Pickleball Court Construction
Guidelines for Pickleball court construction.
Regardless of whether you are building a single court or a multi court facility the following
should be considered in your planning and design stage.
Outside dimensions are minimums for competitive play.
Orientation
Your court / facility should always face N/S to avoid sun issues
Shelter from wind should be a consideration in particular north and west
Construction Recommendations
● Most outdoor courts / facilities are constructed of a granular sub base with an asphalt
topping and sport surface application
● Within frost zones the following should be considered. Excavate and install the Sub base
below asphalt with a recommended depth of 18” and minimum of 15” of compacted
granular material. Prior to the installation of Granular sub base the excavation should be
covered with a geotextile cloth.
● If you are building outside of a frost zone you can consider less depth of sub base
installation, however other considerations may come into play such as pre loading, sub
drainage etc. Consult appropriate professionals if unsure of you soil conditions.
● On top of the compacted sub base a minimum of 3” of sport mix asphalt should be
applied.
● Game lines and court surfacing can be applied after a short curing process of the asphalt
● Post / Net installation.
○ Option 1: Prior to granular sub base installation a cast in place reinforced
concrete pile should be installed to an elevation allowing for the post installation
within the pile and below the playing surface insuring the net height is at an
elevation sufficient to required 36” at sides and 34’ in the center. Failure to utilize
the pile installation will promote movement of buried posts within a short timeline.
○ Option 2: Provide asphalt surface over the entire court area and provide a
suitable portable playing net. Portable nets range in quality and price and should
be supplied to suit playing conditions and level of competition.
● Perimeter fencing should be considered outside of the playing surface minimum of 3 feet
high with 6 feet recommended.