The playing surface
The court floor may be cement, synthetic material or artificial grass, as long as it gives a regular bounce. It should be one colour, green, blue or terracotta, and almost perfectly level.
Clause 1: Materials you can use
The court surface may be cement, synthetic material or artificial grass.
Clause 2: A regular bounce
Whatever the material, the surface must let the ball bounce regularly.
Clause 3: Colours you can use
The permitted and preferred colours are green, blue or terracotta, or similar shades of them.
Clause 4: One colour for the floor
The whole floor surface must be a single colour.
Clause 5: Different from the walls
The floor colour must be clearly different from the colour of the walls.
Clause 6: A level playing surface
The surface must be level enough that any differences in height are less than 3 mm when measured with a 3 m straight edge, a ratio of 1/1000. That is why a good court feels perfectly flat underfoot and the ball does not kick off in odd directions.
Clause 7: Slope for drainage
On surfaces without drainage, the floor may slope sideways by no more than 1%, running from the centre towards the outer edges of the court. A gentle fall lets rain run off an outdoor court without changing the bounce.
Clause 8: Synthetic and grass surfaces
Synthetic and artificial grass surfaces must also meet the requirements in the FIP Annex on court approval.
En match réel
Questions
What is a padel court surface made of?
It may be cement, synthetic material or artificial grass, as long as the ball bounces regularly.
Can a padel court be any colour?
The rules permit green, blue or terracotta, or similar shades, in one colour for the whole floor and clearly different from the walls.
How flat does the court have to be?
Differences in level must be under 3 mm when checked with a 3 m straight edge. Courts without drainage may slope by up to 1% from the centre to the edges.