Bocce Courts

• Design
• Construction
• Renovation
• Governing & Sanctioning Bodies

Bocce Courts Construction & Reconstruction

Construction
Ideally, in order to achieve effective drainage, the court should be about 3" above ground level, and the surrounding boards should extend another 6" above the playing surface. Begin construction by setting the grade stakes according to the survey plan, then use string lines to assist in excavating the area about 3" deep. (The subgrade should mirror the finish grade to allow for a consistent 6" layer of surface material.) Install the end sideboards using treated lumber with the bottom at the subgrade and the top extending 6" above the level of the planned playing surface. Then install the 6" of surface material and compact it with a tamper.
 
Reconstruction
As with any sports surface which is not performing appropriately, the first step in reconstruction is to identify the cause of the failure. Otherwise, the reconstruction process will just repeat past mistakes. Probably the most common reason for failure of a bocce court is that the wrong material was used to build the surface. For example, in an attempt to promote good drainage, some courts traditionally have been built with a 3" to 4" layer of large gravel (over ¼") over the sub-base with three to four inches of fines over the gravel. The problems with this design are that the fines eventually wash into the coarser material below, thinning the layer of fines at the surface, and that this method creates a perched water table, even when the fines do not wash into the coarse material.
 
To reconstruct a bocce court, begin by removing all of the surface material, including the gravel underneath. Then install 6" of a fine aggregate, like stone dust, that will bind together properly and provide the firmness and stability that the sport requires.