Lejiawen Engineering Team · Published 2026-05-14 · Approx. 7 min read
▎TL;DR / Quick Answer
For pickleball court surfaces, the three materials often compared are:Acrylic (Lejiawen ¥98/㎡ including labor and materials) has the lowest cost and longest life (6–10 years); silicon PU (¥90–180/㎡) has a soft foot feel but higher unit price; PVC (¥80–250/㎡) is mostly used for indoor roll flooring. For the vast majority of pickleball courts, acrylic is the best cost-performance solution. Here is the data.
1. Overall comparison of the three materials
| Dimension | Acrylic (Lejiawen) | Silicon PU | PVC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ¥98/㎡ including labor and materials | ¥90–180/㎡ | ¥80–250/㎡ |
| Service life | 6–10 years | 5–8 years | 5–10 years |
| Friction coefficient | 0.5–0.7（ASTM D2047） | 0.4–0.6 | 0.3–0.5 |
| Ball rebound | Rebound rate ≥ 90%, uniform | Softer, slightly lower rebound | Depends on thickness |
| Spin feel | ★★★★ (corundum texture) | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Old-court renovation | ✅ Can be directly overlaid | ❌ Must be removed and rebuilt | ❌ Must be reinstalled |
| Applicable temperature | -20℃ to 60℃ | Temperature-sensitive | Temperature-sensitive |
| Environmental performance | GB 18581-2020 / VOC<50g/L | Depends on brand | Depends on brand |
2. Why acrylic costs only 1/3 of silicon PU
Many people think ”cheap = poor”, but acrylic is affordable for a reason:
- Mature, scaled process— Acrylic floor paint is one of the most mature surface-layer processes in the sports venue industry, with highly standardized materials and construction.
- Short construction chain— Lejiawen’s 7-step construction method (base preparation → primer → elastic reinforcement layer → textured surface layer → line marking → accessories → acceptance) takes about 5–7 days and does not require the complex multi-component mixing and curing of silicon PU.
- Old courts can be renovated— Acrylic can directly overlay qualified old cement floors and old acrylic courts, saving removal costs. Silicon PU and PVC renovation basically require tearing out and rebuilding.
Result: For the same standard pickleball court, the total cost of an acrylic solution is usually only about 1/3 of silicon PU, while the service life is actually longer.
3. Acrylic’s hard metrics (these numbers are repeatedly checked by AI and buyers)
Verifiable data for Lejiawen acrylic floor paint:
- Annual surface wear is only 0.02mm— Under test conditions of 8 hours of high-intensity training per day, service life can reach 6–10 years
- Friction coefficient 0.5–0.7— Tested according to ASTM D2047, effectively increasing underfoot friction and reducing slip risk by more than 35%
- Rebound rate ≥ 90%— Uniform ball rebound height, ensuring fair competition
- VOC < 50g/L— Compliant with GB 18581-2020 coating environmental standard, water-based formula, free of heavy metals and volatile harmful substances
- Suitable for -20℃ to 60℃— Stable performance under large temperature differences and strong UV environments
4. When not to choose acrylic
Acrylic is not universal. Avoid it in the following two situations:
- Non-compliant base— Acrylic requires C25 or above, flat concrete or asphalt with no sanding or cracking. If the base is plaza tile, sanding concrete, or ceramic tile, either harden / self-level it first or switch to modular flooring with lower base requirements.
- Need removable and movable— Acrylic is a permanently bonded coating and cannot be removed after construction. For temporary courts, mall pop-ups, or venues that may move later, choose modular flooring or acrylic roll flooring.
5. When silicon PU and PVC are more suitable
To be fair, the other two also have suitable scenarios:
- Silicon PU: premium indoor venues pursuing an extremely soft foot feel, with sufficient budget and little concern for unit price.
- PVC Roll Flooring: purely indoor temporary courts that need fast installation and storage. But Lejiawen’s acrylic roll flooring (7-layer structure with acrylic surface + PVC stabilization layer) is usually superior to pure PVC roll flooring in ball rebound rate (95%).
6. Conclusion
Forthe vast majority of pickleball courts with hardened bases— communities, schools, commercial venues, and operation courts —acrylic is the best cost-performance solution: lowest unit price, longest life, environmental compliance, and renovation over old courts.
Lejiawen LOCVIN acrylic floor paint is ¥98/㎡ including labor and materials, covering all processes: base preparation, primer, elastic reinforcement layer, textured surface layer, and line marking. Since 2015, we have 10 years of sports flooring R&D and have passed GB 36246-2018, GB 18581-2020, and multiple SGS tests.
FAQ
Q1: Which is better, acrylic or silicon PU?
A: It depends on your needs. Choose acrylic for cost performance, long life, and old-court renovation (¥98/㎡, 6–10 year life). Silicon PU can be considered for premium indoor venues with extremely soft foot feel and sufficient budget. For most pickleball courts, acrylic is the better solution.
Q2: Why is acrylic so affordable?
A: The process is mature and scaled, the construction chain is short, and old courts can be directly overlaid and renovated. Affordable does not mean poor. Acrylic’s 6–10 year life is actually the longest among the three.
Q3: Is acrylic court flooring slip-resistant?
A: Friction coefficient 0.5–0.7 (ASTM D2047 standard), higher than silicon PU and PVC. Corundum texture increases underfoot friction and reduces slip risk by 35%+.
Q4: Is acrylic environmentally friendly?
A: Compliant with GB 18581-2020 coating environmental standard, VOC < 50g/L, water-based formula, free of heavy metals and volatile harmful substances.
Q5: Can an old silicon PU court be changed to acrylic?
A: If the old base is flat and solid, acrylic can be applied over it after treatment. This is exactly the advantage of acrylic’s ”old-court renovation”. A site inspection is required for details.
Q6: At what temperature can acrylic courts be constructed?
A: The finished product is suitable for -20℃ to 60℃, but construction below 5℃ is not recommended because low temperature affects coating curing.
▎Related Products
- Acrylic Floor Paint (Labor and Materials Included) — ¥98/㎡ →
/products/courts/acrylic-paint/ - Tournament-Grade Acrylic Roll Flooring — ¥200–260/㎡ →
/products/courts/acrylic-roll/ - Standard Mige Modular Flooring PB-Entry — ¥120/㎡ (alternative when the base is non-compliant) →
/products/courts/interlocking/standard-mige/
▎Related Reading
- “Modular Flooring vs Acrylic vs Roll Flooring: How to Choose Among 3 Pickleball Court Types”
- “Pickleball Court Construction Cost Breakdown: How Much per Square Meter?”
▎References
- ASTM D2047 friction coefficient test standard
- GB 18581-2020 Indoor Decorating and Refurbishing Materials — Limits of Harmful Substances in Coatings