Macadam Surfaces
In the UK today, macadam courts are still the most predominant types of sports court. Porous macadam courts have been built in large numbers since the mid 1970s

Dense or Porous Macadam
Dense provides a more durable surface and is typically laid on school playgrounds, its inability to drain is a major constraint on sports use. For this reason porous macadam is considered more suitable and can be played on in most weather conditions year round.

Porous Macadam Courts
Consist of a permeable foundation of broken, graded stone, on which is laid the macadam base course and wearing course (or playing surface).

Courts may then be Colour Coated with a specific coloured, water based acrylic or polyurethane surface coating, to improve aesthetics and the playing environment. The play-lines are then painted onto the coloured surface

Non-Porous Acrylic Tennis Courts
Consist of an impermeable foundation of crushed, graded stone topped with one or two courses of dense asphalt or concrete. This foundation is then coated with a number of applications of coloured, acrylic surfacing compound. To improve comfort “cushioned” layers may be sandwiched between the foundation and the acrylic surfacing layers. Play-lines are painted on the surface.

(The entire court is laid to a gradient, usually a cross-fall, to assist rainwater run-off. The resulting court provides excellent playing conditions; indeed approximately half of all top level tennis tournaments worldwide are played on this type of surface. The courts surface is completely impervious and rainwater may take some time, especially in the UK climate, to run off and evaporate.)