Picture this: you want to play pickleball but don’t have easy access to a pickleball court. Talk about being in a pickle! If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, listen up! All you need to do is create a temporary pickleball court.
Setting up a temporary pickleball court may seem intimidating at first, but with the right tools and guidance, you’ll have a court made in a flash. Here’s a guide to help you with everything you need to set-up a temporary pickleball court and net.
Outdoor Court Lines Marking Options
Creating a temporary outdoor pickleball court is a great option if you’re on vacation or aren’t able to commit to building a permanent court in your backyard. When making an outdoor court, many tools can be used to bring the court to life. When deciding what tool to use to create your court, think about how long you want the court to last.
- Sidewalk Chalk: Chalk works on concrete and can last several weeks without heavy rain. However, chalk can fade if continuously walked on.
- Jumbo Lumber Marking Crayons: Lumber marking crayons on concrete work well and last longer than chalk.
- Contractor’s Blue #1 Chalk: For long-lasting use, contractor’s chalk is a great choice. You can install the chalk with a striping tool. The chalk doesn’t contain a red dye, but the blue might not wash away easily.
- Green Frog Tape: Green Frog Tape is a good marking choice if the surface is cleaned thoroughly and not rough.
- Orange Masking Tape: If you are using an outdoor court that has other lines, orange masking tape is great to use for a high contrast color.
- PicklePave Court Surfacing Acrylic Paint: Paint is a great option if you want a court to last an extended amount of time.
- Franklin Sports Pickleball Court Marker Kit: You can transform any court into a pickleball court with L-Style and T-Style pieces.
Supply Quantities
Before marking an outdoor court, you need to know how much you need of everything.
- All Tape Options: 198ft per court
- Sidewalk Chalk & Lumber Marking Crayons: 2 sticks per court
- Paint: 20 gallons
Indoor Court Lines Marking Options
If you don’t have the option of creating a temporary pickleball court outside, you can easily make one indoors. Just like the outdoor court, many tools can be used to mark up an indoor pickleball court. With an indoor court, tape is your best go-to tool, but there are many options to choose from.
- Green Frog Tape: If you do a lot of traveling, Green Frog Tape is a great option for making a temporary pickleball court because the tape works on a variety of clean, smooth surfaces like basketball courts.
- 3M Scotch Blue Painter’s Tape: Painter’s tape is a good choice if you’re wanting your court to last for a few weeks. Please note that the tape does start to look worn after a few weeks of wear.
- Vinyl Floor Tape: Using a court with existing lines? Vinyl floor tape has contrasting colors so you can easily see the court you made.
- Black Electrical Tape: If you are setting up a court for a one-time use, electrical tape is a good option because the tape doesn’t leave residue and it’s affordable.
Supply Quantities
- Vinyl Floor Tape: 2 sets per court for easier visibility
- All Other Tape Options: 198ft per court
How to Set-Up a Pickleball Court
You have your court dimensions and all of your supplies, so now it’s time to put the court together. Pickleball is played on a 20 X 40-foot court which is the same size as an official badminton court. Seasoned pickleball players recommend finding an area that is at least 30 X 60 feet in size so that players have enough room to run around.
Before placing any tape down, clean up the area and have three tape measures on hand. After that, follow the steps below.
1. Set Up the Net
Before marking any court lines, set up the pickleball net - the net serves as a point of reference for the rest of the court.
2. Set Up the Sidelines
Pick a side of the net and, with a tape measure, measure out the sidelines at 22 inches and the baselines at 20 inches. Do the same to the other side of the net.
3. Set Up the Non-Volley Zone
Use the tape measure as a guide and draw the sidelines with a marking tool. Mark 7 feet out from the net on each side to indicate the non-volley zone.
4. Set Up the Baselines
While still using the tape measure as a guide, draw the baseline, or halfway point, 10 feet from the edge.
5. Set Up the Service Area
To draw the service area, lay the tape measure between the two 10 foot marks you’ve made on the baseline and the non-volley line. Then, draw a dividing line down the middle of the court to make the service area.
6. Set Up the Other Side
Repeat steps 2-6 to create the opposite side of the court.
If you are painting an outside court, follow the steps mentioned above - but first, mark the court with chalk then paint over the lines. To speed up the process and avoid errors, paint with at least one other person. After you are done painting, be sure to let the pickleball court dry for 24 hours. Once dry, the court is ready to be used.
According to USAPA, a good tip to remember when setting up an outdoor pickleball court is to make sure your court is oriented in a north/south direction. Also, don’t place the court at right angles because one player will be facing directly into the sun in the early morning or late afternoon. If a player faces the sun, playing pickleball can become a safety hazard to both players.
For more information on how to set-up a pickleball court and all its dimensions, check out Pickleball Court Dimension & Construction Guide.
Net Considerations
A pickleball court is not complete without a pickleball net. For a quick game of pickleball, any type of net is fine. All you need are three stands - two ends and one middle. The net lays on the ground like tennis and needs to be 3 X 22 feet long. And if DIY isn’t your style, make things easier with a portable pickleball net kit.
Here at Amazin’ Aces, we have a portable pickleball net that’s perfect to take on every trip you go on. The portable net includes an easy-snap metal frame, tension snap, and carry bag, and it meets all USAPA regulations. The interlocking posts easily snap together for easy setup and teardown.
Traveling will never put you in a pickle anymore now that you know how to set up a temporary pickleball court. Before heading out to make your temporary court, find your perfect paddle with our complete pickleball paddle guide.
