Pickleball Court Dimensions – Official Court Size 2023

Knowing the field or court dimension is essential for any game. No matter if it is soccer or any racquet game, you must know the field dimension.

Pickleball may be a friendly game, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have to learn about the outdoor and indoor pickleball court size. If knowing the dimension is essential to calculate the cost to build a pickleball court, it is equally important to set your strategy.

Now you don’t have to be in any dilemma about the pickleball court layout. Everything about a pickleball court is here. Moreover, it will help you pickleball court construction for any gym, school, or community place.

Court Dimensions in Feet & Meters

Court Specifications:

To know if your court is up to standard or not, having a clear idea about court specifications is a must. A standard pickleball court measurements and dimensions are-

• The court should be rectangular. For both singles and double matches, the pickleball court’s length should be 44 feet (13.41m), and the width should be 20 feet (6.10m)
• A minimum recommendation for mini pickleball court dimensions is- the total playing surface area should be 60 feet long (18.28m) and 30 feet wide (9.14m). However, when it comes to a tournament play, 34 feet by 64 feet is preferred.
• All the measurement needs to be taken at the outside perimeter.  All the lines should be about 2 inches or 5.08 cm thick. Also, the color of the lines should be similar.

Surface Specifications – What is the best surface for a pickleball court?

Well, the best surface for a pickleball court depends on a few considerations-

• Where is your court? Indoors or outdoors?
• Will you play a lot of matches on the court?
• Will it be a DIY project or a paid service?
• How is your budget?

After considering all the points above, my recommendation is the ProCushion system for your pickleball court surface.

In the simplest words, it is a 100% acrylic latex coating system having built-in benefits above other acrylic surfaces. 5 layers of the cushion are applied in this system.

Lines and Areas:

A standard pickleball court lines and areas are-

• Baselines: The lines which are parallel to each end of the court’s net are called baselines.
• Sidelines: The lines which are perpendicular to each side of the court’s net are called sidelines.
• Non-Volley Lines: These lines demarcate the area between the lines from one post to another post of the net.  And, non-volley lines are located 7 feet from both the sidelines and the net.

• Centerline: This line expands each side of the net from the non-volley line to the baseline. Also, it separates the odd and even courts.
• Service Court: Service court area is located on either side of the court centerline. It is bounded by the baseline, non-volley line, and the sideline.

Read Also:

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The origin of pickleball – Complete history of pickleball
Learn how to play pickleball on a tennis court
Another ‘can’t-miss’ thing is to know about the net specifications. Here is this in a nutshell-

• Material: Any meshed fabric material that doesn’t allow the ball to pass through it should be the net material.
• Size: Keep the net 22 feet long. The height from the bottom edge of the net to the top should be a minimum of 30 inches.
• Height: The net should be 34 inches high at the center of the court. And, it should be 36 inches high at the sidelines.
• Center Strap: It is the vertical start at the center of the net. This strap ensures the 34 inches requirement at the net center.
• Net Edge: Keep the top of your net edge binding with a 2-inch white tape over a cable or cord running through the binding. And, the binding should rest upon the cable or cord.
• Posts: Net posts are to place 12 inches from the sideline. And the highest diameter of the net post should be 3 inches.

Fencing

Why is fencing needed here? Because-

• It ensures security, which is a must
• It keeps the ball within the playing area

From several types of fencing, the wire type is the most used one due to its effectiveness.

This is a comparatively, cost-effective option and offers the maximum light to pass through. So people can see in and out of the court.

A point to be noted is, the fencing has to be covered with rust-resistant material. Also, it has to be protrusion-free so that the risks of injury to players decreases.

To fence the court properly, people typically use a plastic-coated chain link netting.

Backstop

The least height of the backstop should be 3.0 m. However, it is dependent on some factors. For instance, if a court is near a residential area or a road, it needs to be higher.

Sidestop

Both the backstop and the sidestop should be at a similar height. The sidestop should be a minimum of 6.0 m from the backstop (9.0 m is recommended).

Gates

Make sure you install enough gates at both ends of your court for the entrance and exit. Also, it allows the retrieval of the balls.

Windbreaks

Windbreaks will reduce the wind’s effect as well as provide a background against which the ball can be seen. Moreover, they will reduce glare and ensure privacy.

Court Color

The recommendation of USAPA for a dedicated court is white lines. But the thing that matters most is, the boundary lines should be in a contrasting color to your court’s surface color.

Suppose you add multiple lines to multiple courts. In that case, the USAPA recommends the other courts’ lines be similar to the pickleball court’s color. Make sure you tape over the existing lines of multiple-purpose courts.

This will be crucial when you are playing pickleball on the tennis court.

Official Pickleball Court Size:

Pickleball was hugely inspired by tennis and badminton. You can divide a tennis court into 4 pickleball courts for playing multiple matches at the same time.

So, are you intended to turn a tennis or badminton court into a pickleball court? Or, you want to set up a multi-court complex? No matter what your plan is, but you need to know the standard pickleball court size in every step.

We have described the dimension before, but for your convenience, the entire pickleball court diagram can be drawn using the following dimensions

• Court dimensions: For both singles and doubles play- 20 feet by 44 feet.
• Net height: 34″ in the middle and 36″ in the sideline.
• Play area: The standard pickleball court area is at least 30 feet by 60 feet. For a tournament, it is 34 feet by 64 feet.

Pickleball Court Dimensions PDF

If you are interested to go deep down to the topic, then read USPA Pickleball Court Layout Guides. This pickleball court dimensions pdf will be your best friend before any game or court construction.

Outdoor Pickleball Court dimensions:

Both outdoor and indoor pickleball court dimensions are quite the same. No matter if you plan for playing in your gym or backyard, the court dimensions will remain the same.

The length should be 44 feet, whereas the width should be 22 feet. Also, the net height is the same for both indoors and outdoors. If you are going to use a gym for a pickleball court, then purchase pickleball court line tape and put it down so that the lines are clearly marked.

So, what about the net height? It is also the same for both out and indoors. The height should be 34″ and the sideline, it should be 36″ for the center.

The bottom line is there is no difference in outdoor and indoor pickleball court size.

Indoor Pickleball Court Dimensions:

As mentioned above, the court dimensions for indoors and outdoors are almost the same. The length and width of the courts and the net height are the same.

But there’s a clear difference between the surfaces of pickleball courts. When you play outdoor games, the ball will bounce lower and move faster. So, you have to react quicker.

Also, there are differences between the pickleball itself between outdoors and indoors. For outdoor games, you will find the balls even heavier with smaller holes and more rigid plastic.

On the other hand, indoor balls contain lighter and softer plastic with larger holes.

Small Pickleball Court Dimensions:

Pickleball is a sport that doesn’t require complex rules and strict measurements. If you just play it for fun, there’s nothing to worry about.

People sometimes set up small courts in driveways. If you have a small driveway, then use a 10-foot training net. And, about the court size, a whole 20 feet area is enough.

Use masking tape or sidewalk chalk to lay the court out.

Pickleball Court Dimensions vs. Tennis Court:

As I told before, pickleball is inspired by tennis and badminton. One tennis court is equal to 3-4 pickleball courts.

To make it more transparent, a standard tennis court’s dimensions are 36 feet by 78 feet, whereas, for a pickleball, it is 20 feet by 44 feet. If you have a diagram of a tennis court labeled, you can easily mark the individual pickleball courts in it.

Conclusion

Knowing the dimension of the ground is essential to be triumphant in the game. Now, you know all the nooks and corners of the pickleball court. I am sure it will be almost impossible for the opponent to stop you from the ruling. You can make the game more challenging for them with the right pickleball paddles or equipment.

Let’s not wait anymore. Chalk up the pickleball court size and dive onto it!