How to Convert a Tennis Court into a Pickleball Court

Four pickleball courts fit across a single tennis court, oriented perpendicular to the tennis net, two per side. Or you center one court and get generous run-off space. The surface itself needs nothing done to it. What you need is lines, a net at the right height, and a decision about whether the tennis lines stay.

The numbers you are working with

A pickleball court is 20 by 44 feet, with the non-volley zone running 7 feet back from the net on each side.

A tennis court measures 36 by 78 feet inside the doubles lines, usually inside a fenced pad around 60 by 120 feet.

Net height is where people get caught out. Pickleball is 36 inches at the posts and 34 at center. A tennis net sits at 42 and 36, so it is always too high.

One centered court

Center the 20 by 44 box on the tennis court and you get room to chase a lob in every direction, which is the setup most home courts end up with.

Skip trying to modify the tennis net. Set a portable net across the center line instead. Our picks in best portable pickleball net cover which frames stay taut through a full session.

Four courts across

Run four courts crosswise, two on each side of the tennis net, and you serve eight to sixteen players at once. This is the layout parks departments default to.

Each court needs its own net. Spacing gets tight, so 5 to 8 feet between side lines is the realistic minimum before players start colliding.

Lines: tape, chalk, or paint

Court tape gives you a season of play and peels off. Chalk lasts one session and survives no rain.

Textured acrylic line paint is the permanent answer, and it should be a color that contrasts hard with the tennis lines. Blue over green is the common pairing.

Keep lines 2 inches wide. Anything thinner disappears at the far end.

Surface, balls, and shared use

Post-tension concrete and asphalt with acrylic coating both play fine as is. A worn tennis surface plays slower and grabs the ball more.

Use outdoor balls on any converted court. The difference is not cosmetic, as indoor vs outdoor pickleball balls explains.

For driveway and single-court home setups, the net frame matters more than anything else. Compare options in best portable pickleball net for driveway.