99.9% of the courts currently manufactured in Spain are equipped with artificial grass installation. Although the first installations were built with concrete, it was soon found that the game acquires a much more interesting speed, as well as a predictable and natural bounce.
There are 3 types of artificial grass installation for courts:
Fibrillated grass
Requires regular maintenance to avoid sand build-up in high traffic areas. The fibres are wider than monofilament grass and are cut at the top, creating a sort of feathery pattern from the same rib. It wears out more quickly than other types of carpet because the fibres are less dense.
Monofilament grass
Carpet in which the narrow fibres are arranged independently of each other. This means that each rib is laid individually. It is more durable than fibre grass, but requires more maintenance because the sand is looser.
Curly grass
Used on the World Padel Tour, it is considered the best type of padel court grass on the market. The shape of the pile is curly, which allows the sand to pass between the fibres (making it look like there is no sand in the grass). When playing, the ball bounces very evenly, is weighed down by much less sand than a fibre or monofilament and is much better to maintain. In fact, it is the best option in terms of quality, but it is the most expensive.
Artificial grass installation on a padel court
Many of you wonder if installing grass on a padel court is too complicated and expensive. You are wrong, in just 5 hours you can have your lawn ready, regardless of the model you choose.
The first step is to lay the rolls and clean them.
The first step is to remove and clean the remains of the base to be able to unroll and clean the rollers.
Once this is done, the rolls are fitted, assembled and cut crosswise where the white playing lines are.
Gluing
Now comes the most important step, the sealing of the panels. First, we place the jointing strip between the rollers and apply the appropriate adhesive, not just any adhesive. Secondly, we insert the white demarcation lines. In this way, all panels and ducts will be well sealed and secure.
Last step
Once the grass and contour lines have been glued, we will proceed to adjust the perimeter. Cut the excess grass on the sides of the pitch. We recommend that you do this with a lawnmower.
Finally, we will spread and brush silica sand all over the field.
In this process, we recommend starting from the centre of the field towards the edges, thus eliminating any creases that may have formed in the grass during the previous phases.
Price of artificial grass installation
After many matches, the grass on a padel court inevitably wears out. Although it is often possible to carry out an intervention that we call "court renovation", the aim of which is to give the surface back the properties of grip and playing comfort that it has lost through use and lack of maintenance, sometimes it is necessary to change the surface because it is not possible to renovate the artificial turf due to its condition.
When it comes to the price of renovating the surface of a padel court, there are some determining variables that make the budget vary. The most important factor is the type of grass.
Fibre grass is the cheapest and is often installed in many sports clubs that want to reduce their costs. The approximate price per square metre is 8 to 9 euros/m2. Monofilament grass is the next most expensive, with an estimated price of 12-13 euros/m2, while curly grass, which is used on the World Padel Tour and requires less maintenance than the others, is over 16 euros/m2.
What is the surface of a paddle tennis court made of?
An Artificial grass installation for padel courts consists of three different elements:
Substrate or base: this is a surface made up of one or two layers of polypropylene bonded to the grass fibres or filaments. It is manufactured in rolls of 2 metres and 4 metres (specifically, 2 rolls of 4 metres and 1 roll of 2 metres) to facilitate the transport and installation of artificial turf.
Fibres: these are the filaments of artificial turf and measure between 10 and 15 millimetres. A few years ago, the material of these fibres was nylon, but due to its abrasiveness in contact with the skin, polypropylene was used, which is the material used today.
Sand: To a greater or lesser extent, any artificial grass installation on a padel court must have a sand infill. The amount of sand varies depending on the type and height of the filaments, the granulometry and, of course, the requirements and playing conditions.