DIY Pickleball court divider $30–50
DIY Pickleball court divider $30-$50
I’ve been frustrated by “ball on” calls from the adjacent pickleball court having their ball land in my court while playing. I previously played at one site that had court dividers, and remember fondly the fewer interruptions. This Do-It-Yourself pickleball court divider at 30 inches high will stop about 90% of the balls crossing courts. High balls, and bouncy balls may still skip over, but they are few.
I store the divider (without nets) at our courts.
It takes less the 5 minutes to assemble or disassemble it.
This means smaller storage and a cheaper divider than the very nice $180 25’x2’ court divider net.
My Costs:
$20.16 (2) nets
$ 7.62 (3) 3/4” PVC pipe 10 feet
$ 1.58 ½” PVC pipe 10 feet
$29.34 My cost
Free to me:
$ 2.36 (8) small hooks
$ 2.50 (20) 2” wood screws
$10.68 (3) 42” long 2.5”x2.5” rough lumber (priced as 8’ 2x4)
$ 5.59 (60) Velcro straps (or just use some string)
$21.13 (total, if purchased)
$50.47 Worst case
See “Parts” at end of this article for details about purchasing parts, if needed.
Very quick summary: Create 3 wood crosses with a hole in them for ½” PVC pipe 32” long with top and bottom hooks. Attach net to top and bottom and stretch out with weights on outer post holders. Secure sections of 5 foot ¾” PVC pipe to bottom of net including nail on post.
You could buy just a professional net 12’x60’ (instead of this 2’ x 40’) for $163.
Tools needed:
Wood saw. I used a circular saw with adjustable blade depth.
Drill with bits (optional phillips head bit to drive screws)
including a 13/16” or 7/8” drill bit for the ½” PVC pipe (OD 0.84”)
Center punch
Wood chisel
Hammer
Phillips head, ‘+’, driver
Pencil or marker
Create Posts
Wood bases:
I had rough lumber from spacers between composite decking boards.
Any thick boards will do. Mine were 2.5” x 2.5” and started at 42” long, which I cut in half to 21”.
Worst Case cut a 8’ long 2x4 into 4 sections roughly 2’ each.
Stack 2 boards together to make 3.5”x3” (or cut and nail together instead of chiseling).
Create a post holder
Cross 2 pieces of 21” or longer wood that are 2.5” deep or higher.
1. Place 1 piece 90 degrees across (perpendicular) to the other piece such that it is centered on the other piece.
2. Mark the edges of the board.
3. Cut to a depth of ½ the depth of the board.
For my circular saw, you adjust with a knob:
4. Cut both edges that were marked.
Optionally cut additional stripes in between for easier chiseling.
5. Mark a line between to the outer 2 drill cuts (about ½ way down the depth of the board). Use a drill to cut several holes along that line.
6. Use a hammer and chisel to knock out the wood above the drill holes and roughly smooth to a somewhat flat surface. [Photo below I mis-measured and chiseled too wide, but you can see the chiseled cut and 2 diagonal corner screws]
7. Repeat the process on the other board. Place the chiseled board across the unchiseled board centered halfway and mark the sides. Repeat the saw, drill, chisel.
8. Lay the boards crossed with notches facing each other. The notches should let the boards set flush against each other. The top and bottom of the cross boards should be even. If the cut isn’t deep enough (one board is not flush with the other), chisel the notch deeper.
9. Screw the boards together with 2 wood screws at opposite corners (will be farthest away from post hole). Use a drill bit smaller than the screw diameter and drill holes for the screws first. [In photo below, screws are counter-sunk below wood surface.]
Alternative 2x4 method without chiseling.
Cut an 8’ 2x4 into two 25” sections and four 11.5” sections.
Place the 25” sections cross wise centered on each other.
Attach the 11.5” sections on either side of each crossed piece.
- Drill a hole ¾ of the way through the board at the center of the cross with large (7/8”) drill bit. (If using 13/16” bit, swirl around a little to make hole slightly larger)
2. Nail a long nail at the end of each post where the net will be.
Later we slip a tube over the nail to hold the net and tube down to the ground.
Repeat the above steps 2 more times to create 3 post holders.
Create posts
Parts needed:
6 wood screws,
6 hooks (or eyelets you unbend).
- Cut three sections of 32” each from the ½” PVC pipe.
2. Easiest with tube held in a vice.
3. Use a center punch to create a spot 2” away from an end (the top).
4. Use a drill bit smaller than the hook screw diameter and drill a hole at the punch.
5. Screw hook in.
6. Measure the depth of your post hole and add 1”.
7. Center punch a second spot 1” + post hole depth from the other end of the pipe.
8. Use a drill bit smaller than the hook screw diameter and drill a hole at the punch.
9. Screw hook in.
10. Place post in hole of post holder
Repeat the 2–9 for the other two posts.
Assembly Preparation
- At the end of each net near the white top line, tie a loop.
2. Cut the 10-foot ¾” PVC pipes in half. 5-foot sections are easier to carry and arrange.
Assembly
1. Place one post in holder at the center between the two pickleball nets of the two courts.
2. Attach the top of each net to the top hook using the loops of white twine.
3. Loop the bottom corners of the nets on the bottom hook.
4. Take one net and move 20 feet away between the courts and attach to post in holder.
Remember a standard pickleball court baseline is 22 feet away from the net so your holders, should be 2 feet towards the net from the baseline.
Without weights, you can’t stretch the nets taught.
5. Place weight (sand bag, cinder block, etc.) on outer edge of post holder and move post away to stretch out the net until taut.
6. Take other net and put on post in holder 20 feet away in the opposite direction.
7. Place weight (sand bag, cinder block, etc.) on outer edge of post holder and move post away to stretch out the net until taut.
8. Attach Velcro strip or string a few inches away from the wood base of the post.
9. Slip a 5-foot section of ¾” PVC pipe in the loop and push the end of the pipe against the wood base.
10. Slip the tube over the nail at end of post.
11. Attach another Velcro strip or string 4.5 feet away from the first. That is, a few inches before the end of the pipe.
12. Repeat steps 8–11 with a pipe next to each net end.
13. Place final pipe piece roughly centered between other two pipes and secure with either a single Velcro strip/string in the center (sufficient) or two strips/strings at either end of the pipe.
Deviations from described:
I started with 2 sizes of wood (my outer posts) and settled on using just the thicker piece (middle piece). I had a spare old wood handle I used for the center post.
Parts
Details and examples of what to buy:
The central item is two inexpensive $9.29 nets 20 feet long, and 30 inches high.
Item(s) Subtotal: $18.58 Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Total before tax: $18.58 Estimated tax to be collected: $1.58
Grand Total: $20.16
To hold the net on the ground and prevent pickleballs from rolling under, secure the bottom of the net to ¾” inexpensive PVC pipe. For example, from
Home Depot:
Charlotte Pipe 3/4 in. x 10 ft. PVC Schedule 40 Plain-End DWV Pipe 3 $2.54
Model # PVC 04007 0600 Store SKU # 193712
Unbranded 1/2 in. x 10 ft. 600-PSI Schedule 40 PVC Plain End Pipe 1 $2.06/item
Model # 530048 Store SKU # 193682
I connected the tubes to the bottom of the net with 2 small Velcro straps each (which I already had). You could use string.
Everything else, I had on hand, but if you had to buy them:
Hmrope 60PCS Reusable Fastening Cable Ties, 6-Inch Adjustable Cord Ties, Microfiber Hook Loop Cords Management Wire Organizer Wraps (Assorted Colors) $5.59
I used 6 small hooks (actually 4 eyelets I unbent):
1/2 in. Brass-Plated Steel Cup Hooks (4-Pack)
Model# 816891 $1.18
I used 6 wood screws
SPAX #8 x 2 in. Zinc Coated Philips-Square Drive Flat-Head Full Thread Multi-Material Screw (20 per Box)
Model# 4101010400501 $2.50
Junk rough sawn lumber I got from spacers between composite deck boards.
I used 3 pieces each 42” long, which I cut in half to 21”.
You could probably use stringer boards from a heavy-duty pallet.
Standard nominal 2x4 might work, but are not high (actually only 1.5”x3.5”) enough to hold a post hole. You could double up 2x4’s into 3”x3.5” which would be plenty thick enough.
Buying good lumber, instead of junk rough sawn lumber, would significantly increase the cost.
So, each 8’ board cut into roughly 2-foot sections would make one post holder.
2 in. x 4 in. x 96 in. Premium Kiln-Dried Whitewood Stud
Model# 161640
$3.56
I didn’t cost out the 4 nails. If you don’t have them, find someone who does.
You may want to weigh down your post holders with cinder blocks or another heavy object.
I had sandbags on hand and filled them with rocks.
