What You'll Need
Gather these materials before you start. Nothing here is expensive or hard to find.
- Measuring tape (at least 50 feet)
- Chalk or pencil for initial marks
- Marking material: painter's tape (temporary), court tape (semi-permanent), or court marking paint (permanent)
- A straight edge or chalk line reel for long straight lines
- A portable net or net system (34 inches at center, 36 inches at sidelines)
For temporary setups, a roll of 1.5-inch blue painter's tape costs about $6 and will mark one full court. For permanent outdoor lines, expect to spend $40-80 on court marking paint or adhesive court line tape.
Choosing Your Marking Material
Painter's tape: Best for shared tennis courts and indoor gym floors. Easy to remove. Won't damage surfaces. Lasts a few play sessions outdoors before peeling. Cost: $5-8 per court.
Vinyl court tape: Adhesive tape designed for sports courts. Lasts months outdoors. Good for driveways and dedicated surfaces. Cost: $30-50 per court.
Court marking paint: Most permanent option. Apply with a roller or sprayer along snapped chalk lines. Lasts 1-2 years outdoors depending on traffic and weather. Cost: $40-80 per court.
Chalk: Cheapest option for driveways and concrete. Washes off with rain. Fine for casual backyard play. Cost: $3.
Official Court Dimensions
A regulation pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. Here are all the measurements you need:
- Total court: 20 ft x 44 ft
- Non-volley zone (kitchen): 7 ft from the net on each side (20 ft x 7 ft)
- Service areas: 10 ft x 15 ft (two on each side of center)
- Net height: 34 inches at center, 36 inches at posts
- Net width: 22 feet (extends 1 foot past each sideline)
You'll also want a buffer zone of at least 5 feet on each end and 3 feet on each side if space allows. This gives players room to chase balls without running into walls or fences.
Step-by-Step: Marking the Court
Follow these steps in order. Measuring carefully at the start saves you from having to redo lines later.
Step 1: Find Your Center Point
Start by placing your net (or marking where it will go). The net runs along the exact center of the court, splitting the 44-foot length into two 22-foot halves. Mark the center point of the net line on the ground.
Step 2: Mark the Net Line and Sidelines
From your center point, measure 10 feet in each direction along the net line. This gives you your 20-foot width. These endpoints are where your sidelines will intersect the net line.
From each of these net-line endpoints, measure 22 feet straight back (perpendicular to the net) to establish the baseline corners. Connect the dots: two sidelines running 44 feet long, 20 feet apart.
Step 3: Mark the Baselines
Connect the endpoints at each end to form your baselines. Each baseline is 20 feet wide, running parallel to the net at 22 feet from it on each side.
Step 4: Mark the Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen)
From the net line, measure 7 feet toward each baseline along both sidelines. Connect these marks with a line parallel to the net. This is the kitchen line. Do this on both sides of the net. You should now have two 20 ft x 7 ft rectangles touching the net.
Step 5: Mark the Centerline
Find the midpoint of each baseline (10 feet from either sideline). Draw a line from this midpoint to the kitchen line on the same side. This centerline divides each service area into two equal boxes, each 10 ft x 15 ft. Repeat on the other side.
Note: the centerline does NOT extend through the kitchen. It runs from the baseline to the kitchen line only.
Step 6: Double-Check Your Measurements
Before laying down permanent lines, verify these distances:
- Baseline to baseline: 44 ft
- Sideline to sideline: 20 ft
- Net to kitchen line: 7 ft on each side
- Kitchen line to baseline: 15 ft on each side
- Centerline splits service area into two 10 ft wide boxes
Measure diagonally corner to corner as well. Both diagonals should be equal (about 48.3 feet). If they're off, your court isn't square and you need to adjust.
Marking on a Tennis Court
A standard tennis court is 78 feet long and 36 feet wide (doubles). You can fit one pickleball court neatly inside a tennis court using the existing net, though you'll need to lower it slightly (tennis nets are 36 inches at center, pickleball needs 34 inches).
For a single court, center it on the tennis court's center strap. The pickleball baselines will fall roughly in line with the tennis service lines, which makes a handy visual reference.
Fitting Multiple Pickleball Courts on One Tennis Court
You can fit up to 4 pickleball courts on a single tennis court if you orient them perpendicular to the tennis net. Two courts fit side by side across the tennis court's width, and two more behind them using the tennis court's length.
For 2 side-by-side courts (most common setup): orient the pickleball nets parallel to the tennis net, spacing the two courts about 4 feet apart in the center for player movement. Each court uses 20 feet of width, plus 4 feet of buffer equals 44 feet, which fits within the 60-foot fence-to-fence width of most tennis facilities.
Using Painter's Tape Without Annoying Tennis Players
If you share the court with tennis players, use blue or green painter's tape that's clearly different from the white tennis lines. Remove it after play if the facility requires it. Some courts have permanent pickleball lines painted in a different color (often blue or yellow), which is the ideal shared-use solution.
Talk to your parks department about getting permanent lines added. Many municipalities are doing this now, and the cost is minimal for them compared to building new courts.
Marking on a Driveway or Parking Lot
A flat driveway at least 24 feet wide and 50 feet long can work for a casual pickleball court. Concrete and asphalt are both fine surfaces, though the ball bounces differently on each.
Use chalk for a no-commitment test layout first. Play a few games to make sure the dimensions feel right and there are no obstacles (drainage grates, cracks, slopes). Then commit to vinyl tape or paint if you want something permanent.
USA Pickleball notes that tournament play requires balls from the approved equipment list.
Dealing with Slope and Cracks
Most driveways have a slight slope for drainage. A gentle slope is playable but affects ball bounce. If water pools in certain areas, that's too much slope for comfortable play. Cracks wider than half an inch can be filled with concrete patch material before marking lines.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are the errors people make most often when setting up courts for the first time.
Forgetting the Kitchen Is 7 Feet, Not 10
People confuse the kitchen depth (7 feet) with the service area width (10 feet). The non-volley zone is 7 feet from the net. Getting this wrong throws off every other measurement on the court.
Running the Centerline Through the Kitchen
The centerline only divides the service areas. It stops at the kitchen line. There is no centerline inside the non-volley zone. This one is purely cosmetic but it confuses new players about where they can stand during serves.
Not Checking for Square
If your court isn't perfectly rectangular, you'll notice it during play. Shots that look in will be out, and vice versa. Always measure both diagonals. If they don't match, adjust your corners until they do.
Skipping the Buffer Zone
A 20x44 court fits in tight spaces, but players need room to move behind the baseline and beside the sidelines. Without at least a few feet of buffer, you'll run into fences, walls, or other courts constantly. If space is tight, it's better to have more room behind the baselines than beside the sidelines, since most overruns happen going backward for lobs.
Net Setup Options
If you're not using an existing tennis net, you'll need a portable pickleball net. Options range from $50 for basic recreational nets to $250+ for regulation-quality portable systems.
- Budget ($50-80): Lightweight, sets up in 5 minutes. Fine for casual driveway play. May sag in the middle over time.
- Mid-range ($100-150): Metal frame, center support strap, carries in a bag. Good for regular use at parks or driveways.
- Premium ($180-250+): Powder-coated steel, regulation height and tension, weighted base. Tournament-quality. Worth it if you play multiple times a week.
Whatever net you choose, verify the center height is 34 inches and the sideline height is 36 inches. A cheap measuring stick or a piece of string cut to 34 inches makes checking easy.