HOW TO BUILD A BEACH COURT

Technical Guidance Notes

BASIC CONSIDERATIONS The following technical guidelines are designed to support the construction of new build outdoor facilities that require initial groundworks and drainage installation. Volleyball England has produced a separate guidance document for the conversion of current hard court areas with existing sub-surface, drainage, fencing etc. already in place (see www.volleyballengland.org ).

Recreational International Min Size Notes 1 court NA 22m x 14m 2 court 1 court 28m x 22m Minimum recommended A space 28m x 40m could accommodate 2 3 court Recreational + 1 International. Also suitable 2 court 28m x 36m for recreational soccer, rugby, footvolley, , tennis etc. This space could also be configured as 3 4 court Recreational + 1 International. Also suitable 3 court 26m x 54m for recreational soccer, rugby, footvolley, handball, tennis etc. Table 1.

Size A standard sized beach volleyball court is 8m x 16m, not including free space around the outside. For recreational purposes a minimum free space of 3m is recommended all around (total 14m x 22m) and for national/international competition the minimum recommended free space is 5m (total 18m x 26m). Table 1 shows the ideal sand space required to maximise both recreational and competition use as well as usage by other beach based activities. Where the budget permits, it is generally recommended that a facility which can accommodate two courts is better, as it can be used for a number of adapted beach .

Positioning Ideally the court should be orientated running lengthways North to South to minimize visibility issues due to the sun. A court running East to West will be virtually unusable in the early morning and early evenings. The area around the playing surface should be free of all obstructions such as power lines, large rooted and/or overhanging tress with a minimum height clearance of 7m recreational and 12.5m international.

1

1. GROUND WORKS The first and foremost safety precaution is to locate any buried power lines and utilities. In most areas, excavating a pit to a minimum depth of 70cm will be necessary depending on the drainage and depth of sand. The base should be pitched (standard 14 degrees) to a low point at one end or corner where you desire excess water to travel with a drainage ditch dug allowing water to flow out from the court area and into a suitably positioned soak away. The best tool for the dig is a front-end loader or "bobcat" which can excavate the base evenly, remove the dirt, and also haul and spread the stone and sand. This equipment can be rented for a weekend. If you're not up to the task of handling heavy equipment, a good landscaping company can be contracted to excavate and haul the stone and sand.

Earth banks To reduce the cost of removing the excavated soil it can be used to form banking around the court which can act as a windbreak, assist in retaining balls and provide a natural terracing for spectators. Any turf that has been carefully removed as part of the excavation can also be replaced here and watered in.

Post fixings There are a number of moveable options when it comes to post fixings (see section 4), however, where usage is likely to be high it is recommended that permanent fixings for posts are created. This is best done early on in the process before gravel and sand are added to the pit. Locate and dig the holes for the post sleeves ensuring that at least 1m of the post length is below the sand surface. The post should be dug at least 1m deep and set in concrete. A couple of bag mixes per standard should do the job. Some home improvement centers carry a special "post setting mix" in which all the components for the concrete can just be dumped in the hole without prior mixing. Once the standard is located in the hole, plumb the standard in two opposing directions, and fasten supports so the post cannot move as the concrete is being dumped in the hole. Repeat this process for the opposite standard.

Figure 2.

2

2. DRAINAGE Pipe Once the base is excavated and post fixings set you can begin laying the drainage pipe. The closed end of the drainage pipe (10cm diameter) should be placed in the highest point of the excavation and should zig-zag across the base with the open end of the pipe terminating at the lowest point to allow water to escape. The drainage pipe should be laid with the perforated side down. This allows water to wick-in from the bottom and sides and be carried away. As an additional precaution perimeter drainage pipe can be laid in a similar way. It is an extremely good idea to wrap the drainage pipe with a semi-permeable cover or landscaping fabric (see below) before laying the pipe to keep materials from clogging up the perforations and prohibiting the flow of water. Gravel & Membrane Once the post fixings are set, the base and drainage pipe can be covered with clean drainage stone or gravel (50 -100mm) to a minimum depth of 20cm and spread uniformly. You will need to calculate the volume of gravel required depending on the dimensions of your court and the degree of pitch of the base. This will probably need converting to tonnes as most suppliers work this way with vehicles capable of carrying up to 19 tonnes however, they should be able to advise. On top of this place a porous layer such as woven polyblend landscaping mesh or geotextile terram to separate the stone layer and prevent the sand from washing through (this will also prevent weeds from penetrating upwards). The overlaps should be sewn or taped.

3. SAND & PERIMETER KERBING Perimeter Putting in an outer perimeter around your sand area will keep sand contained and prevent dirt and plants from migrating on to the playing surface. The most popular option is to line the perimeter with reclaimed railway sleepers although concrete kerbing can be used. Whichever solution you choose you should give careful consideration to protecting players and spectators from anything that could be a potential hazard by ensuring that surfaces and edges are suitably padded, normally with some form of durable rubberized material. This becomes less of an issue with greater free space around the playing area.

Sand The sand quality is of high importance and perhaps the most important aspect to the overall success of the facility, too fine and it will stick together and dry hard as it compacts. A granite-based medium to course sand (limestone and calcium free) that is double washed with predominantly sub-angular particles (with some sub-rounded and occasional rounded) predominantly between 0.5-1mm is recommended. The following varieties have been used successfully on projects in the UK: • Buckland W60 Silica • Hanson Aggregate, Reigate / RB4 Blend • Yellow or silica white • Ocean fine The playing surface should comprise of level, flattened sand, as uniform as possible with a minimum depth of 40cm at all points. You will need to calculate the volume of sand required depending on the dimensions of your court. This will probably need converting to tonnes as most suppliers work this way with vehicles capable of carrying up to 20 tonnes. However, you should keep in mind that sand weight can vary depending on the water content. For guidance and on average 1m3 = 1.7 tonnes. 3

4. EQUIPMENT

Posts & Nets

Boundary Line Markers . OPTIONAL EXTRAS

5. FENCING & COVERS Fencing Perimeter fencing is recommended where a facility is not already contained within private grounds. This acts as a barrier to unwanted users and animals, prevents balls from migrating outside of the sand pit and segregates the facility from other areas of the site. A minimum 3m high chainlink fence on galvanized and powder coated angle iron posts with gates is acceptable where vandalism is not anticipated. If a more robust system is required a rigid weld mesh panel system would be appropriate. Windbreak Netting Windbreak netting can be attached to perimeter fencing. This improves the impact of the wind on sports being played (although wind is an accepted part of this outdoor ). It will also reduce the migration of sand due to the wind and can be used to provide greater privacy and for use in advertising. Division Netting On facilities of two or more courts, division netting is recommended to segregate courts. This will require a winch or draw back curtain system where the netting can be removed when the whole area is required for other beach sports such as Beach or Rugby. Covers All of the sand should ideally be covered when not in use. This will prevent the migration of sand and deter animals. A simple tarpaulin will suffice, pegged and/or waited down. For ease of use a swimming pool cover on a roller is appropriate.

6. FLOODLIGHTING Floodlighting can be costly and require additional planning permission so consider carefully whether floodlighting is required based on likely usage outside of daylight hours. If you choose to proceed develop a system that suits the likely level of usage. For basic recreational use a system with minimum 8 meter columns and a lighting level 400 to 500lux should be adequate. For competition/International use the lighting should be 1000lux to 1500lux measured 1m above the playing surface. A variable lighting scheme that permits the reduction of lighting level dependent on level of play and has the ability to light individual courts is economical.

7. HARD STANDING AREAS & ACCESS Hard standing areas should be considered, although not required, to facilitate officials, spectators and players waiting to participate. It is also worth considering access for emergency vehicles and for delivery/service vehicles. Access to the sandpit should comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

8. PERMANENT STRUCTURE OVER COURTS

Useful Web Sites

4

Recreational International Min Gravel Sand Drainage Membrane Notes Size Pipe 1 court NA 22m x 14m 2 court 1 court 28m Minimum recommended x 22m 3 court 2 court 28m A space 28m x 40m could accommodate 2 x Recreational + 1 International. Also suitable for 36m recreational soccer, rugby, footvolley, handball, tennis etc. 4 court 3 court 26m This space could also be configured as 3 x Recreational + 1 International. Also suitable for 54m recreational soccer, rugby, footvolley, handball, tennis etc.