tennis court construction and funky shape of tennis net post footing

As far as I can tell now, the pyramid shape is so that sideways expansion of the soil/ice mixture above the frost line can't get a frictional grip on the sides and pull it upwards as the soil/ice also expands upwards. It's like using your 2 hands to squeeze a telephone pole from the sides to get a grip while trying to lift it out. If the telephone pole were shaped like a pyramid instead you couldn't get a grip because your hands would slip upwards on it. This is also why smooth concrete like that formed with Sonotubes resists uplift better; it's too smooth to get a grip on.

Burying the bottom below the frost line means no ice can form to push straight up on the base.

The very wide base also provides structural resistance to tipping, since for the pyramid to tip over, the base has to be pushed down on one side. The bigger the base, the more difficult it is to push it down, since this requires compacting the soil under that side.

I'm thinking that the guy wire would have to be tied to the top of a stake driven into the ground at an angle, so the guy wire would be pulling directly sideways on the top of the stake. I've heard they do this with circus tents.

Reply to
hillpc
Loading thread data ...

Yepper. Saw that on many a city park tennis court as a kid, and on many (usually fruitless) attempts to straighten a wind-leaned pine tree. And that is why the wood or plastic stakes for old-style camping tents have the notches or loops at the top.

Reply to
aemeijers

As a lifetime tennis player, I would not want to play on most asphalt surfaces. Before you put a lot of work into something that will disappoint, I'd put up a makeshift net and play a few games. I doubt you will like the unpredictable bounce.

Post a closeup photo of the roughest part of the surface in the playing area. Put a tennis ball and a quarter in the photo for perspective.

Better yet, pour something small and spherical, like peas or BBs on the surface and see how even that is. Taked a photo from the side.

Also, compare your surface with a local public court. I bet there's a lot of difference. Even concrete courts are coated.

Someone suggested sand. I've played on courts that used sand. Hate 'em.

Reply to
Top Spin

This is what you are looking for to surface your tennis court.

formatting link

Reply to
Worn Out Retread

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.