4mm: Firmest
The firmest tier — some relief underfoot, with a feel closest to a standard hard court.
Best for players who want a firm court with some comfort built in.
Cushioned Tennis & Pickleball Courts
A 4mm, 6mm or 8mm rubber cushion built into your tennis or pickleball court — easier on knees, hips and back, and cracks in the base below don’t show through.
A cushioned court looks like any hard court — same colors, same crisp lines — but every step lands on a layer of rubber instead of directly on asphalt or concrete. That means less impact on knees, hips, ankles and back, and less fatigue over long matches and back-to-back games.
It’s a premium court, and it costs more up front than a standard acrylic hard court. In return, cracks that form in the base below don’t show through the cushion, so the court keeps its clean, smooth look longer. We install 4mm, 6mm and 8mm cushion on new and existing tennis and pickleball courts across Western PA and the surrounding states.
Why Go Cushioned
Easier on joints
Less impact on knees, hips, ankles and back with every step, stop and change of direction.
Less fatigue
A softer step for long matches, clinics, league nights and back-to-back open-play sessions.
Cracks stay hidden
Cracks in the asphalt or concrete below stay under the cushion instead of showing up in your color coats.
Longer court life
With base cracks kept off the playing surface, the court stays smooth and holds its finished look longer.
New or existing
Goes over new asphalt or concrete, or an existing court — bare, coated or moderately worn — once it’s properly prepped.
Acrylic or urethane
Flexible acrylic color coats or an upgraded urethane sport surface, striped to USTA or USA Pickleball dimensions.
Three Tiers of Cushion: 4mm, 6mm or 8mm
What sets the tiers apart is the thickness of the rubber cushion. Thicker cushion means more give and more force reduction; thinner cushion keeps the court firmer underfoot.
6mm: Balanced Middle
Splits the difference — more comfort than 4mm, a little firmer than 8mm.
Best for players who want noticeable comfort without giving up firm footing.
8mm: Maximum Comfort
The thickest tier — the most cushion and the most force reduction of the three.
Best for long tennis and pickleball sessions, and for players who want the most relief on their joints.
We’ll look at your court, ask how it’s played and recommend the right thickness on your free, written estimate.
What’s Inside a Cushioned Court
- Acrylic or urethane surface Flexible acrylic color coats (or an upgraded urethane sport surface), then line primer and regulation lines.
- Reinforced membrane or mat sealer Covers the entire cushion and its sealed seams, giving the sport surface a smooth, uniform base to bond to.
- 4mm, 6mm or 8mm cushion A prefabricated pad of granulated rubber bound with polyurethane — absorbs impact and keeps base cracks out of sight.
- Mat adhesive Glues the cushion to the base across the whole court, so the mats are fully bonded — nothing floats, nothing shifts.
- Prepared asphalt or concrete Cleaned, crack-filled and flood-tested, with low spots patched and leveled before any cushion goes down.
How We Install a Cushioned Court
Prepare the Subsurface
We pressure-wash, remove loose paint, fill and level cracks, and flood the court to find and patch low spots. New asphalt or concrete must fully cure first.
Adhere the Cushion
Rubber mats are rolled out with seams butted tight, glued to the base with mat adhesive and rolled down for full contact.
Seal the Cushion
Seams are sealed, then a reinforced membrane or mat sealer is installed over the entire cushion to lock it in and ready it for color.
Surface & Stripe
Flexible acrylic color coats — or an upgraded urethane sport surface — go on top, followed by line primer and USTA or USA Pickleball lines.
Is a cushioned court worth the extra cost?
Let’s be straight: a cushioned court costs more up front than a standard acrylic hard court. You’re paying for the rubber cushion, the adhesive, the membrane or mat sealer, and the extra labor to install it all correctly.
What you get back shows up two ways. Players feel it every time they step on the court — less impact on knees, hips, ankles and back, and less fatigue over a long session. And the court holds its looks: cracks that form in the asphalt or concrete below don’t show through the cushion, so the playing surface stays smooth and clean instead of showing crack lines from the base.
For clubs, schools and parks with players who keep coming back — and homeowners who plan to keep playing for years — that’s where the value is. Ask us to price a standard surface and a cushioned one on your estimate so you can compare them side by side.
New court or existing court?
On a new build, the cushion waits until the base is ready. New asphalt and concrete have to fully cure first, and new concrete should be placed over a vapor barrier and checked for moisture before any rubber goes down.
On an existing court, the cushion can often go right over the old surface — bare or previously coated asphalt or concrete, including moderately worn courts. It gets the same prep first, so it’s clean, sound and level before any mats go down. If the base itself has failed — heaving, alligatored asphalt, drainage problems that leveling can’t solve — we’ll tell you, because no cushion fixes a bad base.
Cushion installs need dry, warm weather, so they’re scheduled inside our April–October season. Book 6–8 weeks ahead — call (724) 388-0467 for a free, written estimate.
Common Questions
It’s a hard court with a layer of rubber cushion — 4mm, 6mm or 8mm thick — glued to the asphalt or concrete base, sealed, then finished with acrylic or urethane color and lines. It looks like a standard hard court but has some give underfoot.
Yes. The rubber absorbs part of the shock every time a player plants, pushes off or lands, so knees, hips, ankles and back take less of it.
Cracks that form in the base below don’t show through the cushion, so the playing surface stays smooth. The cushion doesn’t stop the base itself from cracking — it keeps those cracks off the surface you play on. We still fill and level existing cracks before the mats go down so the cushion lies flat.
Yes — it’s a premium option and costs more up front than a standard acrylic court. The difference depends on court size, condition and the thickness you choose, so we put real numbers on paper in a free, written estimate.
Often, yes. Cushion can go over bare or previously coated asphalt and concrete, including moderately worn surfaces, after cleaning, crack filling and leveling. If the base has failed, we’ll tell you on the estimate.
Thickness sets the feel. 4mm is the firmest, 6mm is the balanced middle option, and 8mm gives the most cushion and the most force reduction.
Free Estimates
Ready to Talk About Your Court?
Call now to get on our schedule — our season is very busy! Or mock up your court first in our free designer.