Pickleball Court Paint & Coatings

The best type of paint for a concrete pickleball court is acrylic paint. However, you want to make sure the acrylic paint you choose is designed specifically for court or outside horizontal surfaces. The acrylic that’s used for art projects or acrylic exterior house paint won’t work for pickleball court surfaces. 

Acrylic court paint is a latex paint that’s water-based. This type of paint is often mixed with silica sand, which serves the double purpose of providing a little grip on the court and filling in cracks and other pavement surface defects for a smoother surface. 

Almost all outdoor courts, whether they’re tennis courts or pickleball courts, are built using concrete or asphalt. These surfaces are durable and provide the stability and playability that you need to play pickleball. 

If you’re looking to paint or resurface multiple pickleball courts, you’ll be happy to know that the same acrylic court paint will work for both asphalt and concrete surface outdoor courts. 

Indoor pickleball courts can be on a variety of surfaces, including polyurethane. However, in most cases, the same acrylic, water-based paint will work for an indoor pickleball or tennis court just as well as it works on asphalt or concrete surfaces. 

Depending on the construction of an indoor pickleball court, the right paint can be even more important. You want an acrylic that also has some additional grip added to it since indoor courts and gymnasiums can be a little slippery. 

Building, painting, or resurfacing a pickleball court isn’t an inexpensive process, and it’s one that you don’t want to go through the trouble of doing too often if you can avoid it. Choosing a quality pickleball court paint can help add extended life to your pickleball court. 

Aside from a reputation of quality and durability, you want to look for a paint that offers a non-slip texture on the playing surface. We’ve found a few different options that do the job. 

INSLX Sure Step Anti-Slip Coating Paint

Kelley Technical Coatings Duracourt Tennis and Recreational Court Paint

FIXALL Skid Grip Anti-Slip Paint (Acrylic)

Tuff Grip Non-Skid Paint 

Painting and resurfacing are often used interchangeably when referring to painting a pickleball or tennis court. There are minor differences, but with the quality of non-skid court paints that are available, you can often take care of both in one step. 

In general, resurfacing refers to applying an acrylic resurfacer to a pickleball or tennis court to fill in surface voids and add a similar roughened texture that you would achieve by using both a resurfacer and paint separately. If you use a separate acrylic resurfacer, you will want to add your color coatings in a separate step. 

Before painting, make sure you have the proper protective equipment. The paint contains volatile organic compounds that should not be inhaled. 

The ideal surface for a pickleball court is one with a medium broom finish or a similar roughened texture. This means that when putting down the concrete, they etch surfaces with a medium boar bristle brush. 

The first step to preparing your pickleball court to be painted is to power wash the surface to remove loose materials and dirt and create a smooth surface. If you have professional power wash tools, that’s great, but you can also use something like a water hose and soft rubber squeegee to clean the surface. This should be completed prior to painting the court, ensuring that the court is completely dry before proceeding. 

Once the court is dry, an acrylic resurfacer can then be applied to repair cracks in the playing area. 

If you’re working with a brand new pickleball court surface, there’s no need to worry so much about surface repairs, but an acrylic resurfacer is still a good idea. New concrete surfaces need to cure for at least 28 days, while new asphalt surfaces should cure for at least 30 days before painting. 

Outline the court area with masking tape, then apply the color paintings with a soft rubber squeegee or paint roller. Most instructions tell you to apply one or more coats but plan on two coats for the best coverage. Make sure to let the material dry before you apply paint to the court lines. 

Cushioned Pickleball Court 

For cushioned pickleball courts, you want to apply a layer of cushioning paint/material. This type of product contains small rubber granules, rather than just fine sand, that add cushion to the court. The cushioner should be applied after an acrylic resurfacer but before any color coatings are applied. 

Painting Lines

Make sure that your color coatings have completely dried before adding lines to the playing area. On average, it takes one to two hours as the material dries, but it can take longer in shady or cooler areas. 

The best way to make a painted line is to get a tool that’s specifically for a tennis court or pickleball lines. This will help ensure evenness, especially where lines intersect. The color you choose should contrast with the playing area. 

Pickleball playing areas measure 44 x 20 ft, including the non-volley zone and the pickleball lines. So, the entirety of the pickleball lines should fall within these dimensions. The standard dimensions of a pickleball court, including the area outside of the pickleball line on each side of the playing area, is typically 60 x 30. 

In larger areas, you may be able to get up to four pickleball courts, whereas you might otherwise be able to make only one or possibly two tennis courts. 

Once you have your lines marked and the paint roller ready, you can make the first coat over the color coatings. Keep the lines inside the dimension and paint slowly. You’ll need multiple layers and time for them to dry thoroughly between layers. 

Painting a pickleball court is much like painting a tennis court, just with different dimensions and lines. The International Tennis Federation specifications for painting a tennis court and adjoining surfaces are more detailed and specific than what is required by the pickleball governing body. However, they’re still a great reference and can offer more of a step-by-step guide.