I’ve been thinking about getting into pickleball lately. It seems like a fun, fast-paced game, and a great way to get some exercise. The only problem is, there aren’t any dedicated pickleball courts nearby. But we do have a bunch of old tennis courts that nobody seems to use anymore. So I thought, why not try to convert one of those?
First things first, I checked out the tennis court to see what kind of shape it was in. It was a bit rundown, some cracks here and there, but nothing major. Seemed like a solid foundation to work with.
Next, I needed to figure out the size of a pickleball court. Turns out, it’s 20 feet by 44 feet, and you need some extra space around it, so ideally, the total area should be 30 feet by 60 feet. I measured out the tennis court, and guess what? It’s big enough to fit four pickleball courts! Plenty of space to work with. I just need one for now.
Then came the question of the net. Pickleball nets are a bit lower than tennis nets – 34 inches in the center, to be exact. I figured the easiest thing to do was just lower the existing tennis net. I loosened the center strap and got it down to the right height.
Here is how to draw the lines
Now for the fun part – drawing the lines! I decided to use a line taping machine. It seemed like the most efficient way to get those lines straight and even. Once the tape was down, I could just use a brush or a roller to apply the paint. I heard that some folks use a line striping machine, but apparently, it’s easy to overspray the tape, and I didn’t want to deal with that mess.
- I grabbed some painter’s tape and started marking out the court.
- I measured everything carefully.
- I made sure the baselines, sidelines, and the non-volley zone were all in the right spots.
Once the tape was down, I mixed up some paint and started filling in the lines. It was a bit tedious, but kind of satisfying to see the court taking shape.
After the paint dried, I removed the tape, and there it was – my very own pickleball court! I grabbed a paddle and a ball, found a friend, and we started playing. It was a blast!
So yeah, that’s how I converted an old tennis court into a pickleball court. It wasn’t too hard, and it was definitely worth the effort. Now I have a place to play whenever I want, and I’m getting a good workout in the process. If you’re thinking about doing the same, I say go for it! You won’t regret it. It is really fun to play!
