Whether you are looking to convert a tennis court into a pickleball court or a basketball one, knowing how to paint lines on a pickleball court is top priority.

Pickleball is a relatively new but fastest-growing sport across the country. Unfortunately, there are not as many courts to meet the demand of the game. Due to this, many tennis courts are being converted into pickleball courts as it is the closest alternative with similar requirements. So, what changes can you make to an existing court, or how can you paint a new court from scratch to start playing pickleball?

Painting lines to make a pickleball court requires marking the measurements of the pickleball. Then, you should paint the play area after applying masking tape to the line areas. Lastly, paint the lines with acrylic paint. The lines are usually painted with white paint mixed with fine sand.

You can also paint the pickleball lines on a basketball court with an extra margin. Although the basketball court is hard cemented, you can change the surface by applying the right material and paint to it. There is no reason to worry until you use an empty space to paint pickleball lines. However, if you are converting to another sports court, you should consider whether you want to make it temporary for shared use or permanently.

Being into pickleball for the past several years, we use our expertise in making this guide to help you ace at DIYing painting pickleball lines. Mistakes during the process can cost you time and money, so read through this guide to know how to paint pickleball lines.

Steps to Painting Lines on Pickleball Court

Painting lines for a pickleball court is a multi-step process. Let’s go through them below.

Step 1: Preparing Court Surface

Before you start painting on the surface, it is extremely crucial to ensure that the pavement is free of dust, debris, and other loose materials. These elements will affect the quality and longevity of the paint.

Pavement is also prone to cracking and damage. If the damages are left untreated and painted without proper consideration, it can significantly impact the gameplay. Therefore, you must repair all cracks, potholes, etc., with pavement crack sealers or patches. Your goal should be to make the entire area smooth through adjoining surfaces and remove pollutants.

Step 2: Measuring and Marking the Court Area

The second step for painting lines on a pickleball court is measuring and marking the play area. While the pickleball court measures 20 ft by 44 ft, you should include an extra area to provide players with enough breathing room. The ideal practice is to mark an area measuring 30 ft by 60 ft.

If you are simultaneously measuring both sides of the court with the help of your colleagues, make sure to use the tape measure of the same make and model. Keep the tape measure in place and use chalk to mark the measuring. Once you have set the marking with chalks, tape the area on the non-playing side of the chalk to secure the markings. You can do the taping manually but also use a taping applicator to quickly and easily apply the tape.

After taping the line measures, you should apply a broad masking tape to keep the area clean from excess paint.

Step 3: Applying Resurfacer

The next step takes us closer to paint lines on a pickleball court. But before painting the lines, it is essential to apply the resurfacer on the court if you are reviving an old court. A resurfacer is a substance used to make a pickleball court surface. There are two types of surfaces for a pickleball court: concrete and acrylic.

While both surfaces are acceptable for playing pickleball, concrete is more durable and requires less maintenance. However, it causes more damage to the pickleball ball due to the hardness and poses a tougher surface for the players, forcing more stress onto their muscles.

On the other hand, an acrylic surface is softer, keeps the ball in the best shape, and provides an equal bounce. On the downside, it requires more maintenance and quick repair. The acrylic resurfacer is the more common pickleball court surface because of its dampness and comfort.

You should apply one to two coats of the acrylic resurfacer, depending on the roughness of the space. It is vital to create a smooth surface to make our next step easier - painting the asphalt. Typically, a minimum of two coats are recommended on new or very rough asphalt surfaces.

Step 4: Applying Acrylic Paint to the Court Area

The resurfacer is only to give texture and balance to the asphalt. After the resurfacer has dried, it is time to apply paint to the playing area. A pickleball ball court must be painted green or blue as per the standard pickleball regulations.

To apply the paint, pour it through a bucket across the width of the court and use a spreader to spread it evenly across the marked playing area. Keep pouring the paint onto the existing puddle to avoid leaving dry marks as you spread the paint. You should always maintain a wet edge to a puddle and never let it dry in the middle of the court area. The masking tape we applied in step two will now come in handy as you can drag any extra material on it.

Step 5: Measuring and Marking the Playing Area

Once the paint on the court area has dried, it's time to measure the various areas to paint lines and divide the playing area as per the pickleball court rules. To measure the playing area, start by marking the center of the asphalt. You will want your pickleball court to be in the center for an organized appearance.

You can do this by vertically marking the area 10 ft after the boundaries of the asphalt. As we kept the total asphalt area length at 60 ft, leaving 10 ft at each side will automatically leave you a 40 ft long area in the middle. This repeats the chalk and tape process we applied previously to mark the asphalt. First, mark the measurements with chalk and then tape the outer side of the chalk. These lines are called the sidelines.

After that, you have to measure and mark the width of the playing area, which is 20 ft wide. By leaving 5 ft from each side of the 30 ft wide asphalt, you will have a 20 ft area in the center. Repeat the chalking and taping process on each border of the sidelines. These lines are called the baselines.

Divide the playing area into three zones: two service areas on each side and a non-volley zone in the middle. Each side’s service area should measure 15 ft from the baseline. After marking the service areas, the area left in the middle measuring 14 ft is the non-volley zone, also known as the kitchen area.

Before applying the paint, you should apply masking tape on each side of the non-volley zone. The pickleball court’s service area is divided into two, like in tennis and badminton. Mark the baseline at 10 ft from each side and draw a straight line by chalking up to the no-volley zone. Do this on both sides of the court to divide the service areas into halves. After that, tape the baselines and sidelines on their inner side as we taped them on the outer side previously. Remember to remove the tape over intersecting points. Taping both sides of the measured lines will give you an easy and clear path to paint over to make lines on the court.

Step 6: Painting the Lines

The last step for painting lines on the pickleball court is actually painting the lines. But this step is also divided into two sub-steps.

First, you have to apply a line primer between the tapes. A line primer is a translucent drying emulsion paint that covers gaps or voids between the surface and the tape. This ensures sharp and crisp lines.

The next and final step is applying the textured white acrylic paint. This paint forms a texture after drying that matches the asphalt surface. You can apply the paint with a brush or a roller. Lastly, remove the tape immediately after applying the paint.

Voila! You have yourself a newly painted pickleball court done all by yourself.