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Bocce Ball Madness The Grounds for Improvement team converts a boring grass-only backyard into an authentic Mediterranean bocce court. From "Grounds for Improvement" episode DGFI-407

(Continued from page 2)

Finishing the Bocce Court and Starting the Seating Area

Once the drain gravel is compacted down, they install an oyster shell blend, giving the court an authentic, official playing surface. As the oyster shells go down, host Dean Hill and Eric Eric Normington (the homeowner) mark out the adjacent seating area and start removing sod. To give the area a stable border they install metal edging around the perimeter, and then more fabric on the inside. Moving back to the bocce court, Dean and Eric start screeding the oyster shells, working their way from the front across the entire playing surface while spreading them out evenly.

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	Figure I
	Figure J
	Figure K
	Figure L

Finishing the Bocce Court

1. The next layer of the bocce court is the playing surface made of oyster shells.

2. Load the oyster shell mixture into wheel barrows and unload it into the framed bocce court.

3. Using hard rakes and a push broom, spread out the mixture until it is even across the entire stone base previously laid (figure I). This gives the bocce court a very smooth and ideal playing field for bocce ball!

4. A screed tool is made using a 2 x 4 that is 11' in length with a 1" notch on each end about 6" from the end of the 2 x 4. Set it on top of the 4 x 6 timbers on the edge of the bocce court and smooth out the top layer of the court to have a smooth playing surface (figure J).

   Note: Screeding takes time and it is important to check your work as you go.

Preparation for the Seating Area

1. Measure out the seating area (7' wide x 8' long) using a measuring tape and marking paint in the area desired for spectators to watch the bocce games.

2. Then using the sod cutter cut the grass within the measurements and remove all the grass cut by the sod cutter.

3. To line the edges of the seating area, metal edging was used to create an outline for the area (figure K).

4. The metal edging is easy to work with and can be bent using your hands or cut with a reciprocating saw with a metal blade to cut the edging to size. It is also good to keep the grass out of the seating area.

5. To install the trim, connect the metal edging to one another by sliding the stakes through the pre-made slots at the joints (figure L) and hammering them into the ground.

6. After the metal edging is laid down, more landscape fabric (the same fabric as placed under the gravel on the bocce court) is put down inside the seating area.

7. Use the same staples to insert the fabric into the ground.

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