Pickleball players put their paddles through a lot of wear and tear while playing and transporting their equipment. Pickleball paddles will wear out quickly - often in a matter of months with regular play if proper paddle care steps aren’t taken.

These preventative tips for old and new players will help protect your paddle so you can keep playing match after match without worry.

1. Wipe it Down

Find a towel or paddle cleaning kit to take with you to the pickleball court. After every match, clean your paddle and the grip. You can use a mild glass cleaner or simply use water and a microfiber towel to get the paddle surface clean. Cleaning the paddle prevents build-up that can affect the way the ball interacts with the paddle surface.

2. Mind the Bag

Use a dedicated pickleball bag to store your gear, including your paddle. Pickleball bags have separate compartments for paddles and will keep them away from sharp objects, such as keys, that may scratch the surface of your paddle. For extra protection, consider using a paddle cover before storing and transporting your paddle.

3. Stick with High-fiving

As tempting as it is to hit paddles with your partner after a game-winning hit, it can affect your paddle and cause chipping or scratches over time. Do yourself a favor and celebrate inside with a high-five and maybe an ice-cold beer.

4. Bring It In

Extreme weather can affect your paddle - both hot and cold temperatures. Don’t store your pickleball gear in the trunk of your car or in an uninsulated garage or non-temperature-controlled area. Treat your gear right, and it will last.

5. Paddles Are For Pickleball

Don’t be lazy and use your paddle to scrape up pickleballs. Bend down and pick them up by hand instead. If you scrape your paddle along the rough surface of the court, this will cause edge damage over time and cause deterioration at an accelerated pace.

6. Opt For an Edge Guard and Overgrip

A paddle with an edge guard will help prevent chips and damage to the edges of your paddle. While edgeless paddles offer a tiny bit more surface area, they are much more vulnerable to damage on the pickleball court. Luckily, many pickleball paddles come with an edge guard. Another option to reinforce your edge guard is to use edge-guard tape.

An overgrip is something you can use to protect the handle of your pickleball paddle while also improving your grip. You can buy overgrips on Amazon from Onix, Selkirk, and JOOLA Pickleball.

7. Repair Minor Paddle Damage Right Away

Don’t keep playing with a damaged paddle - it is likely to get worse or become irreparable. Broken pickleball paddles may be able to be fixed with DIY methods or at a pro shop. If you have a new paddle that has a manufacturer defect, check to see if the paddle came with a warranty. The best pickleball paddles come with a warranty that is usually good for 30 - 120 days.

What are the Most Common Issues for Pickleball Paddles?

The most common issues for pickleball paddles are delamination, separation of the edge guard from the paddle, and broken pickleball handles.

How to Repair an Edge Guard on a Pickleball Paddle

Plastic edge guards tend to break down faster than rubber ones. If you have a plastic pickleball paddle edge guard repair that needs to be done, you may be able to do it yourself at home. Here’s how to do it:

Remove any remnants of old glue from beneath the edge guard.
Use a small brush to apply a thin layer of super glue on the paddle’s edge beneath the loose edge guard.
Align the edge guard and press down firmly to adhere the edge guard to the paddle, ensuring they are perfectly lined up. If you fail to place it properly, it can cause mishits when playing later.
Using a household blow dryer, dry the glue by blowing air over the paddle. Use the low or cool air setting to avoid bubbling and stabilize the edge quickly.
Lastly, place another thin layer of glue over the top of where the edge guard is broken, being sure to fill in any gaps. Allow to dry completely for 24 hours.

Can You Repair a Broken Pickleball Paddle Handle?

A broken handle may be repairable, depending on how bad the break is and where it occurred. Here is a full video showing a DIY fix for a cracked handle:

Handle repair for pickleball paddle

What is Delamination of a Pickleball Paddle?

Delamination occurs when the layers of the pickleball paddle begin to separate and form a gap on the inside of the paddle. It can happen naturally over time, or it can be caused by an issue during the manufacturing process, such as old glue coming apart or there not being enough glue to hold the core to the paddle surface.

Delamination is not something you can easily fix with a DIY solution. Interestingly, the gaps that form in the paddle itself result in the paddle generating more power than before - sometimes more than allowable by USAPA standards for tournaments. To keep things fair on the court and to prevent accidental injury of your opponents, if you notice signs of delamination, such as extra power and a different sound, it is important not to continue to use that paddle.

How to Get a Professional Paddle Repair

Have you heard of Paddlefix? If you need a professional paddle repair done right - you can send it to Paddlefix through the mail and have it returned after the repair is complete. There is a contact form on the website where you can speak with a paddle repair specialist about the work you need done and get a turnaround time.

Another option for professional paddle repair is to contact your local pro shop to find a local specialist near you.