Bocce ball is an old Italian lawn game played on a flat surface covered with sand or short grass and contained within a wooden border.Bocce is a game in which balls are thrown around the court and points are calculated based on the balls' positions.Measure the court's dimensions to build a bocce court.Put a base layer of rocks and sand on top of the wooden border.
Step 1: Do you want your court to be large?
There is a regulation-sized bocce ball court.Unless you are planning to build a regulation-size bocce ball court, you can build any size you want.The width to length ratio should be between 1:5 and 1:7.Wherever you decide to build the court, make sure it suits the dimensions of your backyard.If you have limited space, you can build a bocce court in as little as 5 ft by 20 ft.
Step 2: Measure the length and width of your court.
Measure out the full length and width of your bocce court from the ground using a measuring tape.You will need to add the dimensions for the backing material.Measure your total width and length from the court frame.If you use 4x4 boards as your frame, you need to add 20 cm to the length and width.If you want to build a regulation-sized bocce court, you will need to measure the outer dimensions of the court to be 13 ft 8 inches.
Step 3: Place stakes at the corners of the court.
Measure the length and width of the court and use a hammer to drive a stake into the ground.Markers will be used to indicate the size of the court and the area to be excavated.At your local hardware store, you can buy wooden or plastic stakes.They don't need to be made of a high-quality material.
Step 4: The court area needs to be emptied.
If you want to flatten and level the area for your bocce court, you should dig down about 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) into your soil.This will allow you to shovel out any rocks or clumps of soil that would disrupt the surface of the court, and give you a pit to lay the next layers.The playing surface will be distorted if the bocce court is built on a level area.If you are worried that your bocce court may collect rain, dig down less than 10 cm.
Step 5: Attach the wooden border.
Pressure-treated 4x4 boards work well for the borders, even though you can use any wooden material.Place the 4x4s along the edges of the bocce pit.Make sure the boards are even with the ground by using a carpenter's level.Attach the 4x4 boards to the adjacent boards using 10-inch (25 cm) spikes.You can buy all of the lumber at a hardware store.If you want to build a regulation-size bocce court and buy 10-foot 3-meter boards, you will need about 14 sections of wood.
Step 6: The washed stone should be placed on a base.
The base layer of your bocce court should be large and stable.Use a shovel to lay a layer of stone on the bocce court.If you dug the court area 4 inches (10 cm) deep, you should be able to lay a layer of this large-stone material.You can buy washed crushed stone at a hardware store.Try contacting a nearby rock quarry or gravel site if you are having trouble finding the correct material.
Step 7: There is a second layer of crushed stone.
The second layer can be added if you have a 1-inch stone layer covering the entire bocce pit.Smaller stones should be in this layer.Gravel would work well, as would 12 inch crushed stone.If you want to cover the entire bocce court, use your shovel blade.The layer should be thick.As with the 1-inch washed crushed stone, you can purchase gravel or smaller crushed stones from a gravel site or landscaping company.
Step 8: If you are building a court, place a layer of oyster shells.
If you want to become a professional bocce ball player or build a regulation bocce court, you need to top it with processed oyster shell.The layer needs to be about 14 inch thick.The material will not be damaged or disturbed by rain storms.Unless you live on the West coast of the United States, you will need to have your oyster shell shipped to your address.You can purchase ground oyster shells from a landscaping company or a feed and grain supplier.There are a few online retailers that sell and deliver ground oyster shell.
Step 9: Sand is your top bocce court layer.
You can skip the processed oyster shells if you want to save money.The playing surface will be provided by a layer of sand.Use a shovel to smooth the sand and press it into all corners of your bocce court after pouring it at least 12 inch thick over the underlying layer of stones or gravel.Sand will become soggy after a rainstorm.Raking the sand will help it dry and reduce its compactness.
Step 10: The court should be finished with artificial turf.
Artificial turf can be used if you don't want to play on oyster shells or sand.It is simple to maintain and can easily be swept clean.Artificial turf can be obtained at a gardening center.Contact your local hardware store or sporting-goods store to see if they can provide artificial turf.Depending on the size of your bocce court and the amount of turf sections you can purchase, you may need to buy more than one section.