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How to Choose the Right Surface for Your Padel Court
Gradually growing in popularity before full-on exploding in 2020, most of us are by now familiar with the runaway success of pickleball. Now, a new racket sport is coming up in the wings. You guessed it: We’re talking about padel.
Padel — also sometimes called padel tennis — isn’t actually a new sport. Invented in the late 1960s by a Mexican businessman who lacked the space for a full-sized tennis court, padel blends elements of squash and tennis, and today, its star is rising. As of fall 2024, there are 600 courts in the U.S., with a growth potential of 20-30,000 courts by 2030. Already, in states like Florida, California, New York, Arizona, and Texas, the sport is taking off.
If you’re considering installing a new padel court (or converting an existing tennis or squash court) to round out a recreational center, you’re probably wondering: How are padel courts made? To answer that, we’ll focus on these courts’ (literal) foundation: padel court flooring.
The type of flooring on a padel court impacts everything from ball bounce and speed to player movement and injury prevention, making it one of the most influential factors in the design of a padel court. Below, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about padel court surfaces, from differences between padel court floor materials to choosing the right flooring for your court’s needs.
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What are the Surface Options for a Padel Court?
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Besides turf, what are padel floors made of? Other options for padel court flooring include: concrete or asphalt flooring coated with a synthetic material for cushion and grip; polypropylene or acrylic flooring, typically found in indoor installations; and, on occasion, natural grass surfacing. Out of all the padel court floor materials, artificial turf is the most common, though. We’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of these different padel court surfaces in more detail soon.
What is the surface area of padel courts? How is it different from tennis?
Padel court dimensions, per the International Padel Federation, are:
- 20 meters (65.6 feet) in length
- 10 meters (32.8 feet) in width
That adds up to 200 square meters, or 2,178 square feet, of total play surface, plus some buffer space reserved for the court’s perimeter; in professional padel courts, perimeters are at least 0.5 meters (1 foot, 8 inches) wide.
Given that padel vs tennis comparisons are so common, we’ll use tennis as a benchmark here. A typical doubles tennis court is longer, at 78 feet (23.77 meters), and wider, at 36 feet (10.97 meters), than a padel court. That gives a classic doubles tennis court 2,808 square feet (about 261 square meters) of playable surface vs. padel’s 2,178 square feet.
Because of their size, padel courts don’t just make apt choices for tight spaces. Thanks to having less space to cover, players of padel vs tennis can demonstrate quicker reflexes and more easily play off the walls surrounding a standard padel court, adding up to a more competitive, dynamic game.
Padel courts’ compactness can make for slightly more affordable installations, too, depending on factors like your padel court floor material type and its durability. Let’s dive into some of the key differences between padel court surfaces next.
How to choose the right padel court flooring
Option #1: Concrete or Asphalt Flooring
Advantages:
- Durable when topped with a synthetic coating to reduce wear. The synthetic coating can also be customized for different levels of grip and ball bounce.
- Affordable. Concrete and asphalt padel court floor materials tend to be more cost-effective – at least initially.
Disadvantages:
- Less cost-effective over time. To address cracks and unevenness, which are bound to appear in outdoor courts in particular, these surfaces require regular maintenance.
- Less safe. Concrete and asphalt absorb heat, making your playing surface uncomfortable or even dangerous in hot temperatures. Not only that, but even with a synthetic coating, they’re more taxing on joints and more abrasive to fall on compared to a surface with better shock absorption, like padel turf.
- Erratic play. Without a proper coating, the hardness of concrete and asphalt alone amounts to a less predictable ball bounce. Because this surface is less common than padel turf, fewer people will be familiar with the way it plays, too.
Option #2: Polypropylene or Acrylic Flooring
Advantages:
- Easy to control. With this type of synthetic surfacing, it’s easy to create a smooth, even playing field with a uniform bounce.
- Low-maintenance, particularly when applied indoors, and durable, with mostly simple cleaning required and year-round play possibilities.
Disadvantages:
- Little to no cushion. Compared to padel turf or natural grass, polypropylene and acrylic surfaces are typically harder, tougher on players’ joints, and can drive more discomfort and injuries.
- Less grip and shock absorption. Compared to a court that uses turf and a sand infill, synthetic surfacing is much slicker, impacting players’ movement and making it harder to perform quick stops and directional pivots.
Option #3: Natural Grass
Advantages:
- Visually appealing. It’s hard not to like the look of natural grass (when it’s properly maintained and cared for).
- Shock absorption. Natural grass surfaces tend to be soft, comfortable, and kinder to players’ joints. On the flip side, a damp natural grass surface is incredibly slippery.
Disadvantages:
- Extremely high maintenance. From constant watering and mowing to applying pesticides, many of natural grass’ advantages — like affordability and a low environmental impact — are quickly counteracted by maintenance needs and costs.
- Inconsistent play. With factors like maintenance and weather conditions dictating the state of your court, variations in your grass’ surface can be an issue.
- Inconsistent use. With a natural grass padel court, your ability to play will often be up to the season, weather, and time of day. Early morning games may not be an option, with dew making for slippery conditions.
Option #4: Padel Turf & Artificial Turf Infill
Advantages:
- Better play. The perfectly smooth surface of a well-installed artificial turf padel court and quality turf infill system allows for quicker footwork, sharper turning, and a consistent, predictable ball bounce. That’s the kind of playability that lets you focus on improving your game.
- Low maintenance and durable. Especially when paired with the right synthetic turf infill, your artificial turf padel court will withstand heavy use and all kinds of weather conditions. And speaking of infill: Envirofill is designed to keep your padel turf system performing better longer. It’s a rounded, coated sand infill that’s non-compacting and reusable, with minimal need for upkeep.
- Clean. Enviofill’s built-in Microban technology fights against bacteria, mold, and mildew in your turf system, so you can feel good about the health of all who play on it.
- Aesthetically appealing. Envirofill enhances the look of your turf court, with multiple color options. Going for a classic blue padel court? Get blue Enviorfill to seamlessly match. For other looks, try Envirofill in Red Clay, Green, or Black, or use alternating turf and infill colors to separate your court’s playing surface from its perimeter.
Disadvantages:
- A potentially higher up-front cost. Compared to the cheapest options, like a plain concrete or asphalt court, a padel court that uses a quality artificial turf and turf infill system may represent a bigger initial investment. With these systems’ high playability and low maintenance needs, though, much of that cost is offset overtime.
Why use Envirofill for my padel court?
Envirofill infill is the ideal finishing touch for any turf padel court, and not only because it’s designed to complement your court’s playability, cleanliness, and durability. With options in black, red, green, or blue — precisely the color palette of most popular padel courts! — Envirofill is sure to enhance your court’s aesthetic appeal, offering a modern, visually blended playing surface that’s free of mess and sand streaks.
Get ready to build a padel court that looks as good as it plays. Find more information about what makes Envirofill so high-performing, simple to install, and long-lasting in our quick guide to Padel x Envirofill.
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