Keeping your court playing like new.
These requirements are not arbitrary. They come from the manufacturer's published care standards and from what actually causes acrylic surfaces to fail. Following them keeps your courts playing well for years longer — and keeps your warranty in force.
Curing and first use
The first eight weeks decide the next ten years.
Acrylic systems continue curing after the crew leaves. Play during that window traps moisture between layers and is one of the most common causes of early blistering. This is the easiest way to lose a surface — and the easiest thing to prevent.
Keep the court closed for at least four days
No play, no equipment, no foot traffic for a minimum of four days after final application, provided there is no rain during that period.
Add one dry day for every day of rain
If rain falls within the initial four-day window, extend the closure by one additional dry day for each day of rain before the court is opened.
For eight weeks, never play on a damp surface
Once the court reopens, keep it out of service until it is fully dry after any rain or wash-down. Standing moisture during the cure period degrades adhesion between resin layers.
Control access, not just intentions
On school and community facilities, a locked gate is worth more than a posted sign. If your courts are openly accessible, tell us at contract and we will plan the installation sequence around it.
What Shift provides. We issue the curing schedule in writing at completion with specific reopening dates, and we coordinate court closure with your athletic, academic, or member calendar before the first crew arrives. Weather-driven schedule changes are communicated the day they happen, not the week after.
Permitted use
Built for racquet sports. Not for everything else.
An acrylic sport surface is engineered for a specific set of loads and a specific kind of shoe. Most of the damage we are called out to repair was caused by something the court was never designed to hold.
Permitted
- The racquet or paddle sport the court was built and lined for
- White-soled or non-marking flat-soled athletic shoes only
- Wiping shoes before entering to keep grit and stones off the finish
- Chairs, benches, and umpire stands with wooden or non-marring bases and rounded edges
- Standard nets, posts, and portable net systems with protected feet
- Ball machines and training equipment on soft or rubber-footed bases
Not permitted
- Skates, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, hockey, and roller sports
- Motorized equipment, carts, trailers, and vehicles of any kind
- Tents, staging, scaffolding, bleachers, and equipment storage
- Fireworks and open flame
- Non-athletic events, receptions, and assemblies
- Metal, narrow-point, or sharp-edged furniture legs
- Stiletto or hard-soled footwear
- Pressure washing above the limits below
Planning an event on your courts? Call us first, not after. Many one-off uses can be approved in advance with the right surface protection, and written approval from Shift keeps your coverage intact. Approval after the fact is not something we can offer.
Heat, sun, and water
Heat and moisture are the real failure modes.
Acrylic systems are sensitive to heat and moisture, and hot-climate conditions push them toward the upper end of their operating range.
122–158°F
Dark court surface temperature
Dark colors under direct sun reach this range. Elevated surface temperature raises vapor pressure beneath the coating and is a recognized contributor to bubbling and blistering.
1 hour
Maximum standing water
If puddles remain visible one hour after rain stops, remove them with a wide sponge roller, soft rubber squeegee, or blower. Prolonged standing water degrades adhesion between layers.
High surface temperature
Raises vapor pressure beneath the coating and expands the substrate
Direct sun after a cold night
Drives rapid off-gassing from concrete and asphalt
High humidity
Slows drying and traps moisture within the system
Windy conditions
Skins the coating before the layer beneath has released moisture
Poor drainage
Holds moisture under the slab where it has nowhere to go but up
Never leave coverings on the surface in warm weather. Tarps, mats, equipment, storage containers, and windscreens laid flat trap heat and moisture and will cause blistering and permanent staining.
Keep drainage clear year-round. Perimeter drains, gutters, and surrounding grades must move water away from the slab, not toward it.
Do not play when ice is present, and never use metal shovels, scrapers, or chemical de-icers to clear a court.
Color layout affects heat. Lighter surrounds run measurably cooler and typically cover the majority of a court's coated area. All standard colors are priced the same.
Routine maintenance
What your team should actually be doing.
None of this requires specialist equipment or a service contract. It requires someone doing it on schedule.
Weekly
Sweep or blow the full surface, more often under trees or in heavy dust. Hose foreign debris off with clean water where practical. Remove droppings, worms, and leaves promptly — organic matter left in place causes blistering and peeling.
Monthly
Walk the perimeter. Clear drains, gutters, and grates. Check fence lines and gate hardware. Note any new cracking, low spots, or discoloration and photograph it.
Quarterly
Inspect shaded corners and areas near walls for mold or algae and treat promptly. Trim overhanging trees and vegetation. Check net posts, anchors, and surrounding hardware for rust bleed.
Annually
Shift performs a complimentary professional inspection during each year of the warranty term, documents condition with dated photographs, and provides a written summary.
Washing limits. Maximum 725 psi, with the nozzle held at least 12 inches from the surface. Higher pressure or a closer standoff will cut the finish.
Approved
- Non-residual organic cleaners, diluted to the degree of soiling
- Light-duty wet scrubber with a soft brush attachment
- Diluted liquid sodium hypochlorite for mold — broom on, soak 10–15 minutes without letting it dry, then rinse thoroughly
- Fungicidal cleaner diluted in water for shaded, persistently damp areas
- Stiff bristle broom with an organic cleaner for shoe rub marks
Never use
- Solvent-based products, paint thinners, or similar solvents
- Scouring powders and abrasive cleaners
- Powdered calcium hypochlorite — it leaves a white residue after drying
- Wire brushes, metal scrapers, or abrasive pads
- Any product not tested first on a small, inconspicuous area
Troubleshooting
What you may see, and what it means.
Each condition is tagged honestly — ours to fix, yours to maintain, or a sign of something underneath the surface that needs assessment.
Bubbling
AssessmentRaised pockets of moisture or gas escaping the substrate. Release large bubbles with a fine pin and let the coating resettle. Widespread bubbling means call us.
Cracking
AssessmentUsually a sign the substrate is nearing end of life, or a slab crack telegraphing through. Photograph and report before it spreads and admits water.
Rust spots
AssessmentReddish bleed-through from pyrites in an asphalt substrate reacting with moisture. Usually requires coring and patching for a uniform finish.
Color fading
OwnerGradual and uniform, caused by UV exposure and time between resurfacing. Different colors retain differently. Normal, not a defect.
Organic staining
OwnerDroppings, worms, and leaves degrade the surface and cause blistering and peeling if left in place. Remove promptly and rinse with clean water.
Impact damage
OwnerCuts and dimples from racquets, metal chair legs, or wheeled equipment. Usually confined to the top layers and readily repaired — report promptly to prevent water ingress.
Peeling or flaking
WarrantyCoating releasing in sheets rather than wearing evenly is an adhesion failure. Stop play in the area and notify us immediately.
Line striping lifting
WarrantyPlaying lines releasing at the edges under normal play. Report it — this is a covered condition.
Mold, algae, and rub marks
OwnerIn shaded corners and where water pools — routine maintenance using the approved products listed above.
When in doubt, photograph it and send it. Most of what appears here is easier and cheaper to resolve early. Send anything you are unsure about to jose@shiftsurface.com — there is no charge for looking, whether or not it turns out to be a warranty matter.
Covered for three full years.
Care standards and coverage work together. See exactly what our 3-year workmanship warranty stands behind, and how a claim works.