Pickleball Court Surfaces
Pickleball is played on many different solid surfaces both indoors and outdoors. The surface and the environment will dictate which type of ball you will be playing with. Each surface has it’s place in the game’s evolution and in our experience, the affect it has had on our pickleball journey.
I will go over some of the advantages and disadvantages of each surface that I have played on.
TIP: It is important that you have good shoes for any surface you play on. This will help avoid slipping/falling and wear on your body and feet. It is not advisable to wear street shoes on the pickleball court. Outdoor shoes can bring debris and stones that can damage surfaces and sand can cause surfaces to become slippery.
Wood Slat – Gymnasium
Our first experience with pickleball was indoors in a gymnasium with the standard wood slat floor.
Advantages: Readily available in many facilities makes it a common surface for temporary and multi-use facilities to offer pickleball. Easy to put court tape on. Usually it is cushioned, which makes it easier on joints. If properly maintained, slippage is not a problem on the smooth surface. Usually good bounce.
Disadvantages: Only usable indoors. Can be slippery if dirty or wet. Warped boards can create inconsistent bounces. Because it is usually in a multi-use facility there are often many lines, making for some confusion. Temporary nets and space between courts can affect games for more competitive play.
Concrete
As our journey continued we started playing at a local facility that had a concrete surface. It was a curling club during the winter. A common surface, concrete can be both indoors or outdoors. Many warehouses have been converted to pickleball courts with this surface.
Advantages: Smooth surface for consistent bounce. Hard surface for faster games. Easy care and durable. Readily available and easy to put temporary tape and nets on.
Disadvantages: Can be slippery and dusty. If outdoors water creates a hazard. Hard on joints. Cracks can cause trips. Hard surface can cause more injuries during falls. Usually temporary. Balls can crack quicker on the hard surface. Good Shoes with good grip and cushion are necessary.
Asphalt
Asphalt tennis courts in many areas have been converted to include pickleball lines and in some cases complete pickleball courts. We were fortunate to have such a court when we started playing pickleball. It gave us a great place to work on drills and play some skinny singles games. Driveways and quiet roads can also be used.
Advantages: Ability to use already existing facilities that are easy to add temporary or permanent pickleball lines. Use the existing net (although too high). Good for practising and developing skills, playing with neighbours. It is easier on joints than concrete. You can fit up to 4 pickleball nets on a tennis court. Fencing keeps balls in.
Disadvantages: Loose grit and uneven surface can make bounces inconsistent. The loose grit can also damage balls and subsequently paddles. Cracks can pose a trip hazard. Tennis players may wish to use the court and this can cause friction. If using a tennis net, it is higher. Lines will need to be added if the court only has tennis lines. Temporary lines and nets may be needed.
TIP: While we have played on our local asphalt tennis courts, as our journey continues and we have more expensive paddles we avoid them. The grit collects on the balls and damages the paddles. You may want to consider separate paddles/balls if paying on this surface. We also don’t use our good pickleball shoes on asphalt.
Professional Acrylic Cushioned Court
For use indoors and outdoors, poured acrylic coatings over concrete or asphalt are now the flooring of choice for professionally installed pickleball courts. We have begun playing on this type of cushioned service both indoor and outdoors – our surface of choice for playing now that we have been playing for over two years.
Advantages: Consistent footing with reliable bounce and slip resistant. Cushioning can be customized and color options mean that the kitchen can be a different color from the service boxes and around the outside of the court making it easier to see where the ball lands. Painting of lines is more precise. Can be installed over concrete or asphalt. Easy to clean.
Disadvantages: Cost is a big one and this flooring is usually only in professional facilities. Life span is usually 5 years outdoors and up to 10 years indoors.
While pickleball can be played on grass and clay courts it is not common.
Floating Pickleball Court
For fun we went to the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa when they had the first floating pickleball court in Canada. While these are mainly for entertainment purposes it was an interesting experience.
Check out my video introducing the Floating Pickleball Court.
Advantages: Mainly for entertainment purposes and attention. Portable and can be stored in unfavourable weather conditions. Can also be used indoors.
Disadvantages: Constant shifting from an unstable water environment and affected by waves created by other water uses, like boats. Not suitable for traditional competitive play. Balance and rapid lateral movements are difficult. Barefoot play is recommended. High winds can cause safety issues. Ball retrieval means players get wet and water on the surface creates slippery spots. Needs to be anchored, inflated and deflated.
Check out these other posts about the Pickleball Court:
Basic Features of the Pickleball Court and how to set up a temporary court
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