Pickleball Courts for Churches: How to Add One to Your Parking Lot or Gym

Most churches already have the space for a pickleball court: a parking lot that sits empty on weekdays, a gym, or a fellowship hall with a hard floor. A portable court rolls out onto that space in about 30 minutes and rolls back up before Sunday, so nothing is built and the space keeps its other jobs. Here is how to work out where a court fits, which size to pick, what it costs and how to run it.

Where a court fits on church property

A portable court needs a clean, firm, flat, hard surface. On a church campus that usually means one of these:

• The parking lot, on a weeknight or Saturday when it is empty. Asphalt and concrete both work
• A gym or multipurpose room with a hard floor
• A fellowship hall, if the room is big enough once the tables are put away
• An existing basketball or tennis court on the property

Gravel, grass, dirt and loose pavers do not work, because the court follows whatever is under it. Walk the space before you measure. Wide cracks, heaved slabs, speed bumps, drains and low spots where water collects all show up in play, so pick the flattest stretch you have. The Court Setup Guide lists every surface that works.

How much room you need

Every full-size PortaCourts court has the same regulation 20 × 44 ft playing area. The sizes differ in how much surface there is around the lines. You also need at least 3 ft of clear space past every edge of the court, for safe play and room to unroll, so measure for the open area in the last column.

In a parking lot, a Standard court takes up a rectangle of open asphalt about 27 ft wide and 51 ft long. Measure the narrowest point of the stretch you have in mind, and check for light poles, curbs and islands inside it. Indoors, measure wall to wall and take off anything that stays in the room, like a stage edge, a piano or stacked chairs.

Which size to choose

The Standard court fits the most spaces, since the surface stops 6 inches past the sidelines and baselines. It suits a hall or a tight corner of the lot. The Expanded court adds 2 ft past each sideline and 3 ft past each baseline, which gives players room to chase a wide ball without stepping off the surface. It is built for regular play at homes, schools, churches and clubs, when the space allows. The Premier, with 5 ft past each sideline and 8 ft past each baseline, is for competitive play and tournaments.

If you are close to a size, or the space has an odd shape, our driveway space guide walks through measuring, and the same method works for a lot or a hall.

What it costs, with the church discount

Churches and registered nonprofits get 20% off, plus 12 pickleballs with each court. The discount does not stack with the multi-court discount, and it is applied by quote, so request a quote rather than checking out online.

Each court comes with the court surface in your choice of color with the lines printed on, a Leisure net, installation tape, the setup guide and access to the setup video. The Deluxe net is an upgrade for $1,260 more, built for frequent or competitive play. Shipping by freight truck from our warehouse in Eagle, Idaho is included in the delivered price, and in the Treasure Valley our own crew delivers at the same price.

For a full breakdown of what is included, the other discounts and how buying compares with building a permanent court, see how much a portable pickleball court costs.

Renting first for one event

If you want to see whether people come before you buy, rent a court for a church picnic, a fall festival or a youth night. A Standard court rents for $850 for one day. With a Leisure net ($200) and local delivery within 30 miles of Eagle ($250), one court for a day comes to $1,300, with your volunteers doing the setup. Multi-day rentals cost less per day, down to $500 a day for 4 to 7 days.

Our guide to what it costs to rent a pickleball court covers every line of a rental quote, and the rental pricing page has the current rates.

Setting it up and putting it away

Two people can roll out a Standard or Expanded court, tape the seams and stand up the net in about 30 minutes, or about 45 for the Premier, with no power tools. A Standard court comes as 4 rolls of about 250 lb each, and the Premier as 5 rolls, so move each one with a helper. Our step-by-step setup guide covers each step.

Pick the storage spot before the court arrives. The rolls need a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, such as a storage room, a garage or a shed. Roll them loosely, never fold them, and do not store them wet or stack anything heavy on top. If the court lives in a building across the lot from where you play, a dolly or cart for the rolls saves a lot of lifting.

Courts for home and personal use carry a 3-year limited warranty, and courts for commercial use carry 18 months. The warranty counts using the court to make money, such as paid court rentals, ticketed or paid-entry events, leagues or clinics, as commercial use. Read the warranty page before you plan paid events on the court.

Ways churches use a court

• Weeknight open play for members, set up after work and put away the same evening
• Youth group nights, where a game gives teenagers something to do while they talk
• Morning play for older members and retirees
• Community open play, which brings neighbors onto church property who might not come through the doors on a Sunday
• A one-day tournament for the fall festival or a mission trip fundraiser

For bigger groups, the formats in our guide to pickleball team building activities, like round robin doubles and king of the court, keep everyone playing instead of waiting.

Settle these before you buy

• Who sets up and takes down. A standing team of two or three volunteers makes it routine
• Where the rolls are stored, and how they get from storage to the court
• Which days the space is free. Put court nights on the church calendar so they do not clash with parking, events or rentals of the hall
• Who brings paddles and balls. Players can bring their own, or the church can keep a shared set
• What to do when it rains, if you play outdoors. Do not play on a wet court, and dry it fully before rolling it up

If the space is too small

If no area on the property reaches 27 × 51 ft, a court with a regulation playing area will not fit. The Play Court is 6 × 12 ft for $1,200 and comes with its own net. It is made for practice and casual games in a classroom, a hall or a corner of the lot, not for regulation play.

Get a church quote

Compare all three sizes on the portable pickleball courts page, then request a quote with your court size and delivery ZIP code to apply the church discount. If you are not sure what fits, tell us about the space and we will help you choose. For a single event, tell us about it and we will quote a rental.