How to String a Badminton Racket

Many people think restringing your racket is only necessary when the string breaks or is frayed.

However, good badminton racket players will restring more often as the string loses its tension.

Durable string may not break, but it may lose its tension and playability and needs to be restrung to enhance its playability.

The three main types of racket stringing machines are drop weight, crank or lockout, and electronic constant pull machines.

Drop weight stringing machines are the least expensive but can also be the most time consuming and least accurate.  However, they are great machines for beginners.

Drop weight stringers use a cylindrical weight and gravity to tension the string. 

Electronic Constant Pull Machines are the most expensive but also the most accurate and efficient.  They use an electronic motor to pull the string.

Crank machines use a loaded spring to pull tension. Once that tension is set, the machine locks into place.

High quality stringing machines will have a six point mounting system where cheaper machines will have a two point mount at the 6 and 12 o'clock position.

Badminton string gauge can range from 20-22 which means the diameter can be as thin as 0.60mm and as thick as 0.90mm. The higher the gauge, the thinner the string.

Most badminton string is made of a nylon multifilament that can be coated with certain coatings to enhance playability and durability.

Lower tension is 18-23 lbs and higher tension is 24-30 lbs.  Higher tension is more control and less power and lower tension is more power and less control, all else equal.

Before we string the racket, we have to inspect the frame to ensure it is in condition to be strung.

Paint chips or scratches are not a problem, however, a racket that has a significant crack is unable to be strung.

Pulling tension on a racket causes considerable strain on the frame and a crack in the frame makes it unable to be strung.

A cracked frame will likely break further when tension is pulled.

We also need to ensure the racket's grommets are in good condition.  The grommets need to protect the string from friction against the frame.

Should there be any issue with the grommets, they can easily be replaced.

When cutting out the badminton strings, we need to ensure we keep the tension on the racket as even as possible. 

Start by clipping a main or cross string in the center of the racket and clip a main or cross adjacent to the string, working in a clockwise or counter-clockwise motion.

Once you get to the last string, all strings should be clipped.  You can then pull out the strings and throw them away. 

The racket can now be mounted for stringing.

Although some rackets must be strung with one or the other method, most rackets can be strung with either a one piece or two piece stringing method. It will typically be what you personally prefer.

Both methods offer advantages.

With two piece stringing, you can always easily string from the head to the throat which is preferred for many racket models.  Many racket models are supposed to be strung from the head to the throat for the crosses.

It is also easier to work with the shorter string while stringing the racket when stringing a two piece method.

A one piece stringing method also offers advantages.

There are only two knots tied for one piece stringing so the stringbed will be a little cleaner.

Also, there is no chance of cutting the string too short with one piece stringing.  Should you cut the main strings too short with two piece stringing, you would need to start over.  This is not possible with one piece stringing.

For 2 piece stringing, we need to measure out the string we will use for the main strings and the cross strings.

A typical badminton string package has 33 feet of string.

We can check the Stringer's Digest or the racket manufacturer's website for the exact measurements.  Most rackets will feature main strings of 17 or 18 feet and cross strings of 16 or 15 feet.

Once we measure the string, we can clip the string and use the longer piece for the main strings.

Most rackets will have grommets that we need to skip when stringing the mains.  Also, there are many rackets that will feature grommets that are shared and feature both a main and cross string.

One way to find out this information is to look at a racket that has already been strung.  Make notes or take a picture of the strung racket and just copy how it was strung.

The best option is to have a Stringer's Digest that will detial what grommets to skip and/or share.

We can also simply search the racket model online.  The racket brand's site or another retailer will often feature the racket strung correctly. We can use that information as a guide.

When mounting the racket, make sure the soft piece of plastic/rubber is flush against the frame at the 6 and 12 o'clock position.  Make sure no metal is touching the frame as it could damage the frame when being tensioned.

Ensure no grommets are covered by the mounting system.

Whether it is a 6 point mount or a basic 2 point mount, ensure the racket is firmly in place.  However, make sure to not overtighten the mounts.  As long as the racket does not shake or shift when rattled, it is is ready to string.

A 2 point mounting system is inherently less supportive of the frame, so we need to ensure we mount the racket properly.

Position the mounts at 6 and 12 o'clock and make sure no grommets are covered.

Also make sure that no metal is touching the frame as that will harm the frame when tensioned.

Gently tighten the rubber/plastic mounts against the frame and ensure the racket does not shift by shaking the racket gently.

Before we string the racket, we need to set the tension to ensure we have the correct tension preferred for the racket.

A crank machine or electronic constant pull will likely have a simple system to select the tension desired. 

A drop weight stringer will have a weight that you tighten around a tensioning bar.  The tensioning bar will have the pounds of tension listed.  Line the weight along with the desired tension and then tighten the weight.  That will give the approximate tension desired.

We learn how to wrap the string around the tensioning knob. 

Drop weight stringers include a clutch you will use to lock the string into place.

A dop weight stringing machine is the least expensive machine but is also more time consuming.

We will use the clutch to tighten the string and lower the tensioning bar until it is parallel with the ground.

Once the bar is parallel to the ground, we can then clamp the string with our flying clamp.

When we clamp the string, the most important thing is that it holds the tension in place once we remove the tension from the machine.

A flying clamp will stay in place by using 2 strings as support to keep tension.

Fixed clamps are inherently easier.  After clamping the string, turn the lock on the base of the clamp and it will stay in place.

To start the main strings, check the racket to see where to feed the string. Most rackets will be fed from the head to the throat.

Keep the ends of the string together as we want the same amount of string on each side.

Pull tension on each string together.  This will allow you to clamp one of the strings close to the frame.

Now that it is clamped, pull tension on the other string.  You can now clamp tension on that string.

Now pull tension on the other string and re-clamp.  Both strings should be tensioned and you are ready to string the remaining main strings.

To start the main strings with a drop weight stringing machine, feed the string through the first grommets like normal.  Make sure the same length of string is the same on each side.

Tension both strings together in order to set the first clamp towards the throat of the racket. Once you release the tension, the string and clamp will fall which is expected.

Now feed the next string up the racket, tension, and clamp those two strings. You will now have two clamps on the strings and can string like normal.

When stringing the main strings, it is important to keep the tension as even as possible.

The best way to do this is to string and tension just 2 new mains on each side before switching to the other side.

Make sure to use your other hand to ensure the string does not twist or kink when being fed through the grommet.

Clamp the string close to the frame. 

As we will discuss in another video, there will likely be some grommets we skip when we get to the outer main strings. 

We need to tie off our main strings at a nearby grommet using another main string.

We can use a double half hitch or a Parnell knot, as discussed in the following video. These knots should be close to the frame so they do not make contact with the cross string.

Pull the not tight by hand and then use pliers to gently pull tension to ensure it is in place.

When clipping the string, allow a few millimeters of a tail is flush against the frame. We do not want to cut right up against the knot but also to not allow excess string to impact the stringbed or swing.

The Double Half Hitch knot is a simple and popular knot to use to tie off badminton main strings.

Another popular knot, especially for tennis rackets, is a Parnell knot.

We do not pull tension directly on these knots but rather use the knots to hold the tension in place.

Learn how to tie these knots in this video. 

Depending upon the racket, we will start the cross strings from either the throat or the head of the racket.

Many Yonex rackets recommend their rackets to be strung from the throat to the head while other rackets recommend to be strung from the head to the throat. 

Check the Stringer's Digest or search the racket model online for its stringing specifications.

Once we feed the cross string, we will use a grommet on the throat or the head to tie our starting knot. 

We will pull tension on the starting knot.  In the following video, we discuss how to tie the starting knot.

When feeding the cross string, we will go over and under every other string.

We will pull tension against the starting knot so we need to ensure it is tied correctly.

In this video, we learn how to tie the starting knot.

After tightening the knot on each side, we clip the excess string, leaving a very small tail outside of the knot.

When stringing the cross strings, we must ensure we go over and under every other main string.  The cross string must be weaved opposite of the cross string above and below it.

When pulling the cross string across the mains, we never want to pull straight across.  This causes string burn and friction and can damage the main strings and even break the string.  We need to pull down or push up the cross string as we drag it across the mains.  This ensures there is no direct friction on any main string.

We also need to hold the end of the cross string to ensure it does not kink, twist or tangle.

When feeding the string, it will take practice.  When starting out, you may need to weave up and over in a pulling motion.

Once you get comfortable weaving crosses, you can quickly weave the string by placing the string between your pointer fingers.  You can then push the string across the mains in a diagonal direction.  This is a quick way to weave the crosses.

After pulling tension, clamp the cross string close to the frame of the racket.

Once we have strung every cross string, we are ready to tie off the crosses at a nearby grommet. 

We can use the same double half hitch or Parnell knot that we used to tie off the mains.

Ensure the knot is out of the way of the cross strings.  You can use pliers to gently pull tension on the knot to ensure it is in place.

After the knot is tied, clip the excess string just above the knot.

The racket is now ready to use.

Passing through partially blocked grommets is part of stringing badminton rackets.

Make sure the string is cut at an angle to help with feeding the string.  Use your small pliers to push the string through the grommet.

You can also user pliers to flatten the end of the string to help with feeding the string through the small grommet.

Another trick is to start the crosses before finishing the main strings.  The last main strings on the end are often the ones that cover the grommets.  By starting the first few crosses before tying off the main strings, we can ensure there is no issue with that particular grommet.

A standard badminton string package consists of 33 ft of string.  Check the Stringer's Digest or the racket manufacturer's website for stringing instructions.

If it is required to be strung with one piece of string or gives the option, we need to measure out and mark the string to use for the short side.  

The short side will typically be between 8-9 feet and the rest of the string will be used for the other mains and all of the crosses.

When we finish with the mains with the one piece method, we can go ahead and tie off the short side to a nearby grommet.

With the remaining long string, we can go ahead and start feeding the mains.

If the mains end at the throat of the racket, we can string from the throat to the head and will feed our first cross using a grommet near the throat.

If the mains end at the head, we will feed our first cross string towards the top of the racket and will string our crosses moving towards the throat.

Now we can just string the crosses like normal.

I answer some Frequently Asked Questions I get from customers and fellow stringers.  I hope you find this information helpful.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this course.

You can now take this knowledge to string a badminton racket at any time.

You will save time, money, and enjoy the freedom of not being dependent upon a local stringer.

If you have any questions, please ask them in the Q&A section or contact me through my website friscotennisstringing.com