If you’re planning to build a Bocce court of your own right in your yard, meticulous planning is essential. Part of planning is choosing and weighing different material options. Like other components, there are many Bocce border types for you to consider.
Wood is the common and traditional Bocce border type. Choose pressure-treated wood to enjoy an extended timber life. You can also go for concrete borders, a great alternative. These both look clean and professional and are longer-lasting. Another alternative to wood borders is landscape wall blocks that come in varying shapes, sizes, and colors.
Of course, you aren’t just limited to these materials for your Bocce court border. There are other options to consider as well, just make sure to weigh their durability and weather resistance.
Below, we’ll go over the step-by-step process of building your own Bocce court. We’ll also go over the border types and materials you can choose for building your own.
DIY Bocce Courts: How to Build a Bocce Court
Bocce is a team sport that uses weighted balls aimed at a smaller target ball in the middle of the playing field. It can be as simple as playing on your lawn or yard. There are also indoor courts and playing surfaces players can opt for.
Bocce is basically an Italian bowling game, a close relative to the games of bowls and boules. Bocce is currently one of the most played sports in the world. It gains fans and enthusiasts all over the world every single day.
If you’re one of the millions who find excitement and enjoyment in this world-famous sport, then building your own bocce court right in your yard may have crossed your mind.
Many enthusiasts who went ahead to create their very own Bocce court chose the DIY way. If you’re thinking of doing the same, we’ve got just the guide for you here:
- Decide on the location and size of your bocce court
Before you officially start with your Bocce court construction, you must examine the space in your yard. Determine where you want your court.
In deciding on the location, keep these factors in mind:
- The court should be in a place where there is little to no foot traffic in the first place.
- You don’t want the court to interfere with daily activities so pick a place you already don’t use.
- Think of the court location as something permanent. Pick a place you will not use in the future because moving the court if you change your mind would prove to be very difficult, though possible.
- The perfect Bocce court spot should be a flat surface with proper drainage. You don’t want it somewhere low where it will only collect water.
Now for the size of your home court, according to the United States Bocce Federation (USBF), the official Bocce ball courts are 86.92 inches in length and 13.12 inches in width.
For a DIY home court, this seems a bit too much – well, because it is. Because you’re only playing for fun and leisure, you don’t need to strictly follow the official regulation court size.
In fact, many Bocce enthusiasts who choose to build their own shrink the sizes of their courts.
How much shrinking you need to do would also depend on the available space you have in your yard. Fortunately, Bocce is a very flexible game. The size of the court for casual games won’t affect how the games would go.
- Plot the court dimensions on the ground
Once you’ve decided on the location and size of your own home court, don’t rush into building it.
First, you must plot the court on the ground, before doing anything too permanent to change and adjust later on. Also, take into account the width and size of your borders so you don’t end up with a court that’s too small for your liking.
Here’s how you can plot your court’s dimensions:
- First, stake one corner of the court to mark it.
- From there, use a tape measure to measure one length. Then, drive another stake for that corner.
- From the end of that length, measure the width and drive another stake.
- Do this again for the other length and width.
You can also use paint to mark the court’s dimensions. Use a string to make sure the lines are straight.
Recheck the measurements and dimensions. Adjust the stakes if you need to.
- Excavate and prepare the ground
Once you’re satisfied with the markings of your court’s dimensions, it’s time to start preparing the ground.
Prepare the area of the court by excavating and leveling the ground.
Excavate about two to six inches of dirt. Remove any sod and loose soil from the entire area of the court with a rake. Don’t throw any of them out and save them for later use instead.
The pro tip is to use all these removed soil and sod to fill out low spots across your yard. You can also use some to line the outside of the court once you’re finished with construction.
- Prepare and add the borders
Now that you’ve got the grounds set up, it’s time to prepare and add the borders.
One of the most common queries out there is what Bocce border types there are available for you to choose from.
Bocce border types
When you’re building your own Bocce court at home, you have many border options to choose from.
A wooden border is one of the most common and traditional border options out there. Using wood along the borders of the court can help prevent and minimize wear and tear on your Bocce balls whenever they hit the borders.
The best wood for Bocce court
Using wood on the borders of an outdoor court might scrunch up some noses. Especially considering that the wood would have to endure the outdoors’ harsh elements and weather changes.
Pressure-treated wood shall help you solve this issue and is far by your best choice of wood for your own Bocce court.
The pressure treatment on the wood will preserve and extend the life of the wood and timber. The preservatives from the treatment will also protect the integrity of the wood from termites, wood rot, and decay.
The other way: alternative borders to wood for Bocce court
Even though you use pressure-treated wood, you will still be exposing it to the natural elements of the outdoors. Wood, even if pressure-treated, will still likely degrade over time.
If you want an alternative border material to wood, try concrete or landscape wall blocks.
As a Bocce court border, concrete proves to be a durable alternative. It’s also been gaining popularity lately. Concrete Bocce court borders provide a very clean, professional, and sleek finish. It’s also long-lasting and more durable, though it can be more pricey than the traditional wood borders.
If you want to add a little more flare, you can opt to add a decorative wooden frame or lining to your concrete border. Just make sure it’s treated and weather-resistant.
Some court owners opt for a composite backstop where balls usually hit, to protect their playing equipment.
Another alternative to wood Bocce court borders is landscape wall blocks. These are the number one choice for landscaping and wall designing. Surprisingly, they also make great court borders.
This type of border will provide a clean and sleek look to your court as well. Moreover, these come in various designs and colors, allowing you to let your creative juices flow.
Additionally, these come in individual pieces and it’s easy to replace blocks that get damaged without removing and replacing everything else.
- Install the French drain (optional)
To ensure that your court won’t collect water in the future, install a French drain. A French drain is an underground pipe with holes for drainage.
This is optional but it’s always a good idea to get ahead of drainage issues in the future.
- First layer: coarse stone, washed stone, or gravel
For the first layer of the court, add about two to three inches of coarse stone, washed stone, or gravel. Pat them down to level everything out.
- Add the weed barrier
To prevent weed growth, install a weed barrier on the surface of the court. Cut the fabric according to the court’s dimensions and staple or secure them to the edges of the court borders.
Many consider this an optional step but we highly recommend following up with this one to further optimize your home’s court.
- Second layer: decomposed granite
Add decomposed granite as the court’s second layer. Spread and level it out across the court.
- Third and final layer: crushed oyster shells
And for the third and last court layer, top it off with crushed oyster shells. An alternative to this is sand or artificial turf.
Pack everything down and ensure they’re even and level.
How to Maintain Your Bocce Ball Court Playing Surface
Having your own Bocce court doesn’t end with building one. It would require some maintenance and here’s how you can do it:
- Remove leaves, dirt, and debris on the court’s surface.
- Remove any weeds that grow through the court.
- Regularly flatten and level out the court before and after each game.
Conclusion
If you love a game of Bocce, then having your own Bocce court right in your home is the ultimate dream. If you’re in the midst of planning yours, you might be wondering what different Bocce border types you can choose from.
Wood is the most common and traditional material used for Bocce court borders. And the best type of wood to get is pressure-treated wood that preserves and extends the life of the timber. If you want alternatives to wood, look into a concrete border. This is long-lasting, durable, and looks sleek. You can also consider landscape wall blocks. These come in different shapes, sizes, and designs.
Hopefully this helps you think about some border options for your bocce court. If you have questions, feel free to connect via our contact form.