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Multi-sport backyard court,

advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene sports surfaces

Regardless of whether you are planning to build a tennis court, basketball court, volleyball court, or soccer field in your garden, you are surely considering the choice of the optimal sports surface.If so, check out our article comparing the most popular solutions used in home sports fields: comparison of outdoor sports surfaces

Have you done research on what surface for a backyard sports court is the best choice for you? If you are seriously considering polypropylene tile flooring, the following article provides detailed information on sports modular tiles - advantages and disadvantages.

Polypropropylene tiles for a court in your garden - drawbacks

Before purchasing a surface, it is important to be aware of potential problems that may arise when using of modular tiles. They may or may not occur, because as usual, it all depends on which model we choose and whether we install it correctly.

When selecting tiles, pay particular attention to the following potential risks:

  • Durability – due to the constant exposure of the polypropylene sports surface to changing weather conditions, cracks may appear on the tiles over time. This is due to the contraction and expansion of the material due to temperature fluctuations and in the case of very uneven loading of the pitch (e.g., a heavy tool falls on a tile or a car is parked on it for a long time). Here, of course, the durability of the surface will be determined by the model we choose. If we go for the lowest price, we risk additional costs related to potential surface repairs. If we invest in a quality product, the above problems will disappear almost 100% (excluding random events). In addition, we are protected by the manufacturer's warranty, usually for a period of 10-15 years.

  • Color – constant exposure to UV light can cause tiles to fade over time. In the case of cheap models, this effect is noticeable in the first few years, while better models retain their color for a much longer period (over 10 years).

  • Unevenness – if the court is subjected to uneven long-term stress (e.g., a car is parked on it in winter), it may deform in the stressed area. A ball may bounce differently in such a place than on other parts of the court. In this case, in order to maintain an even surface, the deformed section must be replaced. This is a simple procedure, similar to replacing a puzzle piece, but additional costs must be taken into account.
 
  • Cleaning – this aspect applies to all surfaces. However, in the case of a backyard court made of polypropylene tiles, it is also worth washing the foundation with a pressure washer from time to time (e.g., once a year). This is recommended in order to remove any weeds or moss that could affect the evenness of the surface in the long term. These types of plants always appear on paving stones, concrete, or asphalt, but the water permeability of modular tiles of modular surfaces (which is generally a big advantage) means that they can grow faster. The task itself is simple and takes only a moment, but for a complete picture, it is worth pointing out in our list.
 
  • Aesthetic and acoustic impressions – this is a matter of taste, but some people prefer the raw look of asphalt courts or the acoustic impressions of wooden parquet floors (which, however, cannot be used in outdoor courts).

Taking into consideration advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene sports surfaces, it is worth bearing the above risks in mind. Being aware of the potential drawbacks, we believe that only high-quality models should be chosen, which, although slightly more expensive, will ensure many years of peace of mind and trouble-free use. 

When choosing the right modular surface, we are able to eliminate virtually every major drawback (durability, color retention, maintaining an even structure). 

The issue of washing the surface depends largely on the surroundings of the pitch and the rate of overgrowth of the base. Aesthetic and acoustic considerations may argue for and against polypropylene tiles - there are as many tastes as there are people. 

If you are seriously planning to build backyard court, send us the application form. 

We will select solutions for you that will ensure that the above risks do not affect your investment. 

If, on the other hand, you are considering the aesthetic and acoustic impressions, we offer you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with samples of our flooring. All you need to do is express your interest in the form(the option currently limited by location).

Sports modular tiles for your home outdoor court - advantages

After we learned about the potential disadvantages of polypropylene tiles, it's time to learn about their advantages.

Advantages of (high-quality!) modular sports flooring are the following:

  • Very good shock absorption in the case of courts made with modular tiles we are talking not only about vertical shock absorption, but also, unique to modular tiles, lateral cushioning. It is lateral cushioning that largely protects our joints during dynamic sports. While vertical cushioning ensures a safe landing after jumps, lateral cushioning protects our ankles, knees, and hips during dynamic cuts, stops, or changes of direction. 
 

Innovative polypropylene tiles sports flooring provides lateral shock absorption due to the minimal margin (space) between the tiles. This allows the surface to move dynamically in any direction, along with the athlete's movements. This increases the comfort of athletes and reduces the risk of injury. 

It is also a safe surface for children and youth – not only because it protects their joints, but also because of its very good critical fall height value, tested in accordance with EN 1177:2018. For example, this value for of the polypropylene sports surface is 5 times higher than the value measured for concrete!

  • Grip / traction – sports polypropylene tiles have a special structure to ensure optimal traction for sports shoes, thereby ensuring player safety. This minimizes the risk of slipping and allows players to move dynamically.

  • Versatility – naturally, there are models of modular tiles dedicated to specific sports, but in principle this surface is very versatile. For this reason, it is a great choice for a multi-purpose sports courtbecause it combines parameters that are important for various disciplines, such as shock absorption (vertical and lateral), traction, ball bounce, and even rapid water drainage after rainfall.

  • Resistance to extreme temperature ranges – the aforementioned gaps between tiles have another function. They allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles, depending on weather conditions. Thanks to this, the surface is always even and we avoid the risk of cracks. Properly manufactured polypropylene is such a climate-friendly material that you can even build an ice rink on it without damaging the tiles. At the same time, polypropylene modular flooring is a popular solution in regions with extreme weather conditions such as Africa or Australia, which are known for its extremely high temperatures and intense exposure to UV light. For example, the NBA uses this type of flooring for outdoor promotional events in such countries.

  • Quick drainage and drying – a very important parameter for outdoor courts in the European climate. Precipitation is quite frequent in our climate, which often prevents the use of of backyard courts or public sport courts for long hours. In contrast, concrete, rubber, acrylic, or polyurethane (tartan) allow water to pass through relatively slowly, which means a long drying period during which playing would be dangerous. Sports modular flooring is characterized by an openwork structure that effectively drains water. This allows the sports court to be played on shortly after rainfall has stopped.

  • Cost-efficiency – taking into account the total price (initial investment + maintenance costs) building a private sports court in your garden, sports polypropylene tiles are very favorable compared to alternative surfaces. 

Additionally, if we already have a ready-made foundation, this is the simplest and most cost-effective option. In this situation, all you need to do is install the surface on the foundation and backyard court is immediately ready to play. Depending on the size of the court, assembly takes up to several hours. 

If you are interested in the price of a private sports court in your backyard, we invite you to read our article, where we calculate the total cost of a private court in a garden..

  • Maintenance-free – a very important factor in construction of your own sports court, after all, we don't want to spend more time maintaining the court than playing the game itself. Modular tiles sports court once installed, it requires virtually no servicing or maintenance. 

All you need to do is blow the court from time to time with a leaf blower or wash it with a mop. As mentioned earlier, it is also worth doing this under the surface once a year (cleaning the foundation of moss, weeds, etc.). However, there is no need to dismantle the surface to do this. With a little ingenuity and by lifting the surface in sections, we can clean the foundation without dismantling the upper polypropylene surface.

  • Easy repairs, long-term warranties – in the event of damage, tiles can be replaced as if they were puzzle pieces; simply remove the damaged element and insert a new one. The surface should normally come with a 10-15 year manufacturer's warranty, ensuring peace of mind for many years of use.

  • Customization – sports polypropylene tiles come in a full range of colors, allowing you to go wild with the design of your court. There is nothing stopping you from building a court in the colors of your favorite club. Additionally, you can personalize it with your family or company logo, according to your preferences. Configuration options of your private sports court are very broad.

  • Less heat accumulation and high durability – on hot sunny days private backyard court will be more pleasant to use if we use sports modular flooringThis is due to the fact that polypropylene heats up less in the sun than, for example, asphalt or tartan. This is due to its low thermal conductivity and the open structure of the tiles. It is also worth noting the high resistance of polypropylene to chemicals that may be used in the garden. We are talking here about resistance even to strong salts, acids, and alkalis.

  • Flexibility – sports modular flooring can be installed practically anywhere. If you have a space with paving stones, simply install the tiles on top. If you have a piece of land, whether grassy or sandy, we build a foundation and install the surface on top of it. 

Additionally, if you change your garden concept and, for example, want to build a garage, gazebo, or anything else on the current playing field area, there is no problem. Just dismantle the surface and move it to your new preferred location, and you already have the foundation for your new idea ready in the previous playing field location. Disassembly, relocation, and reassembly take a maximum of a few hours of work. 

On the other hand, if you build a backyard court for your children and in 10 or 15 years you find that they no longer use it, you can always resell the surface. This type of action is not possible with virtually any other type of surface available on the market (except perhaps rubber surfaces, which, however, are highly susceptible to deformation during such operations).

  • Ecology and health – courts made with modular tiles are 100% recyclable. If your plans for the space around your home change and you don't want to look for a buyer for the surface, you can easily sell it to a collection point, where the material will be given a new lease of life. This is very convenient, because, for example, in the case of solutions such as polyurethane (tartan) surfaces, you have to take into account the costly process of disposing of the sports court surface. 

Additionally, it is worth noting that The sports surface made of polypropylene tiles is completely safe. for users. Not only in terms of the critical fall height, but also in terms of the impact of the material itself on health - which can be problematic, e.g. in the case of some artificial turf pitches (as we mentioned earlier in the following article).

Summary – advantages and disadvantages of modular polypropylene sports surfaces for private backyard courts

In the above article, we presented the key pluses and minuses of polypropylene sports flooring. In our opinion, the advantages significantly outweigh the disadvantages minuses of sports polypropylene tiles. Importantly, by choosing polypropylene tiles wisely, we can eliminate virtually every potential disadvantage of this type of surface. However, it is crucial to analyze each sports court design and its intended use, and to select the appropriate materials.

Please contact us via the contact form,so that we can discuss your ideal private backyard court in detail.

We will adviseyou on solutions that will minimize all risks, save you time, and ensure satisfaction from many years of trouble-free use of your investment.