Padel Court Specifications Explained: Glass, Structure, Turf, Lighting, Nets
Court quotes are full of specifications that all sound reassuring and mean very different things depending on the actual numbers behind them. This guide is a quick reference to read a quote the way an installer does, not just glance at the total price.
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Glass: Thickness, Type, and Mounting
Standard for padel is 10 to 12mm tempered glass. Below that range, panels flex more under ball impact and are more prone to stress cracks over the years, plus the tell-tale sound and feel changes noticeably. Tempered glass is not the same as laminated glass; tempered is the standard for padel because it shatters into small, safer fragments if it ever fails, laminated behaves differently and isn't the norm in this sport. Also worth confirming: how panels are mounted (bolted directly versus onto a rubber or neoprene interlayer that reduces vibration and noise) and whether panel joints are sealed to prevent water ingress on outdoor courts.
Structure: Steel Grade and Galvanization
The steel cage is the skeleton the whole court depends on for years. Galvanization grade determines how well it resists rust, and this matters enormously more outdoors or in humid, coastal, or high-rainfall climates than it does in a dry indoor hall. Ask specifically for the galvanization standard (commonly referenced against EN ISO 1461 in Europe) rather than accepting "galvanized steel" as a full answer, coating thickness varies and thin coatings fail years earlier than thick ones. Also check wall thickness of the steel tubing itself, thin-wall tubing is lighter to ship and install, and also more prone to developing rattles and flex over time.
Turf: Type, Weight, and Infill
Padel turf is either monofilament (smoother, generally considered a better bounce and slide) or fibrillated (more textured, historically cheaper, less common on premium installations now). Weight and density matter more than most first-time buyers realize, heavier, denser turf wears slower and holds its shape longer under heavy rotation. Pile height also affects ball bounce and should match FIP-standard ranges rather than whatever a supplier had in stock. Sand infill type and quantity (commonly 15 to 25kg per square meter depending on turf specification) affects stability, ball bounce consistency, and player traction, and it's frequently under-specified or left vague in budget quotes.
Lighting: Lux Level and Uniformity
Lux measures light intensity, and the right number depends on use: roughly 200 lux is the baseline for casual recreational play, 300 or more is better for regular evening use, and 500 lux or above is closer to what's expected for televised or competition-level play. The lux number alone isn't the full picture though, uniformity matters just as much: a court with bright centers and dark corners plays worse than a slightly lower but evenly distributed lux level. Ask for a lighting layout or simulation, not just a peak lux figure, and confirm whether fixture and pole cost is included in the quote or billed separately.
Nets and Posts
A minor line item in most budgets, but poor net tension and low-quality posts show up immediately during play and are one of the fastest ways a court feels amateur even when everything else is well built. Regulation net height and tension should match FIP specifications, and posts should be rated for the tension load without flexing.
Reading a Quote With This in Mind
When two quotes differ meaningfully in price, the specification sheet, not the headline number, tells you why. A supplier who lists every one of these specifications clearly and confidently is usually one that stands behind the quality of what they're selling. A supplier whose specification sheet is vague on several of these points, even if the price looks attractive, is one where you're likely to discover the real specification only after installation, when it's expensive to change.
We review supplier quotes and specification sheets for clients as part of supplier matching, translating the technical language into what it actually means for how the court will look, feel, and hold up in three, five, and ten years. Tell us about your project below.
