], "frequency": "No published guidance. Monthly, borrowed from acrylic systems, is defensible.", "damages": [ "No published guidance found. Documented risks for coated asphalt apply: salt, standing water, organic contamination" ], "failures": [ "Line paint wear", "Birdbaths", "Alligator cracking" ], "sources": [], "gaps": [ "No manufacturer or association publishes cleaning guidance for paint-only asphalt pickleball courts." ] } ] }