Volleyball Court Guidelines

Volleyball is a popular sport for weekend barbecues and parties. The rules are easy to understand, and almost everyone has played it in gym class at some point in their lives. The setups for volleyball can range from a simple grass court to an official volleyball court, and you don't need much equipment besides a ball and a net.

  1. Grass

    • A grass court is the cheapest and easiest volleyball court to use. Just find a flat, open piece of ground in your yard, and buy a net (you can often find kits that include the net, poles, line markers and a ball, for about $20). If you want to move up from a flimsy net like that and have a regulation-sized court, you could always build your own net by building permanent poles to hold the net (which you can remove when it's not in use), and use a line-painter to paint the lines for the court. The dimensions for an official court are 29 feet 6 inches wide by 59 feet long, with the net height being 7 feet 11 5/8 inches (men's and co-ed), and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches high for women.

    Concrete/multipurpose

    • You could also build a concrete or multipurpose court. These courts consist of a steel-reinforced concrete slab laid down as a foundation, with the playing surface being a nonslip sealant, or tiles that are cushioned to help prevent injuries. Courts such as these can be used for tennis, volleyball, basketball or roller hockey, but often come at a steep price tag--anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000--and will require professional installation.

    Sand

    • If you like beach volleyball, you can build a sand court. You could do this on your own, but hiring a professional might be better. You'll need to excavate the court surface to a depth of 3 feet, then go an additional 3 feet where you'll put the poles for the net. You'll also need to dig drainage ditches to remove water. Wrap the drainage pipe in landscaping fabric (to help prevent clogging) and lay it in a zigzag pattern with the perforated side down. Lay down a foot of gravel and cover it with landscaping fabric, then add 2 feet of sand.