How to Build a Pickleball Court?

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America and its popularity is increasing, there is a high demand among pickleball enthusiasts to build a new pickleball court in their vicinity. A Pickleball court is more or less like a tennis court but with its own dimensions, net height, fencing and lighting requirements, and the correct how to Build a Pickleball Court? You can check this article on how you can convert a tennis court into a pickleball court in just a few minutes Pickleball Court vs Tennis Court.

Constructing a professional and durable pickleball court, time, effort, and money since building a court is never an easy deal. If you are determined to build your own court to play pickleball, here is a rough guide to help you in this task. This guide includes what you need to know to get started and also gives a rough estimate of how much it will cost to build a pickleball court.  

As a starting point learn how many square feet you need for a pickleball court and the dimensions you need to keep in mind.

A pickleball court is rectangular in shape and must be 20 by 44 feet with a playing surface of 30 by 60 feet. The court consists of Baseline, Sideline, Non-volley Zone, Central line, and Service area, and these areas are indicated by different shades and must follow the measurement rules.  In a pickleball court, the net is placed at a height of 36 inches on the sidelines and 34 inches in the middle. 

Another important aspect of the Pickleball Court dimension is the court layout is placed at a North-South angle so the players are not affected by direct sunlight in an outdoor pickleball court.

Dimension 20 X 44 feet

Net Height Sides = 36 inches Middle = 34 inches

Play Area 30 X 60 Feet

If you are constructing a pickleball court in your neighborhood, school, college, or sports complex, you must follow these dimensions. Once you have identified a space large enough to build a pickleball court, the next step is to start preparing the construction process. Learn more about the pickleball court dimension here in this blog.

The construction of a pickleball court is a meticulous process. To begin with, you need to consider the surface material for the pickleball court, net selection, placement, fencing, and lighting.

After you select a space to build a pickleball court, you need to prepare it for construction, meaning it is leveled and large enough with a clear understanding of drainage, weather, and other such factors that may affect the court area. If you have considered all these things in advance and used the best material and construction team, there is little required to maintain a pickleball court.

For building a pickleball court, first, you must level the ground and have a base to work with. On top of this leveled court area, you need to put proper surfacing. This will make the court more professional and durable. Also, a well-constructed pickleball surface is important because the ball will bounce quickly and players can move around comfortably.

There are a number of surface options that you can choose including:

• Concrete:  durable and less maintenance needed. Could cost around $5 per square foot
• Asphalt: cheaper than Concrete but requires more maintenance 
• Plastic components (used in some courts)

Reach out to contractors to get the job done properly.

Another aspect of the surface is paint that is used in different pickleball courts areas like the Kitchen, service area, sidelines, and baselines, etc. for that purpose different paint colors are used and 100% acrylic coatings are usually better as it lets the vapors transpire and will be durable.

There are no specific colors for a pickleball court so you can pick whatever color you like. However, there are a few things to consider like picking a color that will not easily fade away under the heat and other weather conditions so light color is not the best. Secondly, the color should not be too overpowering and should be such that the ball is visible on it. Acrylic is the most suitable pickleball court paint that can be used to paint the court area.

Moreover, when preparing the base and putting a surface, make sure to put in place a drainage system, slops, and other such nitty-gritty that will make the court more durable and weather resistant.

The grass is not an ideal surface for playing pickleball as the pickleball ball cannot bounce off which will make pickleball hard to play.

Pickleball Court has specific zones and lines each with specific dimensions. Most Pickleball rules revolve around where you are standing on the court and lines that determine different zones with a pickleball court.

The lines in a pickleball court are:

• Baselines
• Sidelines
• Non-Volley Zone lines
• Central lines
• Non-volley Zone or Kitchen Area
• Service area

Each of these lines must be 2 inches wide and made with white paint or tap and must be visible against the surface. Again, Acrylic paint is mostly best for creating a surface and marking different zones and lines within a pickleball court.

As mentioned, the pickleball net is placed at a height of 36 inches in the sideline and 34 inches in the middle and can be placed on either the court surface or with a gap between the surface and the net.

When selecting a net for a pickleball court, make sure it is made of lightweight material and can stand the varying weather conditions and regular use i.e., is durable.  So investing in a good net is key, therefore, thick and double-braided options are good if you need it fixed on the pickleball court.

There are also options for portable nets if you don’t want a permanent net. The cost for a pickleball net is as follows:

• Permanent net cost = $1,000+
• Temporary and portable net =  $100

Fencing around a pickleball court keeps the pickleball ball within the court area and therefore, the fence should be such that the holes on it are not bigger than the ball size. Ideally, a chain fence with links around 45mm or 55mm in size is the best option as it prevents the ball from flying too far and the cost and durability are ideal for an outdoor court.

Fencing should be placed at a height of 10 feet at the backstops and side stops should be more or less the same size but never less than 3 feet.

The construction of a fence around a pickleball court should also include gates for access. The gates should allow a person, wheelchair, and other equipment to pass easily. Another important element of the fence is a windbreaker that moderates the wind flow.

A chain link fence costs around $5000 for a four feet fence, when the height of the fence is higher it may cost more.

It is best to calculate it and decide if the fence is needed or if you can do it without one. And it depends on what is in the surrounding area. Usually, a pickleball does not fly or bounce that far so a high fence may not be necessary.

Fence = $5000

Lighting is an important aspect when building a pickleball court, and there are specific rules and guidelines in that regard. The lighting should be mounted at a height of 20 feet and on the 2^nd and eth pole. The light fixture must have LED with a maximum and minimum ratio of 2.0 meaning light should spread out evenly throughout the pickleball court to enhance visibility.

Similarly, the Correlated Colour Temperature CCT i.e., cooler or warmer colour temperature of lighting in a pickleball court is advised to be 5000Kas it maintains the visibility and temperature in a professional pickleball court.

LED lights made of durable material are good for lasting and sustainable lighting sources and some fixtures can also have bird spikes to prevent birds from flying closely and obstructing light flow.

For a good lighting system, it will cost up to $7000 for getting electricity fixed for a pickleball court.

There is no major difference between an indoor pickleball court and an outdoor pickleball court. Indoor gymnasiums often have wood or rubber surfaces which can be tricky because it is slippery and the ball may not bounce well.

Therefore, having asphalt and concrete flooring is better in pickleball courts indoors and outdoors.

From a lighting perspective, indoor spaces are often well-lit and equipped. In that regard, fluorescent lighting is the best option which often is not possible for outdoor pickleball courts.  There is no need for fencing in a pickleball court indoors.

Now that you know how to construct a pickleball court with all material, equipment, and other things, you must be wondering how much it cost to build a pickleball court.

A rough estimate to build a durable, professional, and well-equipped pickleball court will be around :

$35k-5$0k

You need money for:

• Surface
• Fencing 
• Lighting
• Net

Here is a video that you can watch to see how you can build your own pickleball court.