UK padel courts come in three types. Indoor, inside a building. Covered, with a roof or canopy over an otherwise outdoor court. And outdoor, open to everything.
In summer the choice barely matters. In winter it decides your evening. And winter is when UK search interest in padel peaks, according to The Padel Paper's 2026 search report. So the court type matters most in the very months people are looking hardest.
Here's how the three compare on light, wind, glass, bounce and roof height, and which one to book.
The short version
| Indoor | Covered | Outdoor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Artificial, same every session | Daylight, then floodlights | Daylight, then floodlights, plus low winter sun |
| Wind | None | Depends how open the sides are | Full force, worst above the glass |
| Glass | Dry | Mostly dry, can mist up | Can be wet or misted |
| Surface | Dry turf | Dry unless rain blows in | Wet after rain |
| Roof height | Fixed, can limit lobs | Fixed, can limit lobs | Unlimited |
| Cold | Depends on the venue | Outside temperature, mostly dry | Outside temperature, can be wet |
Light: the winter problem nobody plans for
On 21 December 2026 the sun sets at 15:55 in London and 15:53 in Manchester. So any outdoor or covered court you book after work in December is a floodlit court.
Floodlights have a standard. The LTA's 2025 court construction guidance sets a minimum of 300 lux for recreational and regional play and 500 lux for national and international competition, along with how evenly that light has to spread. The FIP's rulebook says artificial light must be uniform and must not make it hard for players to see.
Daytime has its own catch. The FIP recommends that outdoor courts run north to south. In midwinter the sun rises in the south-east, sets in the south-west and stays low all day. Durham University's astronomy pages put its highest point at just 11.5 degrees above the horizon in Durham on the shortest day. Put those together and, on a north-south court, the low winter sun stays out beyond the south end of the court. Whoever is at the north end is looking towards it, most of all around midday.
The rules soften that. Pairs change ends after the first, third and every odd game, so nobody faces it all match. And as The Padel School points out, not every court is built north to south. Still, for a Saturday morning outdoor game in December, a cap in your bag is worth it. There are a few in headwear.
Indoors, none of this applies. The light at 7pm in January is the light at 7pm in June.
Wind: why "covered" isn't the same as "calm"
Wind doesn't hit every shot equally. The Padel School notes it often moves the ball more above the height of the glass. Low rallies play much as normal. Anything hit high is at the mercy of the gusts, which is why a windy night outdoors can feel like a different sport.
Covered courts are where people get caught out. The LTA describes covered structures as closed or open-sided. Some have a fully enclosed roof and walls. Others are a canopy. Both keep the rain off. Only the enclosed kind keeps the wind out.
If you want a still evening, book fully indoor. Our guide to indoor padel courts in the UK lists the clubs where every court is inside a building, region by region.
Glass: thicker outside, and it gets wet
The walls don't have to be glass. The FIP allows any transparent or solid material, glass or brick for example, as long as the ball bounces evenly off it. Where glass is used, the LTA specifies 10 mm for indoor courts and 12 mm toughened glass for outdoor ones.
In winter, moisture matters more than thickness. The Padel School says wet glass can change the rebound completely: balls that would normally come off it slide straight down, while topspin can do the opposite. Moisture can also form on the glass in high humidity, even without rain. Its fix is to wipe the glass with a towel. On a damp outdoor night, pack one.
Bounce: turf, rain and a cold ball
The FIP allows cement, synthetic material or artificial grass, in green, blue or terracotta. The LTA's guidance for UK courts specifies a single-tone, sand-dressed synthetic surface.
Turf copes with a bit of weather. According to The Padel School, a little rain on artificial grass won't necessarily make it more slippery or change the bounce much. A lot of rain probably will.
Then there's the ball. The Padel School says balls are less responsive in the cold, and on an open court in January there's nothing between you and the cold. Our winter padel guide covers the shot changes the LTA suggests.
Roof height: the one thing outdoor wins
Indoor and covered courts have a ceiling. The FIP's minimum is 6 m of clear height, with 8 m suggested for new venues, and the LTA asks covered structures for at least 6 m at the ends and 8 m above the net.
That's plenty for most games. But if you lob a lot, a 6 m hall plays differently from an 8 m one, and outdoors there's no limit. It's worth asking the club before you book. What happens when the ball does hit the roof or a light is ruled case by case in our guide to whether the ball can hit the fence.
If the weather stops play
This one is for league and club matches outdoors. The FIP's rules say what happens when a match is suspended for rain or lack of light. Under 5 minutes off, no warm-up. From 5 to 20 minutes, 1 minute. Over 20 minutes, 3 minutes. If light is the problem, the match should stop at an even number of games so both pairs come back on the same ends. The rest is on our padel rules page.
Why aren't more courts covered?
Cost. The LTA's indicative 2025 figures put one new lit padel court, with its base and drainage, at about £71,000. Putting a canopy over that one court is about £95,000 more: £20,000 for foundations and drainage, plus £75,000 for the canopy with a 3 m rain screen. On those numbers, covering a court costs more than building it, which helps explain why a club might leave one open to the sky.
Which court to book
- Weeknight in December or January. Indoor if you can get it. You'll be under lights anyway, so the only question is wind and wet.
- Rain or strong wind forecast. Fully indoor. A canopy handles rain, not wind. The LTA's own winter tips point to indoor courts so you can play however wet, windy or cold it gets.
- Cold, dry and still. Any of the three. Outdoor is a good game if you're dressed for it.
- Weekend daytime outdoors. Fine, but think about the low sun and take a cap.
- You love a lob. Ask the club about roof height, or play outside on a calm day.
- Someone new to padel. Indoor. Steady light, no wind and dry glass make the first sessions easier to learn on.
The bit the court doesn't change
Every session has dead time. The FIP allows up to 90 seconds at most changes of ends, and in a friendly you'll also be waiting by the door for the court before yours to finish. On a covered or outdoor court in winter, that's when you cool down.
That's what our hoodies are for. The Mk1 Box Hoodie is 350 g/m² with a fleeced inside, an oversized boxy fit and a drop shoulder. Pull it on between games and leave it by the court door. It's £75, so it ships free in the UK on its own.
Buying it as a Christmas present? The last UK order date is 10 December 2026. Everything is made to order, so earlier is better.
FAQ
Is indoor or outdoor padel better for beginners? Indoor is usually easier to learn on. The light is steady, there's no wind above the glass, and dry glass sends the ball back the same way each time.
How bright should a padel court be? The LTA's guidance sets a minimum average of 300 lux for recreational play and 500 lux for national and international competition.
Why is the sun a problem on outdoor padel courts in winter? The midwinter sun stays low in the southern sky, and the FIP recommends outdoor courts run north to south. So the sun sits towards one end for much of the day. Changing ends after every odd game evens it out.
Which way should an outdoor padel court face? The FIP recommends running the length of an outdoor court north to south, allowing a variation between north-north-east and north-north-west. Not every UK court follows it, so the sun can behave differently from club to club.
