Hall Requirements for Indoor Padel
Often, a hall is rented for a padel center. These are usually empty halls located in industrial areas with good access for members. Choosing the right location is arguably 80% of the success in setting up a padel facility
Key criteria when selecting a location for Indoor Padel
Size and Capacity of the Hall
The hall must be large enough to accommodate several padel courts. We recommend installing at least 3 to 4 padel courts with optimal access and sufficient parking for visitors. However, this depends on your business case. Feel free to use our Profit Calculator to play through secenarios (hours, occupancy, etc.). This tool can help structure the thinking.
- Hall type: Only a fully enclosed hall (closed walls on all sides) is treated as Indoor. If the sides are open or largely open, the courts are technically considered *outdoor* and must follow outdoor/wind rules.
- Indicative spacing around indoor courts:
– Side fence to side fence (between courts): ~2.0 – 3.0 m
– Back glass to back glass (inline): ~2.0 – 4.0 m
– Court to hall wall/obstacle: side ~2.0 m, back ~2.0 – 3.0 m
These values are non‑binding.
From a space‑optimisation point of view you can reduce them, as long as:
– the court structure and lighting can still be installed safely,
– basic access and maintenance around the courts remain possible,
– local fire, escape routes and building rules are fully respected. - In real projects, economics usually pushes layouts tighter and many indoor clubs bring courts closer together to fit one extra court, accepting less circulation/comfort space.
👉 Final limits, however, must always be set by your architect, fire consultant and the local authorities.
Minimum Height Requirements for Indoor Padel
Recommended target height:
- The target is min. 8.0 m – 26 ft for unrestricted, high‑level play and full use of high lobs.
- If you have 7.0–8.0 m (23 – 26ft) is a common commercial compromise in existing buildings – play is possible, but ambitious players will notice the limitation on lobs.
- If you are bellow 7,0 m (23 ft): Courts can physically be installed, but you must expect clear limitations for high lobs and more frequent ball–ceiling contact, especially for advanced players. It’s only really acceptable if you focus mainly on recreational/beginner use and everyone is aware of the compromise.
Floor Requirements for Padel Court Installation
A solid foundation is essential for a perfect padel court. To guarantee a safe, stable, and long-lasting installation, the court area must meet the following requirements:
✅ A strong concrete base
Your padel court must be installed on a load-bearing reinforced concrete slab with:
- Minimum thickness: 12 cm
- Concrete grade: C25/30 or higher
- A stable structure suitable for professional installation
If the floor structure is unclear, we may request a core drilling test and a review of the building plans before installation.
✅ Clean, solid & perfectly level surface
The surface area must be:
- Hard, solid and stable
- Free from soft or floating floors (carpet, rubber, vinyl, etc.)
- Completely cleared of any coverings, coatings, or glue residues
To ensure the best playing experience, the surface must meet this flatness tolerance:
- Maximum 3 mm deviation over 3 metres across the playing area
- Any unevenness, cracks, or dents must be repaired beforehand to ensure a smooth surface, which guarantees optimal ball bounce and gameplay.
- Expansion joints must be professionally treated and sealed by a local construction company before the artificial turf is installed. High-modulus, pressure-resistant PU joint fillers create a hard, level surface for consistent ball bounce, while still allowing the concrete slabs to expand and contract with seasonal temperature changes.
✅ Anchoring & alternative solutions
Our courts are typically secured using expansion anchors, requiring drilling to a depth of approximately 10 cm (4 inches).
If anchoring is not possible (for example on asphalt), we offer alternative solutions, including:
- Our unique No-Anchor-Kit stabilisation system
- or point foundation options where required
⚠️ Important: Hidden services under the floor
The floor must be free of hidden:
- Water pipes
- Electrical lines
- Gas pipes
- Underfloor heating systems
Any embedded services must be identified and addressed during the planning phase.
Legal and safety regulations
If the hall was previously used for other purposes (e.g., logistic warehouse), you may need to request a change of use permit to convert it into a sports facility. Consult your local authorities for guidance.
Pay special attention to the location of fire emergency exit doors. You may need to reposition exits if courts are too close or do not meet minimum clearance requirements. Always verify with local safety regulations.
Final Recommendations for your Padel Court
We hope these guidelines help you select the right hall for your indoor padel center. For more precise planning, we recommend consulting our floor planner tool, which will help you visualize and optimize the court layout and space utilization effectively.
Considering an indoor padel hall? Get a consultation from our team Contact Us
Frequently asked questions
Ceiling height is one of the most important factors for indoor padel performance.
A few key points for hall height:
– Our technical target for indoor padel is min. 8.0 m (27 ft) clear height at the middle net.
– 7.0–8.0 m (23 – 27 ft) is a common compromise in existing buildings and generally workable, with some limitation on very high lobs.
– At 6.8 m (22 ft) you are below that compromise range: the game is still playable, but high lobs will be clearly restricted and experienced/competitive players will notice it and will consider this as a limitation.
This becomes a commercial decision: accepting reduced height in exchange for using this existing building.
For advanced training and tournaments, 6.8 m (22 ft) clear height is a clear limitation:
– Advanced players will miss full-height lobs in training.
– For official tournaments, many federations / ranking systems expect higher clear height, so this hall may not be accepted for top-tier events.
– It can work for club‑level events and good amateur play, but it’s not fully “future‑proof” for a performance center.
From a padel point of view, we would strongly aim for “as close as possible to 8.0 m (27 ft)” if you want a real training and tournament venue.
For a standard indoor installation, we require a load-bearing reinforced concrete slab (minimum 12 cm, concrete grade C25/30).
If your hall has a non-structural floor surface — such as screed, sports flooring, or mastic asphalt — a normal anchoring solution is usually not possible.
The good news: in many cases, we can still install a court, depending on what is underneath the top layer.
What are the options?
Concrete slab underneath the surface
If there is a structural concrete slab below (for example under asphalt), we can often drill through the top layer and anchor securely into the slab — after verifying thickness, quality, and floor levelness.No structural slab below
If the floor consists only of asphalt or a weak build-up, we may still be able to install our Mod. BASIC using our specially engineered No-Anchor Kit.
This option always requires a technical verification of the existing structure.Point foundations
If required, a point foundation solution can also be used to create secure anchoring points.
Every non-concrete installation is assessed individually to ensure maximum stability, safety, and long-term performance.
When converting a warehouse into a padel club, we’d suggest checking at least:
1) Geometry & structure
– Clear height: min. ~7 m (23 ft) free above the whole court area (more is better).
– Column grid: can you fit full courts (20×10 m + run‑off) between columns?
– Any low beams, pipes, sprinklers in the playing zone?
2) Space & layout
– Enough width/length for the number of courts you want (including walkways, seating, reception, circulation).
– Emergency exits and escape routes still usable with courts installed.
3) Floor & anchoring
– Concrete slab thickness, flatness and condition (cracks, joints, slopes).
– Whether anchoring the courts into the slab is allowed and technically feasible.
– Drainage or moisture issues (water coming up, condensation).
4) Roof & indoor climate
– Roof condition: leaks, condensation risk above courts.
– Ventilation and temperature control for intensive sports use.
– Lighting concept: glare‑free, uniform, no low‑hanging fixtures above the court.
5) Regulations & neighbours
– Local building/use permit for sports/recreational use.
– Fire safety (sprinklers, detection, exit signs, emergency lighting).
– Noise towards neighbours or adjacent units (music + ball impact).
