Sand Volleyball Courts

A Guide to Equipment & Court Construction

Many volleyball facilities are considering adding sand volleyball courts to their competitive environments. While safety is of the
utmost importance in the installation of these courts, there are a number of options that also affect quality play, rules compliance and
cost. This information sheet was developed as a basic overview of considerations for sand court installation.

Court Construction

Site planning requirements include:

Excavation process
Drainage planning for water run-off
Water run off
Spectator seating
Site lighting
The best quality sand volleyball facilities actively involve
a facility/maintenance group or an outside architect to
ensure that site requirements are followed and to avoid
future complications, such as drainage, safety or anchoring
concerns.

Dimensions and Environment

FIVB regulations define a playing area of 26 to 28 meters by

18 to 20 meters and include these specifics for court and free
areas:
Court: 8 meters x 16 meters
Free zone: 5 to 6 meters on each side
Space free from obstruction to a minimum height of 12.5
meters
Depth of sand: Recommended depth of sand is 16 inches
Layout, design and costs of a court installation may be
affected by site selection:
Outdoor: Soil characteristics, drainage, type and depth of
sand, etc.
Indoor: Floor construction, clearance, etc.
(See back of this sheet for court layout. Detailed drawings
may be obtained from Sports Imports)

Anchoring Systems

Three types of system anchors are available.

Permanent Outdoor Net System:
Anchored via concrete pier
Removable Net System, Indoor or Outdoor:
Anchored via buried base
Semi-permanent, but removable Indoor Net System:
Anchored via buried base

*See back for line drawings of anchoring systems.

Net Systems and Equipment

Each Net System should include:

Uprights
Upright Safety Pads
Volleyball Net
Net Antennas
Referee Stand with Padding
Court Boundary Lines
Court Barriers (prevent ball from leaving court area)
For safety reasons and FIVB rules governing indoor and
sand volleyball, guide wires of any type must not be used.
Additionally, all obstructions must be eliminated for maximum
player safety.

Sand Selection

Sand selection is an important factor and should incorporate

these considerations:
Washed: Sand should be double washed, and free of silt
and clay in order to prevent compaction.
Particle Size: Size of the sand particles should be between
.5 and 1 mm to allow for proper drainage and maximum
safety.
Particle Shape: A sub angular shape will resist compaction
and assist in drainage.
Color : Tan-colored sand absorbs less heat with minimal
glare.
Source: A granite based sand (non-calcareous no
calcium or limestone) sand remains stable under all
weather conditions and is unaffected by acid rain.
The AVP currently recommends _______________ sand.

Construction Costs

Actual court costs will vary depending on the site selected

and specifications developed for the court. Expense costs
for labor and materials may vary a great deal depending on
economic differences around the country. An anticipated cost
could range from $20,000 to $40,000 per court.

For more information

For more information contact Sports Imports
the exclusive supplier of Senoh volleyball
equipment, the only net system ever used
in Olympic Beach volleyball events. Senoh
also is The Official Net System of the NCAA
Volleyball Championships.

NCAA is the registered trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association

WWW.SPORTSIMPORTS.COM 800-556-3198

Anchoring Systems

SAND

CONTINUOUS POST
OR SLEEVE

SUBSURFACE

CONCRETE
PIER

SAND

SUBSURFACE

SAND

WEIGHTS

BURIED BASE

CONCRETE FLOOR
SUBSURFACE

1. Permanent Outdoor Net System

anchored via concrete pier

2. Removable Net System, Indoor or

Outdoor anchored via buried base

Court Diagram

WWW.SPORTSIMPORTS.COM 800-556-3198

REMOVABLE BASE

BASE ANCHORS

3. Semi-permanent, but removable

Indoor Net System anchored via
buried base