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Tennis to Pickleball Court Conversion Guide. Learn to outline and place your pickleball court.

Tennis to Pickleball Court Conversion Guide

It’s the game that’s sweeping the nation, pickleball! Combining parts of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, pickleball is showing up everywhere. But where can you find your local pickleball court? Recently, pickleball and tennis enthusiasts have started a new DIY trend, converting that old tennis court into your very own pickleball court conversion.

But how is it all done and what else do you need to consider? Discover the difference between tennis courts and pickleball courts, and learn how to correctly outline and place your pickleball court with this simple guide for converting your tennis court into a pickleball court. Whether you need one court or four, you can convert one tennis court into multiple pickleball courts in no time! 

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

Pickleball court dimensions

Tennis and pickleball courts look almost identical, line-wise. However, when converting your tennis court for pickleball, there are a few key differences that are important to consider. 

  • Court size: Tennis courts measure at 60’ wide, 120’ long, whereas pickleball courts are  20’ wide, 44’ long. These dimensions are inclusive of game lines such as the no volley zone, out of bounds lines, and the net.
  • Netting: While both nets are 36” tall, pickleball nets measure at 34” in the center. 
  • Singles and doubles court sizes: For tennis, there are areas of the court called “doubles alleys” on the right and left of the court which teams of two can use. In pickleball, the size of the court stays the same for singles and doubles. 
  • No volley zone: In pickleball, there is a seven-foot no-volley zone extended from the net, popularly known as “the kitchen.” 
Pickleball Tennis
Court Size 20’ wide, 44’ long 60’ wide, 120’ long
Netting 34” tall in the center of the net 36” tall
Singles and Doubles Court Size 20’ wide, 44’ long Singles court size: 78’X27’

Doubles court size: 78’X36’

No Volley-Zone 7-foot no-volley zone extended from the net None
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Pickleball Court Layouts: The Options 

With a tennis court being 60’ wide, 120’ long, there is an ample amount of space to outline your pickleball court. Since a standard pickleball court is 20’ wide and 44’ long, you can actually fit up to four pickleball courts on one tennis court. Check out these layouts and court options to find out how. 

One Pickleball Court per Tennis Court

One pickleball court layout on standard size tennis court

The simplest place to outline a singular pickleball court is in the center of the tennis court, so you can base it off the tennis net. Once you outline your pickleball court, as seen by the red court in the image above, you can lower the tennis net to 34″ in the center to meet the pickleball standards. 

One of the cool things about having only one pickleball court and one tennis court is that these courts can be shared. Once the lines are complete, the court can be used for both tennis and pickleball very easily.

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Two Pickleball Courts per Tennis Court

Two pickleball courts laid out on standard size tennis court

Setting up two pickleball courts on a tennis court might seem a little bit more complex, but thanks to portable pickleball nets, the overall process is as simple as lining the court. 

Use one half of the tennis court for each pickleball court, using the center of the tennis court’s “no man’s land” as the pickleball court’s net base. From there, you use the normal pickleball court dimensions, as outlined by the red court in the diagram above and line the court as usual on both halves of the tennis court. There you have it, two pickleball courts. 

Four Pickleball Courts per Tennis Court

Four pickleball courts laid out on a standard size tennis court

Since a standard tennis court pad is 60’x120′, the size of a standard pickleball court can take up ¼ of a tennis court. So this setup should be just as easy as the other two, right? Absolutely! To convert one tennis court into four pickleball courts, divide the tennis court into four equal quadrants, and create a pickleball court in each quadrant as seen in the image above. 

By splitting the tennis court’s “no man’s land” vertically, you can place your pickleball court’s “no volley zone” and portable nets on either side of the “no man’s land.” This can be done on both halves of the tennis court to accomplish your four-in-one pickleball court setup.

Create a Brand New Pickleball Court

Premium Pickleball Court Kit

Perhaps you don’t have a court of your own but you’re ready to take a leap and have a court in your own backyard. You’ll be happy to know you can own your personalized pickleball court easily when you check out our court designer and our pickleball court tiles and kits. You can customize your court and have it shipped to your door!

Need some other pickleball equipment? We have you covered there too, with our selection of awesome pickleball gear!

DESIGN YOUR PICKLEBALL COURT

SHOP PICKLEBALL COURT TILES, KITS, AND EQUIPMENT

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Pickleball Court Conversion: Outlining Your Court

Pickleball Court Outline

Now it’s time for the fun part, outlining your court. But where do you start? What do you use? Don’t fret, let’s talk about how to line up your awesome court, and what you need to get it done!

How to Create a Pickleball Court Outline

First, let’s get started by creating your court outline. Check out these four easy steps to lay your court out. 

  1. Start by using tape or chalk down lines to create a large rectangle that measures 44′ x 20′.
  2. To create your no volley-zone, measure 15′ from both of the shorter ends (or baselines) going toward the middle of the court, and draw a line across the width of the court (20 feet). 
  3. From there, divide the two boxes you created in half along the length of the court to create a centerline and your right and left service areas. You should now have four boxes for the playing zones, and a box for the no volley-zone.
  4. Place your net along the width of the court in the center of the no volley-zone.

Court Outlining Tools

Game Line Court Paint Kit

What you use to outline your court all depends on if you want your pickleball court to be permanent or temporary. Where are you converting a tennis court, in your backyard, or your local YMCA?

Temporary Court Setup

If you are converting a community tennis court, in which you do not own, and the facility will not allow a permanent pickleball/tennis court combo, you will want to you some heavy-duty tape or some good ole’ fashioned chalk to temporarily outline a pickleball court for you to play on.

Permanent Court Setup

However, if you’re looking for a more permanent pickleball court setup, whether you own the court or the court facility allows it, you can outline your court with paint. Need help locating some court paint? We got you covered with Game Line Court Kits. This kit will supply you with the tools you need to make your tennis/pickleball court combo looking as professional as possible.

SHOP GAME LINE COURT KITS

Conclusion

There you have it! Three simple ways to convert that old tennis court into a pickleball court. Super easy, right?

Remember, in case you decide to ditch the tennis court completely, you can also have your very own, standard pickleball court. Go ahead and check out our pickleball court tiles and equipment, and become the pickleball champion!

DESIGN YOUR PICKLEBALL COURT

SHOP PICKLEBALL COURT TILES, KITS, AND EQUIPMENT

About Sydney Shields

Sydney Shields

Sydney Shields is a home improvement enthusiast with a passion for writing. Being a huge fan of the DIY revolution, her experience in crafting, blogging, and marketing led her to join Flooring Inc. She takes a personable approach to her blog posts and prides herself on the ability to dive deep into research for a fresh understanding of flooring, and...

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