Pickleball Court Dimensions: The Full Breakdown

With pickleball growing across North America at record rates, you might find yourself struggling to find open pickleball courts. So whether you’re a beginner just learning to play the sport, practicing for a serious tournament, or just interested in setting up your own pickleball court, understanding the standard dimensions of a pickleball court can be very useful to have in your toolkit.

In this blog, we’ll give you the full breakdown on pickleball court dimensions, and by the end of it, you’ll know exactly how to set up your own perfect pickleball court. Plus we’ll add a few bonus tips on how you can play pickleball on a tennis court.

Pickleball Court Dimensions

A standard pickleball court measures 44 feet long and 20 feet wide, which is nearly identical to the size of a badminton court and about ⅓ smaller than a tennis court.

In order to have enough room for players to move freely without worry about running into a barrier, USA pickleball has released specific guidelines on the minimum playing surfaces required to set up an optimal pickleball court.

This guideline suggests adding 10 feet to the width and 20 feet to the length of the standard pickleball court dimensions, meaning that a complete pickleball court will measure roughly 64 feet long and 30 feet wide (including boundaries).

Pickleball Net Height

While Pickleball was first played over a badminton net that measured 60 inches, the net was eventually lowered down to 36 inches at the posts, and 34 inches in the middle. The height of a pickleball net is just slightly shorter than a tennis net, which measures 42 inches at the posts and 36 inches at the middle.

Pickleball Court Lines

Similar to other racket sports, Pickleball courts consist of multiple lines that help specify the boundaries and playing fields.

Baseline: The baseline is the line at the very back of the court which falls parallel to the court. Serves must be performed behind the baseline in pickleball.

Sidelines: Sidelines fall perpendicular to the net. They form the side boundaries on both sides of the court.

Centerline: The centerline is located directly in the middle of the court, and splits the backside of the pickleball court in half.

Non-Volley Lines: The non-volley lines, otherwise known as the kitchen lines, are located 7 feet from the net on either side.

Pickleball Kitchen Size

The kitchen is unique to pickleball, and specifies the zone on both sides of the net where players aren’t allowed to volley the ball. If you’re setting up your own pickleball court, it’s important to have the correct pickleball kitchen size, which extends 7 feet on either side of the net and runs across the full width of the court (20 feet wide).

Pickleball Court Dimensions: Singles vs. Doubles

One of the great things about pickleball is that the court dimensions and court lines stay the exact same whether your playing singles or doubles pickleball. This makes the sport extremely versatile, as both variations use the 20 feet-wide by 44 feet-long court dimensions.

However, when it comes to the gameplay and rules, singles pickleball does slightly differ from doubles pickleball, and it is important to know these differences when giving either variation a try.

Pickleball Courts vs. Tennis Courts: What’s The Difference?

The most visible difference between a pickleball court and tennis court, are the court dimensions themselves. Pickleball is played on a much smaller court of 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, whereas tennis courts are 60 feet wide and 120 feet long. In fact, you can actually fit four pickleball courts on a standard tennis court!

Since pickleball courts are smaller, the sports often requires less running and intensity than compared to tennis, which is especially beneficial for players with injuries or heart conditions.

How To Set Up Your Own Pickleball Court

Now that we have a good understanding of the standard pickleball court dimensions, here are a few ways you can set up your own court.

1.) Portable Pickleball Nets

One of the easiest ways to set up your own courts is by purchasing a portable pickleball net. You can find a quality pickleball net online for around $150-$200. Once you’ve found an ideal court surface (such as a tennis court), simply set up the net, measure out the court dimensions specified above, and mark down lines with tape or chalk.

2.) Playing On A Tennis Court

If you don’t have access to a portable pickleball net, you can set up a pickleball court using an existing tennis court net. However, it is important to first determine if the tennis court net is adjustable (as you’ll have to lower it down 2 inches to match the height of a standard pickleball court), and that you’ve been given permission by the owner to do so.

3.) Building From Scratch

There are many different ways to go about building a pickleball court from scratch. You’ll first need to make sure that you have the proper court surface, with concrete and asphalt being the most popular and affordable options.

From there, you can either purchase a permanent pickleball net or use a portable pickleball net, and set up the proper lines accordingly. Out of the three options, this will require the most time and money to set up, but could definitely be worth it in the long run if your an avid pickleball player!

In A Nutshell

With pickleball’s increasing popularity, understanding the proper pickleball court dimensions can be a valuable skill. Now whether you choose to build your own court from scratch, or have a temporary setup for when your local pickleball courts are full, that’s up to you.

But either way, keep on pickling!

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