How To Build Your Own Sand Court

1) Suggested Playing Area / Court Dimensions

The playing area consists of the court and a safety space around it measuring 10 feet in each direction (50 feet x 80 feet). If you don't have this space, smaller courts can be built, call 1-800-494-3933 for recommendations. International organizations suggest 70 feet x 100 feet space with a 20 foot buffer around the court but we feel this is excessive due to the increased cost of sand around the court. The space above the playing area should be free of obstructions. Playing area should be level and consist of good quality sand to a thickness which prevents players from contacting the underlying surface.

Dimensions of the court are 29'6" feet by 59' feet and are measured from the outer edge of the boundary lines. The new 2 on 2 court size is 26'3" x 52'6". (We still prefer to build to the 6 on 6 court size so our courts accommodate both sizes and in case the 2 on 2 court size returns to the larger size.)

The boundary lines should be made of brightly colored tape or rope having similar characteristics (Note: Ropes can sometimes leave burns if you contact them accidentally, thick 2" wide webbing is what is recommended and what the professionals use). (For safety reasons we recommend removing the lines at night to protect people from tripping and injuring themselves). The plane of the net serves as an invisible center line of the court, dividing it into two halves.

2) Site Preparation

We recommend calling 811 to check your proposed court area for underground utilities before starting excavation. The court area should be excavated to a 1-1/2 to 3 foot depth depending on how well your future court site drains. You will need to install a single (or multiple)drainage ditch(s) leading away from the lowest point of the court. Perforated drainage pipe should be laid across the court with a clean out on the high side and the other open to the drainage ditch. (Do not use corrugated drain pipe. It tends to collapse under the weight of the sand) Proper drainage is extremely important! You could find yourself playing in a giant mud puddle without it. (Even if the court is built above ground, sand will still retain water!).

3) Court Drainage PVC and Gravel

Depending on how well your soil drains overlay the court area with a few inches to a one-foot thickness of pea gravel. (If your budget is tight, place pea gravel just around the perforated drain pipe) Pea gravel around the perforated PVC pipe is important to prevent the holes in the PVC pipe from plugging. Above the pea gravel place our Sand Preservation FabricTM to prevent sand from washing through into the base gravel. (We have tested over 30 different types of geo-textile fabrics to insure that the money you spend on sand isn't washed away with rain. If you would like to purchase our ideal Sand Preservation FabricTM from us please call 1-800-494-3933. (Do not purchase soil separator fabric from local hardware stores. Their fabric is not thick enough to prevent sand loss.)

4) Finding Sand

Sand has become a passion of ours due to the fact that we have seen so many beautiful volleyball courts over the years with horrible sand. Building a beach volleyball court with bad sand typically results in a court which doesn't get used. Most volleyball players new and experienced don't like to play beach volleyball in a cloud of dust or in sand that cuts up their knees and elbows.

You will want to deposit one to two feet of volleyball sand over the area prepped for drainage and rake level. Your budget may dictate the depth of sand used but keep in mind if you go with a lesser depth, plan on raking or shoveling back sand from the middle of your "dished out court" to the sides about once a week or more (depending on how often the court is used).

The playing area alone will consume approximately 100+ tons of sand at a depth of approximately 12 inches. Many customers purchase betwen 100-300 tons per court depending on the size of their court and the depth they prefer. (Call us at 1-800-494-3933 for more detailed information and pricing)

If you want beach volleyball sand you should typically not use golf course bunker sand or washed masonry sand. You want a blend of ideal particle sizes with low dust. We have spent the past 10 years creating a distribution network of beach volleyball sand for sale throughout the United States and Canada to supply you with high quality volleyball sand without incurring excessive delivery costs. (Call 1-800-494-3933 for pricing)

When evaluating volleyball sand for purchase you want to check for abrasiveness, current dust and playing dust. To check abrasiveness you should wear shorts and test the sand with your knees in both dry and wet conditions by kneeling down onto it. To check the current dust in the sand you want to shake it up in a clear bottle of water and see how cloudy the water gets. For playing dust you need to have a lab evaluate it for particle shape. The playing dust issue is the most common issue people skip then regret when purchasing randomly sourced sand.

Sand is expensive to return and once it's in your court, it will be there forever unless you pay to ship it away. Please let us help you with your volleyball sand by calling 1-800-494-3933. The sands we sell are extremely low in dust (most less than a trace) and you'll have the choice as to what particle shape sand you wish to purchase. We work with people every day, all year long building courts and you'll benefit from our experience.

5) Selecting Poles

Poles supporting the volleyball net should be made of stainless steel, anodized aluminum, galvanized steel, treated wood (6 x 6's or larger are preferred with sanded edges, 4 x 4's tend to bend too much) or other material that will withstand tension and not bend or break when stressed. It is also a good idea to pad the poles to protect players using your court and to give your court that cosmetic professional look.

Poles should be approximately 10.5-16 feet long and cemented into a concrete footing measuring at least 1 foot in diameter and 3 feet deep (This can vary depending on how compact the soil is). The poles don't have to be cemented in place but should be. Poles should be free of hazardous protrusions. (Avoid making poles with eye bolts since prolonged volleyball net tension often brakes them off and results in sharp, rusty points coming off the poles) If you use guy wires, they should be made of bright colors or padded to prevent injury to players. All anchors for guy wires and boundary lines should be buried at least 12-18 inches under the surface of the sand and free of sharp edges.

6) Selecting a Net

Official outdoor nets measure 32 feet long by 39 inches tall. If you don't have the space for an official size net we can make a volleyball net any size you wish. The proper height for a men's net is 7' 11-5/8" (8 Feet) tall and for women it's 7' 4-1/8" (7 Feet 4 Inches) tall. Aircraft cables with fixed eye loops on both sides should be used on all permanent standing courts. This allows you to padlock your net to your poles and the aircraft cable provides added security since steel cable is much more difficult to cut down than a standard rope cable. Residential courts can use Kevlar cords or standard ropes if you wish to make your net easier to set up and take down.