It’s no secret that a properly graded infield keeps your playing area level and safe. That being said, some sports field managers ask us how often they should grade their infields. It’s best to laser grade your infield annually, preferably in the fall after the playing season is over.
What Grading Does and Why It’s Important
Grading your infield skin prevents erosion, fixes uneven surfaces, and prevents water from pooling on the field. This, in turn, protects players from injury, allows games to start back up quickly after rain events, and protects the infield material.
How To Grade an Infield
Properly grading your infield is key. It involves more than simply adding material to low areas and using the naked eye to see if it’s level. Too steep of a slope (anything over 1%) will cause material to migrate across the infield, and too flat of a slope will mean that the field won’t shed water properly. This is where laser grading comes into play.
If you’re adding infield mix during new construction or having it amended into your current mix, you will need to laser grade. Much more reliable than the human eye, a machine equipped with laser technology will grade the infield to your desired slope—without error. Softball fields should have a 0.4% slope, while baseball fields should have a 0.5% slope.
What Comes After Grading
Once your infield material has been graded, a roller should compact it down to create a smooth, safe, and playable surface that will shed most of the water that falls on it. After the field has been rolled, add a quarter-inch to half-inch of calcined clay or expanded shale conditioner to manage moisture. Our Advanced Infield Solutions line includes three calcined clay conditioners with different mesh sizes and uses.
For more information on infield grading, reach out to your ATS sales rep. If you’re new to ATS, get connected with a rep here.
