You have booked a court, your shoes are ready, and your strings just snapped at the worst possible time. The first question most people ask is: how long does a restring actually take?
The honest answer: the stringing itself takes around 30 to 45 minutes. But the turnaround time — how long before you get your racket back — depends entirely on the service you choose and how busy your stringer is.
Here is a straightforward breakdown of what happens during a restring, how long each option takes at Restring London, and how to get your racket back as quickly as possible.
What Actually Happens During a Restring
A professional restring is not just cutting out old strings and threading new ones in. There are several precise steps, each of which affects the quality of the finished job:
- Remove the old strings — cut out carefully to avoid frame damage, especially on older or cracked grommets
- Inspect the frame and grommets — check for cracks, worn grommets and any structural issues
- Mount the racket — secure the frame in the stringing machine using a 6-point mounting system
- String the mains — the vertical strings go in first, tensioned individually on each pull
- String the crosses — the horizontal strings are woven through the mains and tensioned
- Tie off — secure the knots at the correct tension without losing pounds
- Final check — verify tension consistency and inspect the finished job
For a competent stringer working on a standard 16×19 pattern, this whole process takes 30 to 45 minutes. A more complex 18×20 pattern or a hybrid setup with two different strings will push that closer to 45 to 50 minutes.
If you are curious about what a restring costs in the UK, the price usually reflects the string choice rather than the time involved.
Turnaround Times at PT Tennis
At our workshop in Hackney Wick, we offer several turnaround options to suit different schedules. Here is what each one looks like:
While You Wait (~30 Minutes)
Our while-you-wait service is exactly what it sounds like. You bring your racket in, we string it in front of you, and you leave with it restrung. The whole visit takes around 30 minutes.
This is ideal if you need your racket back immediately — perhaps you have a match later that day or you are passing through East London. You can watch the process happen or grab a coffee at one of the cafés near our Hackney Wick workshop while we work.
While-you-wait slots are limited, so we recommend booking ahead or messaging us on WhatsApp to check availability.
Same-Day Service
If you do not need to wait around, our same-day restringing service lets you drop your racket off in the morning and collect it the same evening. Drop off by 10am and it will be ready by 6pm.
There is a +£10 surcharge on top of the base stringing price for same-day turnaround.
Urgent (24-Hour)
Need it back within a day but cannot make it in the morning? Our 24-hour urgent service has a +£6 surcharge and guarantees your racket is ready within 24 hours of drop-off.
Fast (2-Day)
A good middle ground if you are not in a rush but do not want to wait the full standard window. The fast service adds just £2 to the base price and gets your racket back within two working days.
Standard (4-Day)
Our most popular option. Drop your racket off at the workshop and collect it within four working days. This is the base-price service — starting from £20 for labour if you bring your own string, or from £25 installed with one of our strings.
For most club players who are not mid-tournament, the standard turnaround is perfectly fine and the most cost-effective choice.
| Service | Turnaround | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| While You Wait | ~30 minutes | By arrangement |
| Same-Day | Drop off by 10am, collect by 6pm | +£10 |
| Urgent | 24 hours | +£6 |
| Fast | 2 working days | +£2 |
| Standard | 4 working days | Base price |
What Affects How Long a Restring Takes
Several factors can push the stringing time or turnaround beyond the standard window:
- String pattern density — an 18×20 pattern has 38 string segments compared to 35 in a 16×19. That is more weaving, more tensioning pulls, and more time. Expect an extra 5 to 10 minutes on the machine.
- Hybrid setups — using two different strings (for example, a polyester main with a multifilament cross) requires changing string mid-job. This adds a few minutes but is well worth it for the playing benefits.
- Grommet or frame issues — if grommets are cracked or missing, they may need replacing before stringing can begin. We offer racket repair alongside stringing, but it does add to the overall time.
- Queue length — during peak season (May to September), we often have a full queue of rackets. The actual stringing time does not change, but waiting for your slot in the queue can extend turnaround. This is exactly why the different service tiers exist.
If your strings are wearing out frequently, it may be worth reading our guide on how often you should restring to find the right schedule for your play frequency.
Can I Restring My Own Racket?
Technically, yes. Plenty of players have invested in home stringing machines and learnt the craft themselves. But it is worth being realistic about what is involved.
A beginner stringer typically takes 60 to 90 minutes per racket, and that is once they have got the basics down. The first few attempts often take longer, and there is a real risk of damaging the frame or producing an uneven string bed if you do not know what you are doing.
Then there is the cost. A decent drop-weight stringing machine starts at around £200 to £300, and a quality electronic constant-pull machine — the type professionals use — can cost £1,000 or more. Unless you are stringing multiple rackets every week, it is very hard to justify the investment.
The other factor people overlook is consistency. A professional stringer pulls hundreds of rackets a year and can maintain precise tension across every string. That consistency directly affects how the racket plays — and it is something that takes a long time to develop at home.
For most players, paying a professional £20 to £40 for a properly done restring is far better value than spending months learning to do it yourself. Save that time for actually playing.
How to Get the Fastest Turnaround
If speed matters to you, here are a few practical tips:
- Book ahead — book your restring online before turning up. This guarantees your slot and avoids queue delays.
- Message us on WhatsApp — drop us a message on WhatsApp to check current turnaround times and availability for while-you-wait slots.
- Do not wait for strings to break — if you know your strings are getting tired, book a restring before they snap. Waiting until they break mid-match means you are always stringing under time pressure. Our guide on signs you need a restring can help you spot the warning signals.
- Have a backup racket — if you carry two rackets, you can rotate restrings and never be caught without a playable frame.
- Choose your string wisely — some strings last significantly longer than others. If you are constantly restringing, consider a more durable option. Our string selection guide can help.
Book Your Restring
Whether you need a 30-minute while-you-wait job or a standard four-day turnaround, we have got you covered at our Hackney Wick workshop.
- Book a restring online
- While-you-wait restringing — in and out in 30 minutes
- Same-day restringing — drop off morning, collect evening
- View all stringing prices
Got a question or want to check availability? Message us on WhatsApp and we will get back to you quickly.
