How to Light an Indoor Pickleball Court (The Right Way)
Pickleball isn’t just exploding in popularity — it’s evolving into a serious sport. Whether you’re lighting a rec center, school gym, or competitive indoor facility, one thing’s clear: bad lighting kills good games.
Here’s how to light indoor pickleball courts the right way, based on court size, application class, and proven LED fixture setups.
1. Know Your Court Size
Indoor pickleball courts are the same dimensions as outdoor:
20’ x 44’ for the court area, and typically 30’ x 60’ for the full play zone. Most indoor setups use multiple courts side by side, so knowing your total layout matters when calculating fixture counts and placement.
2. Match the Lighting to the Level of Play
Light levels aren’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s a breakdown of recommended footcandles and uniformity, based on use:
| Play Type | Illumination (FC) | Max Uniformity (Emax/Emin) |
|---|---|---|
| Class I – Pro/Collegiate | 150 FC | ≤ 1.5:1 |
| Class II – Club/Regional | 100 FC | ≤ 1.5:1 |
| Class III – High School | 75 FC | ≤ 1.7:1 |
| Class IV – Rec/Parks | 50 FC | ≤ 2.0:1 |
Uniformity is key. You don’t want hot spots or dark patches that throw off depth perception.
3. Use the Right Fixture Setup
For indoor applications, round LED high bays are your best bet. They’re efficient, durable, and deliver wide, even light from higher ceiling mounts — often around 20 feet.
Here’s a proven example layout that meets Class II standards (100 FC, ≤ 1.5:1 uniformity) across four courts:
- 48 round LED high bays
- 215W each
- Mounted at 20 feet
This setup is optimized for multi-court visibility, reducing glare and giving players clear sightlines from baseline to net.
4. Bonus: Use Our Free Lighting Layout Tool (Or Let Us Handle It)
Not sure where to start? Every facility’s different.
Our free online lighting layout tool lets you map out your indoor pickleball court in minutes. Plug in your court dimensions, ceiling height and target foot-candles and the tool will recommend spacing to get you in the ballpark.
It’s a great self-serve option for standard spaces with flat ceilings and open layouts.
Need a second set of eyes? Give us a call or send us an email. Share your plans and we’ll review the layout, make adjustments as needed and help you dial in the right lighting solution for your court.
Self-serve when you want. Professional help when you need it. Either way, we’ve got you covered.
