Guide · Choosing
Indoor, outdoor or covered court?
Open air, indoor hall or canopy: wind, clear height and permits differ from one option to the next.
Outdoor court
The most direct option: a slab, the court and its lighting. Three things need thinking about.
- Wind. On exposed sites a reinforced model may be needed: the Club+ is certified for winds up to 240 km/h, the Panoramic+ up to 198 km/h.
- Salt air. On the coast, Portico Sport hot-dip galvanises the steel before powder coating.
- Water. The slab must shed rain, through a fall or a draining base. See the requirements.
Indoor court
Play all year round, whatever the weather, in an existing or new building. The key point is height: the FFT requires at least 7 m of clear height over the whole court, lighting included, and advises 9. The FIP sets a 6 m minimum.
A club open to the public is classed as a public venue (ERP type X indoors), with its own safety rules. Example: our black-turf courts in Izon.
Covered court
In between: a Portico Sport canopy over outdoor courts. Play stays dry without building a closed hall, and side panels up to 3 m can keep the wind out.
A canopy is well over 20 m² of footprint, so it generally needs a building permit.
At a glance
| Outdoor | Indoor | Covered | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round play | Weather permitting | Yes | Yes, sheltered from rain |
| Main watch-point | Wind, salt air, drainage | 7 m clear height (FFT) | Custom design |
| Permit | Depends on the council | Depends on the building | Building permit, generally |
Compare models, with or without a canopy, in our configurator.
Planning a padel court?
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