Hello all, I am looking to build a terrain and was hoping I could get a little advice. I would like to construct a serviceable terrain on top of a well drained asphalt parking lot. I am in Ohio and expect that we would play 1 to 2 times per week on it.

Would I be able to just put a topper over the court and use the asphalt as a base? I need to do this as easily and cheaply as possible, while still ending up with a decent terrain.

Thank you for any advice offered!

Travis

Hi Travis,

Yes, do exactly what you say, put a topper on it. We've just built a temporary terrain on tarmac in Preston Park, Brighton, UK. Very simple: 10 x 25kg bags on fine gravel, 6 x 25kg bags of sharp sand, 1 bag of slightly larger stones, 5-10mm on top. Plays very well.

Most of the terrains in La Masrseillais - one of France's biggest tournaments - are played on the roads in the park which have been given a covering of gravel.

In the UK, one of our biggest competitions, Brean Sands, is played on a car park which has a gravel coating added.

If you want an 'easy' terrain, only use finer gravel, if you want a more interesting terrain, add a few more larger stones.

HTH

Regards,

Ray Ager

They do it in Brooklyn every year for a big tournament. Watch this video. It isn't instructive but shows it being done. The terrain begins being laid about 1 minute in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihYtfhUKDuo

Regarding the courts prepared in Brooklyn, NY for the Bastille Day tournament - keep in mind, these courts are simply sand poured atop asphalt which produces a "workable" surface - but ultimately, sand is just too soft for pointing - with deep patchs that bury a boule and thin patches that just have the boule bouncing upon the asphalt.

Probably, you can made a "walled box of trian ties, and then fill it with a layer of sand - tamped down, then followed by the pea-gravel. This is to allow for drainage, and a semi-firm rolling surface.