Padel Special: Useful information from the planning to the construction of padel courts

All good things come in threes! After you found out in part one and part two of our padel special what padel is, what equipment you need, where the sport comes from and what technical and tactical components there are, let's now move on to part three, the last part for now of our padel special. Today you will find out what you should consider and take into account building a padel court Questions that many tennis clubs are currently dealing with. Our padel expert Yannik Mann most important decision criteria for you . From planning, construction, maintenance to the not unimportant question of costs. And of course Yannik will also give you an answer to the question of whether building a padel court is “worth it”.

• Number of places: One is none!
  
  Padel is a very social sport; it thrives on the fact that there are many like-minded people on the course. Events with 8 or 16 players are even more fun than just a simple match and build a community. Only very small tournaments can be organized with just one place and even as a club you can only accommodate around 50 members per place. So plan with two seats or more.
• Dimensions: The standard dimensions for a padel court are 10.80 m wide and 20.80 m long.
  
  There are also the supporting pillars and, if desired, the run-off area measuring 2 m wide and 8 m long next to the entrances on both sides.
• Materials: Court builders usually offer different courts. The normal padel court consists of 2 m wide elements attached to posts. There are also panoramic courts where the back walls are made entirely of glass without the posts for a better view of the game.
  When it comes to flooring, it is important to note that there are differences in the length and properties of the plastic fibers.
  
  There are long and short plastic fibers and also fibers that are twisted. Different amounts of sand are sprinkled on the courts and, depending on how much sand is used, clay court shoes or padel shoes are recommended for playing. The course manufacturer should inform you in detail about the options. If you want to build outdoors, be sure to inquire about drainage.
• Building permits etc.: In Germany, construction on existing sports facilities is a little easier, especially in tennis halls, but unfortunately the bureaucratic part often takes a very long time. There are companies on the market that offer all-in-one solutions and implement your project from planning to “handover of the keys”. This includes, among other things, dealing with authorities and applying for funding. The applicable German standards must be observed here and must be taken into account by your course builder.

Padel court construction

The construction of a padel court should be carried out by a company with experience . This is the only way to ensure that the pitch meets the requirements of the game and has a long service life. Ask for reference objects that you could look at if in doubt and feel and see for yourself how the materials were processed.

The construction of a padel court can be divided into two phases:

1. Foundation: The foundation forms the basis for the padel court. As a rule, a concrete foundation is poured. However, there are now other solutions for soil compaction that are cheaper and faster.
2. Installation: The installation of the padel court, once the foundation is ready, usually takes 1-3 days.

Padel court maintenance

After construction, regular maintenance of the padel court is important. This primarily includes distributing the sand and cleaning the windows. The maintenance of padel courts is much easier than that of clay tennis courts. Because of the padel paths back and forth, the sand collects on the grid, in the corners, on the back wall and in the middle. The sand should be continually returned to ensure consistent ball bounce and slide. There is a variety of equipment here, from simple brooms to motorized devices that make it possible to remove the compacted sand from the depths and distribute it.

The area should be worked on using motorized equipment approximately twice a year. Especially for outdoor padel courts, care is important for the long durability of the artificial turf. The artificial turf usually needs to be changed after 4-5 years. Proper care can extend the shelf life by at least a year.  

Padel court costs

The padel court alone currently costs between 25,000-35,000 euros on the German market, depending on the version. Please also pay attention to whether the delivery is included or exclusive.

For an outdoor pitch with a foundation including installation you can calculate around 70,000 euros. There are already providers who also offer financing and others who have mobile places that you can rent.

Yannik's conclusion: "Is building a padel court worth it?"

Building a padel court is an investment that is worth it. Especially now that we in Germany are at the beginning of a very large padel movement that has fascinated our neighboring countries for years. In addition to building a padel facility, good activation is of course also important. Open game rounds, community building, match organization, league offerings, tournament formats and of course training.

If you are interested in building a course and need more information, please contact our expert Yannik Mann. Simply fill out the form below.

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Everything at a glance

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