Tennis and pickleball courts in San Francisco are mostly at schools, clubs, apartment and condominium complexes and public parks, with private courts more often found on the larger lots of the Peninsula and Marin towns we serve. Court fencing is tall chain link on heavy framework, with gates wide enough for maintenance equipment. Black or green vinyl-coated fabric is the usual finish because players can see the ball against it and it resists salt air.
Wind is the engineering problem here. A windscreen makes a court playable on a foggy afternoon, but it also turns an open fence into a sail, and the west wind in this city blows hard and often. Posts, footings and bracing have to be sized for the screened fence, not the bare one. On exposed sites we talk through partial-height screens or vented screen fabric with you before anything is ordered.
A court fence is usually taller than the 6 foot height that San Francisco allows without a building permit, so plan on a permit from the Department of Building Inspection, and expect Planning to look at where a fence that tall sits on the lot. Rooftop and podium courts are a separate case: posts anchor to the structure, not the ground, and the building's engineer needs to approve the attachment. We work from their details.
Tennis court fencing in San Francisco: common questions
How tall is a tennis court fence?
Commonly 10 feet behind the baselines, sometimes with lower sections along the sides. Pickleball courts are often fenced lower. The right height depends on the court layout and what sits next to it, and in San Francisco the height has to fit the city's limits for that part of the lot.
Can windscreens go on an existing court fence?
Sometimes. A screen adds a large wind load, and an older fence with light posts or shallow footings may not take it. We check post size, spacing and condition first. Vented fabric or a lower screen can reduce the load.
Can you fence a pickleball conversion?
Yes. When a tennis court is divided into pickleball courts, low divider fences and extra gates keep balls and players in their own court. We build these in the same coated chain link so they match the outer fence.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit, measure and talk through options.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with material choices side by side.
- Permits & planning: We check local rules and help with permits before we dig.
- Install & clean-up: Our crew installs, cleans up and walks the finished fence with you.