Pickleball: it might as well be the new national pastime. As one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., pickleball courts are cropping up all over the place, and our clients are asking more questions than ever. How big is a pickleball court? Can you play pickleball on a tennis court? What does a pickleball court look like? For all your questions, big and small, the team at Sports Floors, Inc. is here to help. Here’s your guide to installing a pickleball court from the pros who know best.
The Basics
When you’re deciding to install a pickleball court, whether for a recreation center or school, the first thing you should do is research the logistics. This includes court dimensions, flooring requirements, and even color choices. We’ll cover the answers to these FAQs below.
Pickleball Court Dimensions
According to the USA pickleball rulebook, your pickleball court must be between 30’x60’ and 34’x64’ (typically, pickleball players prefer the 34’x64’ court size). This allows the playing lines to reach 20’x44’, providing the optimal space for play.
Base Requirements
Across the board, we recommend using a concrete slab as your base for your wood or synthetic pickleball floor. It’s important to ensure that this base is completely level and free of any cracks or gaps. This level ground will keep your players safe from injury during this fast-paced game.
Color
There is no official pickleball court color grid, which means you have ample room to get creative and make the space reflect your rec center or school’s personality. Our team of artists can help guide you through the process of choosing the best color scheme for your pickleball court.
Choosing Your Pickleball Court Flooring
Now that you know the basics of what it will take to install a pickleball court, your next step is to decide which flooring type works best for your needs. At Sports Floors, Inc., we offer several different options to choose from, each with its own list of benefits.
Wood Floors
Typically known for their use in basketball courts, maplewood floors are a staple of any sports center, arena, or school gym. Our team uses only the highest quality maple wood flooring to create beautiful, safe, and high-performing courts that will make your pickleball experience that much more rewarding.
Two-In-One Use Value
Depending on where you install the court and how you decide to use it, your wood floor can double as both a basketball and pickleball court, serving double the use to your athletes. In fact, each maple wood basketball court provides enough space for two pickleball courts, helping you make the most of your athletic space.
Safe
Because of maple wood’s shock-absorbing properties, these traditional floors can greatly reduce the force of impact when a pickleball player runs, lands, or makes quick movements. Unlike a basic asphalt or concrete court, the shock absorption of these floors will protect their joints, preventing stress fractures or other injuries athletes are prone to developing.
Long-Lasting
For most pickleball courts, Sports Floors, Inc. uses only high-quality MFMA maple wood flooring, which means that your wood pickleball court could last up to 75 years if properly maintained – and that value is an investment worth making.
Synthetic Floors
As an alternative to the traditional maple wood flooring, Sports Floors, Inc. also offers synthetic floors. This popular option is an excellent choice for your rec team’s pickleball court, and for good reason.
Safe
Like traditional wood floors, synthetic courts are much safer than asphalt or concrete courts alone. The synthetic surface offers a cushioned effect, which buffers the joints from the full shock of a jump or a dive in a way that concrete simply cannot.
Cost-Effective
In general, synthetic floors are less expensive than traditional wood courts. This makes them an ideal choice for those considering a budget and serves as an additional benefit to those who simply prefer the look or feel of synthetic floors over wood.
Easy-to-Maintain
Typically, synthetic flooring is easier to maintain over time than wood flooring or concrete courts. You can expect to clean the floor with an auto-scrubber and manufacturer-approved cleaning product on a regular basis, depending on how much traffic the floor gets. Doing so can extend the life of your court up to 30 years.
Trust the Professionals for Your Pickleball Court Installation
Although there are many people out there who claim to have built their own DIY pickleball court on their driveway or in their backyard, the most reliable, effective, and safest courts are professional-grade. Call our team at Sports Floors, Inc. to install your pickleball court today!