We’re currently discussing options for concrete sport courts with a client. The two options are a cast in place concrete slab or a post tensioned slab. Generally speaking the perception is that a post tensioned sport court is more expensive than a cast in place slab. So we dug into it and got some installed numbers. What we learned is that they are virtually the same price at about $4.50-5.00 per square foot when the cast in place slab has rebar at 18″ centers. Stepping down to a welded wire fabric brings the cost of the slab down to about $4.00/sf.
The big advantage to a post tensioned slab is the additional resistance to cracking and vertical movement. With the costs so close our recommendation is post tension.
