How to Make a Racquetball Court

A racquetball court requires a rectangular room 20 feet wide, 40 feet long and 20 feet high. In racquetball, the four walls, ceiling and floor are in play, so all must be hard, smooth surfaces that can withstand the impact of a fast-moving ball and an occasional racquet or player. Unique red floor markings—which define the serving and receiving areas—turn the appropriate space into a racquetball court.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure Red tape, 1.5 inches wide Masking tape Red enamel paint Paint roller and tray, small
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Instructions

  1. Required Line Markings

    • 1

      Using the red 1.5-inch tape as a place holder that will later be replaced by a painted line, divide the floor into two equal areas of 20 feet by 20 feet by taping a straight line across the width of the court at the midpoints of the two 40-foot sides of the floor. The back edge of this line, called the short line, is parallel with the front and back walls and midway between them.

    • 2

      With the red tape, make the front edge of the service line 5 feet in front of the back edge of the short line and parallel with it. This service line extends across the court from one side to the other and 15 feet from the front wall.

      The service zone is the 5 feet by 20 feet area enclosed by the outer edges of the short line and the service line and the bottom edges of the two side walls.

    • 3

      With the red tape, mark the receiving line 5 feet behind the short line and parallel with it. It will be 15 feet from the back wall with the back edge of the receiving line, 5 feet from the back edge of the short line. Make this receiving line a broken or dashed line that begins and ends with 21 inches of solid line extending inward from each side wall. Connect these two solid line segments with a broken line composed of alternating 6-inch spaces and 6-inch line segments.

      This creates a 5 feet by 20 feet area called the safety zone between the receiving line and the short line. The safety zone is observed only during the serve.

    • 4

      With the red tape, create a service box on each side of the service zone, for use only in doubles play, by connecting the short line and the service line with perpendicular lines located at 18 inches and 36 inches from each side wall. When positioned correctly, the edge of the 1.5-inch red tape nearest the center of the court for one perpendicular line will be 18 inches from the wall, and the edge of the 1.5-inch red tape nearest the center of the court for a second perpendicular line will be at 36 inches from that wall. Repeat on the other side of the service zone for the second service box.

    • 5

      Make straight edges for painting by placing masking tape snugly against both sides of every 1.5-inch red line marked out on the floor and all four sides of each segment of the broken line. For each line, remove the red tape place holder and paint between the two pieces of masking tape that now mark where the painted line should be.