How To Create A Do It Yourself Pickleball Court

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States and courts are filling up fast! Time spent waiting for your turn on the courts can feel like an eternity. To skip the wait altogether, the Paddle Experts at JustPaddles have developed a step-by-step guide for creating your own personal pickleball court! Don’t let the crowds scare you away or slow you down and make your own DIY Pickleball Court today.  

Steps for Making a Pickleball Court:

Location, Location, Location

Other than the pickleballs, pickleball paddles, and a net, the most important aspect of creating a DIY pickleball court is the location. When picking the best spot for your court,  look for a flat and wide area, asphalt or tennis court flooring material, open ceilings, or a spot outside and away from homes.

Gather Your Supplies

In order to create your DIY pickleball court you will need several supplies, including chalk or court tape/duct tape, a tape measure, and a straight edge of some kind. Other than pickleballs, pickleball paddles, and net, that’s all you’ll need to get started! 

Lay Out the Perimeter

Before getting started you will want to familiarize yourself with pickleball court dimensions. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the complete list of Pickleball Court Dimensions here. Once you have an idea of the dimensions, double-check that your court location has plenty of room for play. This means allowing for extra space behind each baseline and sidelines as oftentimes the play gets outside the lines and the sides/back of the court are used frequently.

Pickleball Court Dimensions

Although you can find more information here, pickleball courts are 44 feet long (inclusive of lines) and 20 feet wide (inclusive of lines). The net height of a pickleball court is 36 inches high on the sidelines and 34 inches high in the middle. The court is striped with right and left service courts and a 7-foot non-volley zone in front of the net, which is often referred to as “the Kitchen.”

Court Terminology 

• Baselines: sit parallel to the net at the end of the court.
• Sidelines: run the length of the court.
• Non-Volley Zone (NVZ): the area on either side of the net bound in by a line parallel to and 7 feet from the net and two sidelines. Also known as the Kitchen.
• Centerline: extends down the center from the baselines to the NVZ, dividing the court.
• Service Area: the area beyond the NVZ on either side of the centerline, including the centerline, sideline, and baseline.

Mark the Lines

Once you have the location and perimeter set for your do-it-yourself pickleball court, it’s time to mark the lines of the court. It's a good idea to start with chalk to ensure your court is correct and gives you adequate space for play (Pro Tip: This is where a straight edge of some kind can come in handy, as a straight line can be much harder than you think.) 

Once you have marked your lines, ensure that the lines are straight and the dimensions are correct. If so, it’s time to break out the court tape! Court tape is great as it tends to stay down and isn’t as slippery as duct tape. Once you have all of the horizontal lines marked off, connect the sidelines from each baseline and mark the exact spot where the pickleball net will sit. Add your net and you’re good to go!

Basic Pickleball Setup

Now that you have your court ready for play, it's time to gather your friends for a game. To ensure you understand the best way to play doubles, check out our blog here on How to Play Doubles in Pickleball

Play!

Get out and enjoy the great game of pickleball without interruptions! It’s your court - Play how you want and for as long as you want! 

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Want to learn how to play pickleball like the pros? Check out our blog How to Play Pickleball! If you have any additional questions, please contact our Paddle Experts. They’re available via phone at 866-382-3465, email at experts@justpaddles.com, or you can click here to live chat on the website. We're JustPaddles, and we are here for you from Click To Court!