If you want to play badminton by the rules, you'll need an official court, set up according to specifications. Here's how to set up your court at home, for competitive play by the rules.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: One Hour to One Weekend
Here's How:
- Buy a net and posts. The net needs to be 20 feet long for a doubles court, and 17 feet long for a singles court. It should be topped with a tape an inch and a half wide. The posts need to be at least 5 feet 1 inch tall, as the net should be at that height at the edge of the court.
- Get a tape measure and materials to mark the lines of the court. The singles court is a large rectangle 44 feet long by 17 feet wide. The net is placed in the middle of the 44 foot long span, 22 feet from the back boundary line of each end of the court. The doubles court is the same total length, but is 20 feet wide instead of 17 feet.
- Decide on your location, allowing plenty of overhead clearance, and decide on the orientation of your court. You will need at least 30 feet of vertical clearance, with no overhanging obstructions. While an indoor court is ideal, outdoor courts can allow play when wind conditions permit. To mitigate adverse effects of sunlight beaming directly into players' eyes during play, a north-south orientation is usually preferable to an east-west orientation.
- Measure and lay out the boundary lines, then erect the posts and net. The lines should each be one and a half inches in width. Details and a good sketch of the layout can be found within USA Badminton's club handbook.
- Enjoy! Get your racquets and your shuttlecocks, warm up, and have a hit.
Tips:
- Plan for Drainage and Good Traction. Consider a Synthetic Surface.
- If You Play Over Grass, Move the Court Frequently to Avoid Damaging the Grass
What You Need:
- Net and Posts, and Line to Secure the Net to the Posts
- Tape Measure
- Paint, Lime, or Tape for Marking the Lines
- A Level Playing Surface