• Home
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Do you build and repair tennis courts?

Yes! We have a sister company, Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. (www.fast-dry.com) that builds new tennis courts and repairs/resurfaces existing tennis courts throughout Florida and the Caribbean. We also work with a network of tennis court contractors around the country. Please visit our construction website for more details.


How much Har-Tru material do I need to resurface my court?

Sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru courts will lose material over time due to the effects of watering, wind, rain, and play. Sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru courts in most regions of the country will lose 2-3 tons of surface material per year (50-75 80 lb. bags). Sprinkler irrigated courts in Florida lose 3-4 tons of surface material per year (100-125 80 lb. bags) due to more rain and year round play. Subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts will lose 1-2 tons of surface material per year.

Har-Tru courts must be top dressed on an annual basis to replace this lost material and maintain their safety and playability. You can either top dress using a small amount of material (8-12 bags per court) multiple times (6-8) per year or top dress using a large amount of material (50-100 bags per court) once per year. However, if you have neglected to add the proper amount of material on an annual basis, a more extensive laser-tapered resurfacing may be needed. In this procedure, laser guided grading equipment is used to remove built-up material at the low end of the court and add new material at the high end of the court to restore the proper court slope. Generally 10-20 tons (250-500 80 lb. bags) are added during a laser-tapered resurfacing. Laser-tapered resurfacing projects should only be completed by qualified tennis court contractors. For more information see this.


How do you measure windscreens?

In order to purchase custom sized windscreens, you need to first have the measurements of the fences where they will be installed.

We have put together this easy to follow guide to help you through the process.

You can also see our instructional video on windscreen measuring in the Instructional Videos page of our website.

10-S Windscreen Order Form


Which type of windscreen should I purchase for my facility?

There are four basic decisions that you have to make when it comes to deciding which type of windscreen to purchase.

  1. DIY (Do it Yourself) cut-to-size on site windscreen or Custom cut tennis windscreen

  2. Open mesh windscreen or closed mesh windscreen

  3. Material type/grade (polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl coated polyester or heavy duty vinyl coated polyester)

  4. Color (dark green, black or custom)

The first decision you need to make is to determine if DIY (Do it Yourself) cut-to-size on site windscreens or custom tennis windscreens are better for your facility. DIY windscreens are sold in large, folded pieces. These pieces are 6' or 9' in height by 120' or 150' in length. The advantage to DIY windscreens is that you do not need to know the exact dimension of the fencing prior to placing your order. You simply roll out as much windscreen as you need (10', 20', 30' etc.) and then use a utility knife or razor to cut the windscreen. Our DIY windscreens are available with grommets in the top and bottom of the screen to make installation easier. DIY windscreens are also less expensive than custom cut windscreens.

Custom cut windscreens are made at the factory to exactly fit the dimensions of your fencing. You provide us with the height and the length of the screen you need and we have the windscreens manufactured at exactly those dimensions. The big advantage to custom windscreens is that they look fantastic and provide a very professional appearance to your facility. All four sides of the screens are bound and include brass grommets for easy installation. However, there are few downsides to custom windscreens. First, you need to take the time and effort to measure the fence before you can order your screens. We have included this easy to follow guide to make this process easier, but it still takes effort. Second, custom windscreens are more expensive than DIY windscreens.

The second decision that you need to make when determining the best windscreen for your facility is whether an open mesh windscreen or a closed mesh windscreen is more appropriate for your facility. Most windscreens are purchased in order to (a) provide a good backdrop to visually pick up the ball (b) provide some protection from the wind (c) provide a small measure of privacy for the court. For most tennis court applications, an open mesh windscreen is ideal. Open mesh windscreens provide 70%-80% visual and wind block and provide an excellent visual backdrop for the tennis ball. If you are purchasing windscreen to block out an unsightly area or to provide a high degree of privacy, a closed mesh windscreen is probably more appropriate. Closed mesh windscreens provide 90% to 100% visual and wind block. These windscreens will provide a higher level of privacy. However, they cannot be used in very windy areas as they exert too much pressure on the fencing.

The third decision you need to make when determining the best windscreen for your facility is what material type/grade of windscreen is most appropriate for your facility. All DIY cut-on-site windscreens are made from the same type of material – polyethylene. If you have decided to purchase cut-to-size rolled windscreen, you simply need to determine whether you would like a 73% shade factor (10-Shade) or 95% shade factor (Enviroscreen). The 10-Shade products are generally used for typical tennis applications whereas Enviroscreen is generally used for privacy or block-out screen. If you have decided to purchase a custom-cut windscreen, you will need to choose between polypropylene, vinyl-coated polyester (Tenn-Air/VCP) or heavy-duty vinyl-coated polyester (ProScreen/Tuffy). Polypropylene is the lowest cost custom-cut windscreen available. It is very popular with schools and cost conscious municipalities and works well in heavy wind areas. It is not as attractive as the higher grade vinyl coated polyester windscreens because the linear weave of the product is visible. Vinyl-coated polyester is the workhorse of the custom-cut windscreen class. It is very popular throughout the Midwest and in many resort and country club applications. These products look great and work well. The top-of-the-line custom cut windscreens are the heavy-duty vinyl coated polester windscreens – 10-S ProScreen and Tuffy. These windscreens last the longest and were specially designed to stand up to the sun and humidity experienced in the southeast, particularly Florida. This heavier material also hangs really nicely on the fencing and is the choice of most high end country clubs, resorts, condominiums and private homeowners.

The last choice you need to make when determining the best windscreen for your facility is color. Most windscreens come in two standard colors – dark green and black. Dark green is the most popular color, but Black has made big inroads in the last few years as many new tennis courts are built with black fencing. Depending on the product chosen, other colors (blue, red, orange) may be available.


What is the best hardware for hanging windscreens (Ty-Raps, Plastic Snaps, or Rope)?

We recommend the use of 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps for most windscreen installations. High winds can cause damage to windscreens and fences. 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps are designed to break with high winds. This releases the windscreen from the fence, preventing structural damage to the fence.

Some facilities use plastic snaps along the top of the windscreen and 50 lb. ty-raps around the sides and bottom of the windscreen. This arrangement allows the ties to break on the sides and bottom in high winds, releasing some of the pressure on the fence.

Rope is generally not recommended as an exclusive fastening agent for a windscreen for the reasons listed above. If rope is used to attach windscreens to the fence and high winds are experienced, the windscreen may act as a sail and bring the entire fence down.

It is permissible to use rope along the middle of a 9' windscreen to attach the anti-billow tab to the fence, provided 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps are used along the top, bottom and sides of the windscreen.

See our instructional video on windscreen installation in the Instructional Videos page of our website.


How do you install tennis nets?

We get this question a lot! Installing tennis nets is fairly easy.

We have put together this instructional guide to help you through the process.

You can also see our instructional video on windscreen installation in the Instructional Videos page of our website.


What products do you recommend for cleaning net headbands?

To clean or not to clean, that is the question! Everyone would like to have gleaming white headbands on every net. However, detergents and cleaners can be absorbed by the stitching in the net headband. This process can destroy the stitching, greatly reducing the life expectancy of the net and voiding any warranty. So what do you do? We recommend cleaning with a mild, non-toxic detergent followed by a thorough rinsing with clean water. We have found Orange Glo Hand Pumice cleaner usually works well. It can be found at most local hardware and auto parts stores. The grit in this soap aids the cleaning process, helping to remove any mildew that has formed. A complete and thorough rinsing with clean water immediately afterwards is still required. This rinsing helps dilute any cleaner that may have absorbed into the stitching. However, small amounts of the detergent will still be absorbed into the stitching, so less is more. You should also try to avoid excess cleaning around the lower stitched area. Good luck and happy cleaning!


How do you install a center strap?

We get this question a lot too. You can review our instructional video on installing a center strap on the Instructional Videos page of our website.


How do you install a net post?

Installing a net post is a fairly major project. We strongly suggest you contract with a reputable tennis court contractor to perform this operation. However, if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, or if you are a contractor yourself, we have included an instructional guide with a few diagrams for you to review. .

You can also review our instructional video on installing a net post on the Instructional Videos page of our website.


How do you install a center strap anchor?

Properly tensioned tennis nets do put a lot of stress on the center strap anchor. It is therefore not unusual for a center strap anchor to become loose or dislodged. We have put together an instructional guide to help you through the process. You can also review our instructional video on installing a center strap anchor on the Instructional Videos page of our website.


How much does it cost to build an asphalt tennis court?

The cost to build a new asphalt tennis court is dependent on a variety of factors, including the size of the court itself, the geographic location, the surfacing system installed on top of the asphalt, the fencing materials and layout chosen, etc. In south Florida, new asphalt tennis courts range can range from $35,000 to $80,000 or more. Please visit www.fast-dry.com for more information.


How much does it cost to resurface an asphalt or concrete tennis court?

The cost of resurfacing an asphalt tennis court is dependent on the current condition of the court. There are several variables that go into pricing a resurfacing project including (a) the amount of patching that needs to be done on low areas (b) the amount of patching/repair that needs to be done on cracks (c) the number of coats of acrylic resurfacing product and acrylic color product required to get the court back to “like new” condition (d) the location of the tennis court. Consequently, resurfacing an asphalt tennis court can range from $4,000 to $7,000 or more. Please visit www.fast-dry.com for more information.


How much color material does it take to resurface an existing asphalt or concrete tennis court?

The amount of color material required to resurface an asphalt or concrete tennis court will vary depending on the condition of the court. If the court is in excellent condition, it may only require 2 coats of tennis court paint. If your court is standard size (60' x 120' = 7,200 square feet), then you will need to purchase +/- 90 gallons of paint. You will also likely need to purchase acrylic resurfacing product, court patching material and line paint for a complete resurfacing project.


Where can I find maintenance tips and instructions for sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru tennis courts?

Please visit the Court Maintenance Guidelines page of our website.


Where can I find maintenance tips and instructions for subsurface irrigated Har-Tru tennis courts?

Please visit the Court Maintenance Guidelines page of our website.


Do you sell merchandise for sports other than tennis?

We do! In addition to tennis court supplies we also sell pickleball equipment, bocce equipment, basketball equipment, volleyball equipment, table tennis equipment, shuffleboard equipment, bleachers and water fountains. See our Products page for more information.


What is the difference between a Seamless Rol-Dri water remover and a Master Rol-Dri water remover?

The primary difference between these two products is the roller material. The Seamless Unit and Seamless Replacement are made with a spongy, grey material. The Master Unit and Master Replacement are made with a more durable, blue polyvinylalcohol (PVA) material. The PVA material holds up better over time and does a better job pushing the water off of the court.


What is the difference between Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride?

Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride are both used on sprinkler-irrigated Har-Tru courts to increase the moisture level in the court. The increased moisture level reduces the need for watering over a short period of time, which allows the court to be used continuously in tournament situations. Both products offer similar efficacy. However, Magnesium Chloride is generally considered less corrosive to equipment and clothing than Calcium Chloride.


How can I control algae and growth on my Har-Tru court?

The best way to control algae and growth on your Har-Tru tennis court is by keeping the court surface agitated, which prevents growth from forming. This is best accomplished by continuously agitating the court surface through daily grooming with a drag broom or court rake. However, the perimeter of your court, areas around the net posts and along the net line will often not be touched by daily grooming. These areas require regular agitation as well. We suggest using a Lute/Scarifier or Wire Bristle Broom for this task.

Chemical treatments are available to eliminate court growth. Broad leaf growth is best treated with herbicides like RoundUp Pro. Moss is best treated with Moss Buster. Cutrine Algaecide can be used in subsurface irrigation systems like the FDC HydroCourt to prevent the formation of algae and fungus.


How do you layout and install line tapes on a Har-Tru clay court?

In freeze/thaw climates, the line tapes are replaced on an annual basis. We have put together an instructional guide to help you through the process.

You can also review our instructional video on installing line tapes on the Instructional Videos page of our website.


What do I need to do to prepare for an impending hurricane?

Hurricanes can pose a real problem for tennis facilities in the southeastern coastal states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. We recommend that you take the following steps to prepare for an impending hurricane:

  • If possible, label, remove and store your windscreen.

  • If it is not practical to remove your windscreen or you don’t have adequate storage, cut the ty-raps along the top and bottom of the windscreen, roll your windscreen to the middle of the fence and fasten with rope. This will reduce the stress on your tennis fencing.

  • Order plenty of extra windscreen ty-raps, fastening rope and snaps.

  • Remove all tennis nets

  • If possible, remove cabana awnings

  • Remove all loose court benches and chairs from cabanas or viewing areas

  • Remove all court equipment from fences (liners, squeegees, etc.)


Should I take down my windscreen if a storm is coming? If so, what is the best removal strategy?

We recommend removing your windscreen if you have advanced notice of weather that will produce wind gusts above 40 mph. You can remove the screens entirely from your fence. Alternatively, if you have 9’ windscreen, you can cut the ty-raps on the top and bottom of each screen, roll the screen to the middle of the fence and tie it off there with rope. If you have 6’ windscreen, you can cut the ty-raps on the bottom and side of each screen, roll the screen to the top and tie it off there with rope. Either of these methods will make it easier to reinstall the screens after the storm has passed.


What is the difference between a portable ball machine and a commercial ball machine?

Commercial ball machines are generally owned by tennis clubs and resorts, have a large ball capacity, include a rich set of features and are powered by plug-in electricity. Portable ball machines are generally owned by schools and individuals, have a smaller ball capacity, include a narrower feature set and are powered by a battery. However, the lines between Commercial ball machines and Portable ball machines have blurred in recent years as the portable machines offer richer feature sets.