From pickleball to padel, on the same slab.
A pickleball facility already has what padel needs most: a flat hard slab, lights and players who like doubles. Here is how the courts compare and what a conversion involves.
Is a padel court bigger than a pickleball court?
Yes. A pickleball court is 44 × 20 ft (13.41 × 6.10 m) and needs at least 60 × 30 ft with run-off. A padel court is 65.6 × 32.8 ft (20 × 10 m) inside its walls, about 69 × 36 ft with access. Four pickleball courts on a tennis footprint become one padel court as is, or three if widened by about 9 ft.
- 44 × 20 ft
- Pickleball court (13.41 × 6.10 m)
- USA Pickleball, via Pickleheads
- 65.6 × 32.8 ft
- Padel court inside the walls (20 × 10 m)
- FIP Rules of Padel
- 4 → 3
- Four pickleball courts on a tennis footprint, three padel courts once widened
- Our layout
- 0.88 m
- Padel net at the center, about the same as pickleball (34 in)
- FIP, USA Pickleball
Padel and pickleball courts compared
| Pickleball | Padel | |
|---|---|---|
| Court | 44 × 20 ft (13.41 × 6.10 m) | 65.6 × 32.8 ft (20 × 10 m) |
| Area per court with run-off or access | 60 × 30 ft minimum (1,800 ft²) | About 69 × 36 ft (2,486 ft²) |
| Net height at the center | 34 in | 0.88 m (34.6 in) |
| Walls | None, play stops at the fence | Glass and mesh, the ball is played off them |
| Surface | Acrylic hard court | Sand-filled artificial turf over the slab |
| Indoor clear height | No single rule | 6 m minimum, 8 m suggested (FIP) |
Court for court, padel takes more room
Pickleball fits four courts on a tennis footprint because each court is small. A padel court is longer than a pickleball court with all its run-off, so the count drops when you switch: one padel court on the unchanged block, three once it is widened to about 21 m.
That trade is not one for one in play either. Padel is almost always played as doubles in an enclosed court, and the walls keep the ball in play. Operators who keep both sports usually keep pickleball on painted lines and put padel in its own enclosures.
What a pickleball slab gives you
A post-tensioned or reinforced concrete pickleball slab is usually a good base: flat, drained and already lit. The acrylic surface comes off or is covered, the turf goes down, and the enclosure is anchored into the concrete.
Asphalt is different. Enclosure posts need solid anchoring, and asphalt alone rarely provides it. On asphalt, expect concrete footings or a new slab under the courts. The site survey settles it before you get a price.
What the conversion costs
The padel court system costs $30,000 to $50,000, plus $5,000 to $15,000 to install and $8,000 to $18,000 for lighting per court. Pickleball lighting is laid out for smaller courts, so it is often redesigned.
The slab is where you save: on a new build, foundations and site preparation run $25,000 to $50,000 per court. With Padel Backers, the courts are leased with maintenance included, from $750 a month per court, and site works are quoted separately.
From pickleball to padel, step by step
- 1Before the quote
Site survey
Concrete or asphalt, slab condition, drainage, lighting, power and wind exposure.
- 2With the quote
Layout and price
How many padel courts, whether to keep some pickleball, and every site work on its own line.
- 3Before work starts
Engineering and permit
Anchoring and wind loads signed off, permit filed where it is required.
- 4On site
Installation
Surface and nets removed, any widening or footings poured, then enclosure, turf and lighting.
Common questions
Not the question you had?
Tell us how many courts and where. You get a quote back, not a brochure.
01Can you play pickleball on a padel court?
Not well. A padel court is enclosed and surfaced with sand-filled turf, and its lines do not match. Some clubs paint pickleball lines nearby or keep a few pickleball courts beside the padel courts instead.
02How many padel courts replace four pickleball courts?
Four pickleball courts usually occupy a tennis footprint of 120 × 60 ft. That block takes one padel court as it is, or three padel courts once it is widened to about 69 ft.
03Can a pickleball court on asphalt be converted to padel?
Sometimes, but asphalt rarely anchors an enclosure on its own. Expect concrete footings or a new slab under the courts. The site survey decides before we quote.
04Is padel replacing pickleball?
Not as a rule. The two sports often share a facility. Padel takes more room per court and an enclosure, and players who like doubles and fast rallies tend to enjoy both.
Other conversions
- Tennis court to padelOne tennis court takes one padel court as it is, three if widened. Two courts take four.
- Warehouse to indoor padelClear height first, then the column grid. Check how many courts your building takes.
- Backyard padel courtA doubles court needs about 69 × 36 ft. A singles court fits narrower lots.
- Padel court dimensionsCourt, net, walls and ceiling height in meters and feet, with a calculator for your space.
Sources
Figures are checked against the sources below on the review date. Your site survey replaces every estimate on this page.
We build your padel court. You pay for it monthly.
Tell us how many courts and where. You get a full quote, with court rent and groundwork shown separately, usually within one business day.