Beach volleyball is a fun, active game to play in the warmer months and can be played at an ocean-side beach, at a lake, or even in your backyard. When playing beach volleyball in your backyard, two ways to play include playing one against one or two teams of two players each.
Regardless of how you enjoy your volleyball game, you might decide to build a beach volleyball court in your backyard.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to build a beach volleyball court in your backyard so that you can enjoy this game from the comfort of your own home with friends and family whenever you want.
Designing the Court
Typical doubles beach volleyball courts are 26’3’’ by 52’6’’, however, if you’re just playing for fun, there are no size requirements for your beach volleyball court. You’ll just want to be sure to have enough space and not have any obstacles nearby to keep players safe.
You might also consider having 9 feet of space outside the court per official guidelines, or if you’re just playing for fun, have some space outside the court for safety reasons or so that players can more easily move about should the volleyball go out of bounds.
This makes the total recommended measurements for your beach volleyball court around 36’ by 63’.
When creating the boundaries of the court, consider using brightly-covered tape or rope.
Excavating the Area for Your Volleyball Court
For safety reasons, it’s a good idea to check with your utility companies for the potential of underground power lines, water pipes, or other utilities before you start digging. Once you’ve confirmed that the area is safe, you can prepare to excavate.
You’ll want to consider how deep you need to excavate. Typically 18 inches to 36 inches deep is average, depending on how you design your court and how well it drains.
Drainage ditches should be installed leading away from the lowest point of your court, and then you can install perforated drainage pipes across the court.
Sand retains water, so it’s very important that your beach volleyball court drains properly. A court that doesn’t drain properly can become muddy.
Setting up the Poles
Looks for poles that are roughly 11’ to 13’ in length and are made of sturdy materials, such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, anodized aluminum, or treated wood. You’ll want to dig the holes for the poles between 29’ to 36’ apart. The actual amount of distance you separate your poles depends on if you’re following official rules or if you simply plan to play for fun.
Dig the holes three feet deep and ideally one inch in diameter. Secure the poles in the holes when filling them in. Additionally, consider wrapping the poles with something soft, like padding, to protect players who might accidentally run into them.
Fill in the Court
Now that your poles are in place, you’ll want to spread 4 to 6 inches of gravel that’s good for drainage. Next, use a layer of landscape fabric to separate the gravel from your sand.
You’ll need approximately 100 tons of sand per one foot of depth of court at the dimensions mentioned above. It may make sense to buy up to 300 tons of sand, depending on how deep your court is.
It should be noted that sand is expensive to return, so you should consider your backyard beach volleyball court a permanent part of your yard unless you pay someone to haul the sand away.
Use a shovel or rake to distribute the sand across your court evenly.
Hang Your Net
An official net measures 32 feet long by 39 inches tall. If you’re playing for fun, you can use any size net that makes sense for your court. Men’s volleyball nets are hung at approximately 8 feet, whereas women’s volleyball nets are hung at approximately 7 feet 4 inches. Again, you can use any height based on preference if you’re playing for fun.
Estimated Cost to Build a Backyard Beach Volleyball Court
Building a backyard beach volleyball court has associated costs with materials, excavating, lighting, and similar. The most expensive part of the court is likely to be the sand, which you can expect to pay $19.50 to $22.50 per ton for.
You may also need to rent tools or hire people to help you build the court. This could cost up to $1,000 or more, depending on how long it takes to build the court. Lastly, you’ll probably want some lighting to go around the court, which may run a few hundred dollars.
All in all, you may end up paying between $4,000 and $8,000 for a backyard beach volleyball court, though this can still vary greatly based on where you live and what additional work needs to be done on your yard.
Final Thoughts
Building a beach volleyball court in your backyard is a task that will take some time and possibly some friends or professionals to help with, but the reward is well worth it. You’ll be able to have years of fun playing volleyball with friends and family in your backyard during events such as BBQs, birthday parties, and more.
