The short version. A padel court is 20 m by 10 m. The net is 0.88 m high in the middle. Service lines sit 6.95 m from the net. The end walls are 3 m of glass topped with 1 m of mesh, 4 m in all. A singles court is narrower, at 20 m by 6 m.
The playing area
| Feature | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Court length | 20 m |
| Court width | 10 m |
| Service line to net | 6.95 m |
| Service line to back wall | 3.05 m |
| Net length | 10 m |
| Net height | 0.88 m at the centre, 0.92 m at the posts |
| Net posts | up to 1.05 m high |
The centre line runs from net to service line on each side and extends 10 cm beyond the service line, so you can see which half you are serving from.
The walls
The walls are what make padel. At each end, the first 3 m above the floor must be a material that gives a true bounce, almost always toughened glass, topped by 1 m of welded mesh for a total of 4 m. The LTA’s construction guidance specifies 12 mm toughened glass outdoors and 10 mm indoors.
Along each side, glass continues for the first 4 m from each end: typically 2 m at full 3 m height, then a 2 m section stepping down, before wire mesh takes over for the middle of the court. Openings in the side for access can be single or double, and the LTA asks for at least 1.2 m between the net post and the enclosure so sports wheelchairs can get to both ends.
Panoramic or standard?
A standard court has steel posts between its glass panels. A panoramic court uses frameless glass held by fixings at the corners, so the side walls have no posts in your line of sight. It costs more and looks better on camera; for most club players the difference is spectating comfort rather than play.
Singles courts
Some clubs have narrower courts for singles: 20 m long but only 6 m wide. They are good for practice and for when the fourth player cancels.
The surface
Courts are sand-dressed synthetic grass, either fibrillated or monofilament, laid on porous asphalt so outdoor courts drain. The sand is why running shoes slide and why padel shoes have herringbone or omni (clay-style) soles.
Roof height
For indoor courts, the LTA’s lighting guidance requires at least 6 m of clear space above the playing area. In practice the better indoor clubs build higher: several we list advertise 10 to 12 m of clearance, because a good lob needs room.
Space needed to build one
LTA guidance gives these minimum footprints for outdoor courts, including the foundation ring beam and a 1.5 m gap between courts:
| Courts | Length | Width |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.80 m | 10.80 m |
| 2 | 20.80 m | 22.30 m |
| 3 | 20.80 m | 33.80 m |
| 4 | 20.80 m | 45.30 m |
What it costs to build them is in our padel court cost guide.
Quick answers
How big is a padel court?
20 metres long by 10 metres wide, enclosed by walls up to 4 metres high.
How high is a padel net?
0.88 m at the centre, rising to 0.92 m at the posts. The net is 10 m long.
How much space do you need for a padel court?
About 20.8 m by 10.8 m for one outdoor court including the foundation, according to LTA guidance, plus room for access and lighting. Two courts side by side need about 20.8 m by 22.3 m.