floors for indoor sports

Floors for Indoor Sports

Design

Guidance Note


Introduction

This Guidance Note discusses the range of floorsurfaces available for indoor sports facilities andoffers guidance on selection. It covers thevarious requirements of different sports and theextent to which some surfaces may beconsidered 'multi-sport' surfaces, together withdesign, cost and construction implications. Thechoice of an appropriate sports floor surface iscrucial to the overall success of a facility, itspopularity with users, the extent to which itcomplies with the rules of various sports, andother objectives that may be set.

Key issues

Priority sports

In specialist facilities it may simply be a questionof selecting the ideal surface for a single sport.Frequently, however, the decision is morecomplex involving the need to prioritise a rangeof sports, levels of play and the extent of use.The right decision will require a clear understandingof the objectives and proposed programming ofthe facility. While some surfaces are acceptablefor a number of indoor sports no one surface willsuit them all, so a degree of prioritisation andcompromise is likely to be necessary in selectingmulti-sport surfaces.

Load bearing and wear requirements

Sports floors must be able to safely withstandthe loadings from users and equipment.BS 6399 defines the minimum requirements.The load bearing implications of temporaryspectator seating can have a significant influenceon the selection of a sports floor surface and itssupporting structure. Additionally, ‘resistance towear’ requirements for sports such as rollerskating and ‘impact damage’ from equipmentare important factors to be borne in mind.

Non-sporting use

Social or commercial activities may also need tobe considered and care must be taken toensure that spor ting requirements are notcompromised to an unacceptable level if ageneral purpose floor surface is proposed. Thesurface must meet an appropriate spor tsstandard if it is to be used for playing sport.

Additional activities that may need to beaccommodated in an indoor sports facility include:

� dances and discos

� concerts

� school assemblies

� examinations

� exhibitions

� community activities.

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BS 6399: Part 1 requires sports floors to withstanda distributed load of 5kN/m2 and a 3.6kN short-termconcentrated load.


Risk of physical injury

Contact with the floor surface can causephysical injury: bruising or bone fracture as aresult of severe body impact, muscle fatigue orstrain from repeated foot impact, and twisting ofjoints from restricted foot movement. Prolonged,intensive use of the sports floor requires optimalsurface characteristics to minimise the potentialfor injury while allowing maximum spor tsdevelopment. This can generally be achievedthrough moderate levels of friction, stiffness andshock absorption appropriate to the activitiestaking place on the floor.

Stable environmental conditions

Many sports flooring systems are susceptible tochanges in temperature and relative humidity,and it is essential that any environmentalvariations likely to occur in the facility areidentified to prevent possible irreparable damage.

Internal visual environment

The floor surface is a major visual element inthe sports facility and will have a significantimpact on the internal environment. The colour,reflectance and other characteristics of thesurface mater ia l need to be careful lyconsidered in order to create an attractiveinternal environment that gives maximumenjoyment to all users.

Other safety and ecological issues

It is vital to ensure that the floor surface will notrelease toxic or carcinogenic substances. Thesurface must be manufactured from ‘green’materials from a sustainable source or fromrecyclable materials. A positive environmentalprofile must be sought with consideration givento total energy usage during the floor’s lifetime.Additionally, the floor must be:

� hygienic and free from dust or vapour

� easy to clean and maintain

� resistant to accidental damage.

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Sports floors must be suitable for the range of bodycontact appropriate to the particular sport.

Roller skating can cause high loadings and wearingconditions.

Sports floors must withstand the demands from avariety of sports equipment.


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Sport performance

The sport performance qualities required ofthe floor surface vary from sport to sport andrelate to the interaction of the ball and/or theplayer to the surface. The analysis can becomplicated, involving the measurement ofdifferent physical characteristics with specialistscientific equipment and comparison withagreed standards. The subject can besummarised as follows:

The levels of vertical and angular rebound andspin characteristics must be appropriate for theproposed sport(s).

All sports require the surface to be sufficientlyflat, level and consistent so that play is unaf-fected by variables in the floor.

For most sports the degree of friction betweenthe player’s shoes and the surface needs to behigh enough to prevent slipping, but not so high as to restrict foot movement either in acontinuous direction or when turning, or preventthe controlled sliding of the foot that is requiredin some sports.

Point elastic:deflection of surfaceconcentrated at a point

Types of elasticity.

Stiffness: resistance to deflection under load.

The interaction between the surface and theplayer when running, landing or falling iscomplex, involving the stiffness of the surfaceand its shock absorbency, the force of impactbetween the player and the floor surface, and theenergy returned or lost to the player. For mostsports a moderate level of stiffness is desirable.

Combi-elastic:deflection, both at apoint and over an area

Area elastic:deflection of surfaceover an area


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Sport Performance parameters Materials Use Comments

Archery � � � � �

Athletics � � � � � � � � � � Governing body performance specification for tracks.(indoor training facility)

Sports hall athletics � � � Can take place on a BS 7044 floor with reversaboards andteam mats.

Badminton � � � � � � � � Matt finish preferred to avoid glare from light fittings.

Basketball � � � � � � � � �

Billiards and snooker � � � � � � � Loading from the table is critical.

Indoor bowls � � � � � Governing body performance specification. Often provided as aspecialist facility.

Boxing � � � � � � � � Special rigging needed for corner posts and matting.

(Climbing Walls) � � � � � Shock-absorbent, firm floor with mats in areas where climbing iswithout ropes. Alternatively, additional shock absorption can beprovided in areas where people are likely to fall.

Cricket � � � � � � � � � � Governing body performance specification. Often provided as aspecialist facility. Extra cushioning at bowler's end preferred.

Cycling � � � � � � � � � � Specialist facility. Friction and rolling resistance importantfor the track.

(Fitness rooms) � � � � � � Shock-absorbent, impact-resistant, warm to touch, easily cleaned, static-resistant.

Fencing � � � � � � � � Often performed on mats.

Five-a-side � � � � � � � � � � � Sockets for rebound boards required.football/training

Golf practice � � �

Gymnastics � � � � � � � � � � Floor anchorages required for specialist equipment. Landing pits,run-up tracks and mats.

Handball � � � � � � � � � �

Hockey (indoor) � � � � � � � � � � � Dark-coloured floor preferred. Floor socket required for sideboards or special skirting detail.

Ice sports � � � � Specialist rink.

Lawn tennis � � � � � � � � � � � Governing body performance specification. Specialist facility.

Martial arts � � � � � � � � � � The seven recognised martial arts have individual mat requirements.

Movement and dance � � � � � � � � � � The various disciplines have varying detailed requirements.

Netball � � � � � � � � � � � Governing body performance specification.

Rackets � � � � � � � � � � Specialist court.

Raquetball � � � � � � � � � Specialist court.

Real tennis � � � � � � � Specialist court.

Rugby fives � � � � � � � Specialist court.

Riding and equestrian � � � � � � Specialist surface.

Roller skating � � � � � � � � � � Potential to create excessive wear on many multi-sport surfaces.and roller hockey Special skirting details required to protect walls.

Skiing � � � � Specialist surface.

Squash � � � � � � � � Specialist court.

Table tennis � � � � � � � � Dark-coloured floor preferred.

Tenpin bowling � � � � � Specialist rink.

Trampolining � � � � � Special floor-loading requirements.

Tug-of-war � � � � � � � Mats can be used.

Volleyball � � � � � � � � Surface must be splinter-proof.

Weightlifting � � � � � � � Special floor/platform requirements.

Weight training � � � �

Wrestling � � � � � � Special ring.

� Included in BS 7044

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Overview of sports’ requirements.


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Performance standards

The selection of sports floor surfaces can beproblematic. There are strong traditions in somesports favouring particular types or manu-facturers of flooring. On the other handcommercial pressures encourage manufacturersto continually update and develop their productranges. The market place for sports surfaces isnot constant. The development of reliable testingmethods and universally agreed performancestandards is a slow process, often perceived asan over-complex approach to procuring the rightsports floor for a particular situation. However,these performance standards and testingmethods remain the only objective way to specifysporting requirements and ensure compliance.

British Standard 7044: Artificial SportsSurfaces, Part 4 – Specification for Surfacesfor Multi-sports Use

This standard provides a reasonable compro-mise between achievement of the optimalconditions for spor ts performance and thereduction of injuries and resistance to wear andageing. It should be regarded as a minimumrequirement for sports surfaces in the UK andindependent test results should be availablefrom suppliers to demonstrate their products’compliance. In view of the usual expec-tation that prolonged and extensive trainingand varying levels of competition will take placein all sports facilities it is important that floorsshould be specified with an appropriate level ofenergy absorption. In the multi-sport situationthe classification of the floor as ‘impact energy-absorbing’, as stipulated by BS 7044, is usuallyregarded as the best option. However, the ‘passor fail’ nature of this classification is a problemthat can cause anomalies with sport-specificstandards.

Sport-specific standards

Specific performance standards have beendeveloped for athletics, association football,bowls, basketball, cricket, hockey and tennis. It

may be appropriate for these sport-specificstandards to take precedence over BS 7044 inspecialist facilities or where one sport is givenpriority in a multi-sports hall.

Unified European standards

Work is currently under way to integrate flooringstandards across the European Union. Theearliest anticipated date for the replacement ofBS 7044 with the new unified Europeanstandards is 2002.

Legal implications

There is increasing evidence that performancetest and standards data are being used inpersonal injury claims. Specifiers and sportsfloor managers must ensure that sports floorsattain the correct specifications for theirintended use.

Other national standards

The German industrial standard (Din 18032:2)is a general guide for sports floors in multi-purpose sports centres. The standard is derivedfrom a construction point of view rather thanfrom sports’ requirements and there can beproblems with interpretation. For example, thestandard measures energy absorption anddeformation with a 20kg standard mass and arelatively short drop of 55mm. These criteriadiffer significantly from the reality of adultsusing the floor. Many other countries have theirown performance specifications and care mustbe taken when evaluating imported products.Until unified European standards come intoforce it is recommended that BS 7044 testresults are used in the UK as the basis forcomparing products.

Approved lists of products

Some sports organisations such as the WorldBowls Board and the International HockeyFederation operate approval schemes forspecific products based on their compliancewith relevant performance standards.


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Requirement Property Sport Performance

Ball/surface interaction Rebound Basketball 50% to 70%

Handball 40% to 60%

Netball 45% to 65%

Soccer 25% to 50%

Velocity change Football 0.10m/s to 0.35m/sof rolling ball

Person/surface Traction coefficient 1.1 to 2.0

Slip resistance Between 60 and 140

Peak deceleration Peak g of 200 from drop height of less than1m or shall be designated ‘not impactenergy-absorbing’

Durability Abrasion resistance Loss not greater than 0.3g/1000 revs of(wheel) abrasion machine and not through surface

layer (method 1)

Abrasion resistance Loss not greater than 0.2g/2000 revs of(blade) metal abrasion blades (method 2)

Fatigue resistance No signs of cracking, tearing or delamination

Low temperature No signs of cracking or distortion for class 0impact resistance

Spike resistance Grade 2 rating for 6mm, 9mm and 12mm

Resistance to 3mm max for classes 0 and 1 after 1500 minsindentation

Environmental Critical flux value Surface shall have a critical radiation flux ofresistance 5kW/m2 or be designated ‘flammable’

resistance

Extracts from BS 7044: Key requirements for indoor sports surfaces.

In contrast to the ‘pass or fail’ classification

for impact energy absorption based on a

peak g value of 200 specified in BS7044,

it is understood that unified European

standards are likely to introduce a system of

measurement for deformation and shock

absorption for particular surfaces. It is

argued that this will allow more sensitivity in

the selection of sports surfaces allowing

the typical weight of a sportsperson (child

or adult) and the specific requirements of

the sport to be taken into account.

Sta

ndar

d de

form

atio

n (m

m)

Shock absorption (%)

Principles of classification likely to be used in unified European standards.

interaction


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Types of sport surface

Timber

Timber is one of the most widely used materialsin the construction of sports floor surfaces andis available in a variety of forms including:

� strips

� blocks

� composite boarding such as plywood ormedium-density fibreboard (MDF)

� composite tiles made from timber particlesand cement.

Timber also acts as a versatile material forthe supporting system in the form of joists orbattens, with or without a resilient layer or padsattached to the underside of the battens to makeit semi-sprung. Such supporting systems mayhave other sheet or in situ finishes laid on top.

Timber can also be laid over a cellular plasticsheet in the form of a floating floor or, as in thecase of wood blocks, bedded directly onto thesub-floor. The timber floor can also form asubstructure for sheet floor finishes. It can belaid in an unfinished state or supplied from thefactory with a surface finish, or sealed on-site.

Hardwood strips and blocks should be of‘selected‘ quality to achieve uniformity of colour.Commonly, species such as beech and maple arechosen for their lightness of colour and hardness.

Timber is durable but not naturally water-resistant. When laid over a sub-floor, directly orsuspended, timber floors must be protectedfrom moisture in the sub-floor by a damp-proofmembrane (DPM) additional to that required bythe building regulations. Lateral movement inthe timber floor arising from varying humiditylevels must be addressed by provision of aperimeter expansion gap, even at positionssuch as doorways. Advice must be obtainedfrom flooring companies regarding the needfor ventilation to any underfloor space andrecommendations for cleaning the floor mustalso be fully understood. Some authoritiesclaim water penetration to be the most commoncause of all sports floor failures.

Hardwood veneer on softwood core:

Laminated timber planks with interlocking jointson rubber strips over a moisture barrier on aconcrete sub-floor.

Solid hardwood on battens:

Hardwood strips supported by softwood battenson rubber strips or pads over a moisture barrieron a concrete sub-floor.

Hardwood on plywood:

Hardwood strips on a two-layer deck of plywoodsupported on rubber shock pads over a moisturebarrier on a concrete sub-floor.

Moisture barrier over concrete slab

Hardwood strips

Softwood battens

Rubber pads or strips

Levelling shims

Plywood deck


Rubber pads

Hardwood strips

Hardwood veneer

Under board


Resilient strips

Softwood layered core

Floating floors.


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Sheet materials generally need an impact energy-absorbing supporting system

Sheet floors

Vinyl, linoleum, rubber and composites arewidely used materials for sports floor surfacesand are available in sheet- or tile-form in avariety of thicknesses. Without a foam backingor supporting system they rely heavily on thequality of the sub-floor on which they are laidand care must be taken to avoid showing irregu-larities in the underlying surface. Thin plasticsheets come with or without a 3– 4mm backingof cellular plastic or rubber. This can enhancesoftness which may be an advantage forbarefoot activities and lying on the floor, but canlimit opportunities for activities such as rollerskating that need a stiff surface without drag.However, plastic sheet materials and linoleumare also available with a thicker cellular layer offibre-reinforced polyurethane, providing a floorwith a combination of ‘area elastic’ and ‘pointelastic’ characteristics.

Alternatively, sheet material may provide a hard-wearing surface to a semi-sprung system.Resilient sheet floors must be laid in accor-dance with BS 8203.

Sheet materials (even with foam backing) aregenerally unsatisfactory as multi-sport surfacesunless combined with an area elastic, impactenergy-absorbing support system that conforms toBS 7044 or the specific performance standards forindividual sports.

Area elastic, impact energy-absorbing floor. Sealed,water-resistant MDF boarding forms the playingsurface.

Contrasting colours facilitate court markings andcontribute to a bright environment.


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A seamless polyurethane sports floor finishconstructed from two 1mm-thick layers over areinforcing mesh on top of resilient prefabricatedgranulated rubber sheets that are bonded to thesubsurface. The playing surface is given a mattfinish and court markings are applied withpolyurethane paint. Spike-resistant polymeric surface.

In situ polymeric

These materials are mixed on-site and form acontinuous playing surface without joints. Theunderlay can be a cellular plastic, prefabri-cated sheet or in situ resin-bonded material.The polymeric coatings are then applied as a‘wet-poured’ application in various thicknessesto build up the final surface. The final surface,which can range from 1–4mm thick, usuallyhas a matt finish and is available in a widerange of colours. Surfaces with a thickness of4mm may be suitable for use with spiked shoes.This type of surface is usually considered pointelastic but synthetic mesh material can be inte-grated into the underlayers to achieve ameasure of ‘area elastic ’ performance.Alternatively, as with sheet materials, an in situpolymeric surface layer can be laid over atimber surface elastic and impact energy-absorbing supporting system.

Textile

Many types of text i le f loor surface areavailable, including:

� heavy woven fabric

� felt

� flock

� velour

� fibre-bonded, needle-punched and fine pilecarpet

� knitted, woven or tufted carpet.

The characteristics of textile surfaces varyconsiderably dependent on the material andconstruction used, particularly durability andfriction qualities such as slip-resistance and ball-roll. Textiles tend to be used more as specialistthan multi-sport surfaces and lend themselvesto use as temporary surfaces. Additionally, theirwarmth and tactile qualities make them suitablefor activities such as gymnastics and aerobicsand for weight training areas, whilst the soundabsorption qualities are an advantage inteaching situations.


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Typical construction features

Sealed, moisture-resistant MDF panels with gluedinterlocking joints and integral resilient strips. Thepanels are clamped together during the glueing/setting process. A studded polymeric sheet is laidunderneath to insulate the floor system frommoisture in the sub-floor and to allow ventilation.

Continuous glued joint in a heavy-duty moisturebarrier with studded air gaps to allow ventilation tothe perimeter.

Removable section in polymeric floor for volleyballposts.

Plywood decking fixed to battens suspended onrubber pads to conform to BS 7044.

Reinforced moisture barrier with glued joints.


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Construction

Sub-floor

Sub-floor requirements for dif ferent floorfinishes need to be established at an earlystage in the selection and design process.Some products require a screed finish over thestructural floor-slab, while others can be laiddirectly on the slab. The thickness of the floorfinish, the degree of evenness and flatnesstogether with standards of workmanship will allbe key factors. Generally, to meet the criteriathe floor must be flat ± 3mm at any point wherethe difference in level of an adjacent point on a3m grid does not exceed 4mm, and not greaterthan 2mm under a 300mm straight edge.

Surface treatments

Chemical hardening solut ions, cur ingmembranes and power-floating/trowellingdirectly finished concrete can affect adhesion.When a floor finish is to be bonded directly ontoa concrete slab advice on a specification forsurface preparation should be sought from theadhesive or flooring manufacturer.

Underfloor heating and other services

Some systems may accommodate underfloorheating pipes and other services within thevoids of the sports floor system as an alter-native to providing them in the screed. If thisapproach is taken the implications of differentialheating, curing and ageing must be thoroughlyinvestigated with suppliers. For example, PVCcomponents should not normally be subjectedto temperatures above 27ºC.

Concrete slab with power-floated finish

Levelling compound over slab

Sand/cement screed over concrete slab

Wedges

Levelling shims

Levelling techniques.

Programming

Sub-floors must incorporate an effective DPMlaid in accordance with BS 8204. The buildingprogramme must ensure sufficient drying time toachieve a level of relative humidity less than75%. Dependent on the thickness of the screedor slab a concrete floor can take from twomonths to one year to dry out sufficiently. At thedesign stage, consider the use of a surface DPMif timescales do not allow sufficient drying timeor the use of a sandwich DPM is inappropriate.

One method of underfloor heating.

Floor deck

Heating pipes

Heat emission plates

Floor finish


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Section of sports floor perimeter allowing forvariance in expansion and contraction.

Rubber square tube

Timber skirting

Metal angle

PVC coving

Expansionzone

Expansionzone

Expansionzone

Expansionzone

Skirting details.

Before the sports floor is installed it is essentialto ensure that the building is weather-tight andventilated and that all wet trades, includingplumbing, have been completed and tested.The floor manufacturer must be consulted onthe precise details but, as a general guide, thefollowing conditions should be in place:

� The temperature must be stabilised at notless than 13ºC.

� The moisture content of walls must notexceed 8%.

� The moisture content of the sub-floor mustnot exceed 5% or 75% relative humidity.

Site-specific risks

The location of the sports building maypose specific risks that influence the selectionof the floor surface and the detailing of thefloor and associated elements. For example,the building may be in a flood plain or an areawith a high water-table, or in an area that isvulnerable to mining subsidence.

Skirting details

Most floor systems, particularly those usingtimber-based materials, need an expansionjoint around the perimeter to allow formovement caused by changes in temperatureor moisture levels. A cover-piece or skir tingboard will usually be required as shown inthe details above. When spor ts such asroller skating and hockey are proposed, theskirting board component can also providesome protection against impact damage. Anangle on the top of timber skirtings or on thesharp upper edge of metal skirtings cancause hockey balls to fly into the air and mustbe avoided if hockey is a priority sport.


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Costs

The cost of sports floors can be affected byfluctuations in international market conditionsfor materials, transport costs and labour rates.Very few flooring products are sourced entirelyfrom within the UK. The market strategies ofindividual suppliers will also come into play andin order to obtain best value for money, compet-itive tenders must be sought based on theperformance specifications required by BS 7044.It is also essential that any other associatedcost factors are considered so that the full costpicture is understood. Manufacturers must beasked to state:

� Requirements for levelling the sub-floor:

The costs of providing a levelling screed orapplying a power-floated screed to thestructural sub-floor can be expensive andtime-consuming and must be allowed for inbuilding contracts.

� Requirements to achieve a specifiedmoisture level in the sub-floor and otherbuilding elements before thecommencement of installation work:

It can take months for a structural sub-floorto fully cure and naturally dry out to therequired moisture level. The time requiredmust be allowed for in the original buildingprogramme to avoid extending the contractand incurring increased costs. Alternatively,heating could be employed to speed upthe process. For systems using timber-based products a damp-proof membraneis essential and in some cases this willrequire natural or forced ventilation.

� Requirements for permanent heatingand ventilation:

Some flooring systems have specificrequirements for heating and ventilation inorder to maintain dimensional stability.

� Requirements for installation work:

The sequence and organisation of the instal-lation work will vary from system to system.

� Requirements for the storage ofmaterials:

The working conditions within the buildingmay need to be precisely controlled.Flooring materials can require specialstorage conditions on-site in order to accli-matise to the building’s internal environ-mental conditions.

� Requirement for finishing off andcleaning:

Some systems require heavy sanding ofthe surface before application of the finalsurface treatment. Methods of dustcontrol and secondary cleaning must befully understood.

� Overall depth of system in relation tostructural design:

The depth of floor finish could have an influ-ence on the economics of the overall design.

� Requirements for movement joints.

� Requirements for cleaning and mainte-nance when the surface is in use.

� Life expectancy of the surface.

Typically, the floor’s surface construction will bein the range of 5–10% of the total constructioncosts of the sports hall.

Key causes of additional costs.

Ventilation and temperature in hall

Overall depth

Levelling of sub-floor

Moisture barrier and ventilation of sub-floor

Surface sanding to level and treat floor


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Key features of a multi-sports hall floor

Beech or maple, either solid or veneer, andvarious composition and synthetic materialsprovide suitable sports surfaces for the typicalmulti-sports hall. Required features can besummarised as follows:

� area elasticity

� impact energy-absorbing (BS 7044: Part 4)

� reinforced supports for roller skating

� 40–50% light reflectance.

Equipment

Most spor ts hall equipment is either free-standing or suspended from walls or ceilings.However, some equipment requires the instal-lation of permanent sockets in the floor thatmust be covered with a flush non-slip plug whennot in use. Examples include:

� hockey rebound boards

� volleyball posts

� tennis posts

� gymnastics equipment

� anchors for fencing pistes

� golf practice nets

� five-a-side football rebound boards.Access panel for underfloor services or sockets forsports equipment.

Colour contrast with the walls, which also require a 50% reflectance factor, is important to define the floor limits.


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It may be necessary to thicken the sub-floor toaccommodate the sockets which usually needto be drilled at least 150mm into the slab – caremust be taken to avoid damaging the DPM.Potential damage to underfloor heating systemsmust also be borne in mind. Consider courtlayouts at an early stage in the design processso that the socket position can be establishedand proper allowance made in the detailing.Additionally, allow for thermal and moisturemovement when detailing the floor sockets.

Colour and court markings

The colour of the sports floor must be chosen inthe context of the overall colour scheme andlighting requirements. The light reflectancevalue should be between 40–50% and visualcontrast with the wall surface and cour tmarkings is required. A matt finish is preferable.

Court marking lines are painted on most sportsfloors. PVC tape is not usually used, except ontemporary courts, whilst inlaid lines are an optionfor a limited number of sports floor products.

These techniques can be combined, withpermanent inlaid or painted marks being usedas guides for tape markings or, alternatively,permanent markings can be applied for thefacility’s most popular sports activities.

Paint should be selected and tested to suit thetype of floor and manufacturers will supply or

recommend a proven paint and give guidanceon its use. Two-part polyurethane is often usedbecause of its durability. All lines should bemasked out to a high standard prior to painting.Line widths must be ± 2mm and overall dimen-sions within 0.1%.

Most spor ts require white lines for majorcompetit ions although yellow is used forhandbal l and, sometimes, hockey andbasketball. For multi-sports halls a range ofcolours is required to avoid confusion.

The layout of court markings needs to beconsidered carefully to avoid line markings

Floor markings should be carefully planned to avoid overlapping lines.

Typical expansion bolt socket.

Plunger cap

Damp-proof membrane

Expansion bolt

Spring


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Paint and surface preparation must be matchedwith the surface type to ensure good wearingcharacteristics.

Typical 33 x 18m multi-purpose sports hall layout showing computer-aided drawing for client approval prior to installation work.

Sport Line colour Width

Hockey Blue or other 50mm

Indoor hockey Light blue 50mm

Netball Red 50mm

Volleyball Green or other 50mm

Five-a-side football Other 50mm

Basketball Black 50mm

Tennis Yellow 50mm

Badminton/ White 40mmshort tennis

Recommended court marking colours and widths.

being too close to each other or coinciding.Manufacturers can usual ly recommendspecialist firms to undertake this work or mayinclude it as an element of the floor installation.Computer-drawn layouts can be useful aidswhen deciding the details of the court layout.


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Portable sports surfaces

Activities such as cricket practice and indoorbowls require surfaces that are incompatiblewith the requirements of other activities under-taken in multi-sports halls. Placing a portablefloor surface over a multi-sport surface is oneway of accommodating particular activities onan occasional basis. Additionally, they canprovide the required conditions for major, one-off competitions. It should be noted thatstandard portable equipment can be usedsuccessfully in association with portable courts,with the exception of volleyball which requiresposts to be located in floor sockets.

The terms ‘portable’ and ‘roll down’ can bemisleading due to the extent and weight ofsurface area involved. The laying, lifting andstorage of such surfaces can be laborious andtime-consuming and, therefore, expensive.If this approach is adopted it is important toconsider the interaction between the existingfloor and the portable floor to ensure that thecombination is stable and meets the sameperformance standard requirements as thepermanent floor.

Portable badminton court laid for a tournament.

Roll down cricket wicket over a multi-sports floor.


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Sport England aims to lead the development of sport in England byinfluencing and serving the public, private and voluntary sectors. Our aim is:

more people involved in sport

more places to play sport

more medals through higher standards of performance in sport

Sport England Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. Sport England, its servantsor agents shall not at any time, in any circumstances, be held responsible or liable to any party in respect of any loss, damage orcosts of any nature arising directly or indirectly from reliance placed on the material in this publication, or any other guidelines or

policies issued by Sport England. This information has been prepared as a basic guide only and should not be viewed as asubstitute for obtaining comprehensive expert or professional advice.

This guidance and Sport England policies on Lottery funding applications are subject to change from time to time,including variations required to comply with governmental directions on the application of Lottery funds. Sport England reserves the right to amend, supplement and/or discontinue, at its absolute discretion for whatever reason, any or all of

the guidelines set out in this publication.

The choice of an appropriate sports floor surface iscritical to the overall success of a facility.

There are a number of Guidance Notes on related

matters. A current list is available from:

Sport England Publications

PO Box 255, Wetherby LS23 7LZ

Tel: 0990 210255. Fax: 0990 210266

Sport England is the brand name of the

English Sports Council which is the

distributor of Lottery funds to sport.

© Sport England, July 1999SE/877/5M/7/9916 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0QPTel: 020 7273 1581. Fax: 020 7273 1710www.english.sports.gov.uk

Design concept by GDA Creative Solutions

Produced by NBA Tectonics

Photography on page 3 (excluding top photograph) by Alan Edwards and Richard Sowersby

Printed in England by Belmont Press

Ref: 877£10

ISBN 1 86078 098 9

floors for indoor sports

Documents

indoor sports facility

rangeof sports

number of indoor sports

sports flooring systems

rules of various sports

key issuespriority sports

ageneral purpose floor

ideal surface