DIY; Volleyball Boundary Lines

[@ksmackvolleyball]

ADDED NOTE As of the summer of 2019, I have now run over 50 different beach tournaments and I have used my homemade rope boundary lines for all of them. Besides being inexpensive, rope lines actually work better than the canvas ribbon types. For one, whenever the ball hits them, they bounce, so you know they've been touched. The ball can bounce off the flat ribbon boundary lines so you're never 100% sure if the ball actually touched them or not? Second, the rope boundary lines will last for years, while the canvas ribbon will eventually rot and fall apart if used alot. Even more so if used on damp sand, and in the rain. Third, the rope boundary lines work well on windy days, The wind barely affects them at all. On the flip side, ribbon boundaries get blown by the wind very easily, so you end up having to pour sand over them in order to keep them straight. Finally, the rope boundary lines coil up into a smaller space. And they are much easier to uncoil too. If you're not careful, the ribbons can twist and therefore make uncoiling a real time consuming pain in the ass.

[@temblekec]

Thanks for the tip man!

[@yellow_id]

Are all court sizes the same, I want to make one for outdoors, but not the beach. Ya know?

[@Saugaverse]

There are two court sizes; Typical beach courts for Doubles are 8x8 (8 metres by 8 metres) The size of a typical indoor courts is 9x9 (9 metres by 9 metres) So if you are planning on playing 6on6, then you should use the larger sized court, 9x9.

[@ihashman]

Do you have any specification of what type of rope you purchased? The rope i could find in the dollar store are way thin and flimsy!

[@ksmackvolleyball]

I used simple nylon rope. Since the rope itself is not used to hold anything, you don't have to worry about strength. However, thin and flimsy is not what you want as the main goal you want with the rope is to be able to see it. Red, blue or any dark color seems to work best, as long as it contrasts with the sand. Bright yellow will work if you are playing on a grass court, but yellow doesn't work on sand. As for thickness, any decent sized rope should work out. But make sure it is indeed "rope", and not twine or string.

[@whschapsvolleyball1852]

Thanks for the tip, very economical; only problem is if you dive and land on a rope line, can get cut up.

[@ksmackvolleyball]

No, that is not accurate. I have run dozens of tournaments using the rope lines and I've never seen any player even get a scrape from contacting a line. Keep in mind they are not tied tight like guitar strings, they are anchored at all four corners with bungee cords. So when a player touches a line, they move. And after contact, they snap back into place.

[@maxfooly]

Nice transactions

[@davidbreig1186]

$2 vs $40 --- I'll make them to save the $

[@ksmackvolleyball]

In my experience, rope boundary lines are not just cheaper, but superior in several ways.

[@curtoliver8584]

I think I would rather spend the extra money for decent lines that are already measured out.

[@ksmackvolleyball]

It always comes down to > if you can afford it. For those who don't have the cash to pay $60+ for a boundary line, a better option is to make your own for less than $10. In my experience, the cheaper rope boundary lines are superior to the canvas ribbon lines. But it comes down to personal choice.