Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. This paddle sport mixes elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong for something that is easy to learn, fun for all, and can be played at a leisurely pace or more intense. With its skyrocketing popularity, demand for pickleball court construction is higher than ever.
Installing pickleball courts in a community sports facility or for company use is an excellent way to increase revenue and build community spirit. If you’ve been contemplating installing pickleball courts at your campus, park, hotel, or another type of facility, look through the following considerations first to ensure they function optimally.
#1. Court Specifications
Pickleball courts are roughly the size of doubles badminton courts. They are more compact than tennis courts, as 4 pickleball courts fit in the space of 1 tennis court. Official pickleball courts are 20 ft wide by 44 ft long. Regulation nets are 36” high at the sides and 34” at the center. The recommended playing area is 34’ x 64’ for tournaments and 30’ x 60’ otherwise. For indoor courts, they should be 18’-20’ in height.
#2. Recreational Or Tournaments?
Since the playing area varies depending on whether you are building pickleball courts for recreational use or for tournaments, this is something that you will need to decide prior to installation. If you wish for there to be an option for tournaments on primarily recreational courts, you can opt for the recommended 34’ x 64’ playing area. That way, your courts can be used both ways.
#3. Don’t Dismiss Sun Angles
Sun angles need to be taken into account with commercial pickleball court construction. USA Pickleball, the United States Pickleball Association, recommends north-south court orientation. This is so that players are not looking directly into the sun in the early morning or the late afternoon, which can be a safety hazard.
#4. Positioning Your Courts
If you are installing multiple pickleball courts on your property, land grading, rain runoff, and noise all must be accounted for. Without proper grading and drainage, pickleball courts need more frequent resurfacing and replacement. The noise of the game can be disruptive, so place your courts appropriately.
Players should not have to cross a court in order to get to another. This can pose a safety hazard, as well as disrupt games in progress. Position your courts appropriately so that picklers do not have to do this.
#5. Surface Safety
Pickleball courts need to be smooth, able to withstand heavy use, and provide traction. Here at E.K. Bailey Construction, we use Renner Sports surfaces to provide you with safe, specialized, high-performance pickleball courts. We do post-tension concrete courts, for exceptional strength and durability without the tendency to heave, settle, or crack, as traditional courts tend to do.
In addition to the initial court surface installation, remember that sports courts need to be resurfaced every 5-7 years. The amount of use they see, the climate they are exposed to, and how well they are maintained all impact the lifespan of the court surface. To ensure a safe playing surface, resurface your pickleball courts as needed.
#6. Court Colors
Sports courts are customizable when it comes to the colors you use. During the pickleball court construction process, you can choose whether to opt for more standard colors, such as blue, green, and yellow, or whether to do something more custom.
#7. Amenities
Don’t forget about amenities with your pickleball court construction. What amenities you choose to provide may depend on what your facility already has as well as whether the courts are restricted to recreational use or not.
Some amenities you may add to your pickleball courts include:
- Benches
- Gear storage
- Restrooms
- Concessions
- Parking lots
- And more
#8. Cost Variations
The cost of commercial pickleball court construction varies depending on the site the court will be installed on. Drainage, excavation, sloping, site layout, court materials, and how many courts you’re installing all affect the overall price of the project. Your installer will need to see the site in order to provide you with an accurate estimate.
Pickleball Court Construction In Northern Utah
E.K. Bailey Construction is among the most experienced commercial construction firms in the state of Utah. Installing pickleball courts is a new service that we are adding to our roster this year. The owner of the company, Brent, is involved in every project that we build. We take pride in ensuring that each and every one of our clients is completely satisfied with our services.
Contact us today for pickleball courts built to perfection.