Australian Handyman - July 2018

SITE FOR

BOCCE COURT

TOOLS

• Tape measure


• Stringline and stakes


• Flat-edge shovel


• Wheelbarrow


• Levelling rake


• Hose with adjustable nozzle


• Compactor (can be rented
  at hardware stores)


• Paintbrush (optional, if
  applying timber stain)


• 1200mm spirit level


• Electric drill and 12 x 250mm
  timber drill bit


• Mini sledgehammer


• Hand tamper

O

ut of all the outdoor games,

bocce is one of my favourites,

and a bocce court is a cool

feature in a yard. Not only is it fun to

play, but it also adds another area of

interest to a backyard and organises

a space for plantings and other useful

features, such as benches and tables.

Regulation bocce courts generally

measure 4m wide by 26.5m long,

which can be hard to achieve in your

standard residential neighbourhood.

So consider creating a half court or

something that its your space.

he dimensions may vary depending

on the area you have, but I wouldn’t

go smaller than 9 x 2m, which is

about a half court. With simple

materials and construction

techniques, it is possible to put

together your own court in as little

as a weekend.

For an afordable court surface,

you can use decomposed granite,

which is available from most

landscaping suppliers.  

O^1 Select an area

his is a big feature, but unlike an

overhead structure, you won’t be

using it daily, so you may want to

tuck it into a corner or the back of

the property, depending on how big

your yard is. Don’t place it so far

from the entertaining areas that

people feel isolated if they are going

to play. Choose an area that people

can move in and out of and still

feel like they are part of the party

when they are playing. I chose an

area near the ireplace and plan to

add a scoreboard for players and

viewers to gather around.

This is an edited extract

from Big Impact Landscaping

by Sara Bendrick (Page Street

Publishing, $33).

MATERIALS

• Line marking spray paint


• 3m road base


• 200 x 150mm x 3m cedar or
  treated timber x 6


• 200 x 150mm x 4m cedar
  or treated timber, cut in half


• Preservative timber oil
  (optional treatment)
  
  
  • Protective timber stain
    (optional)
  
  
  • 300mm timber screws x 8
  
  
  • Tape
  
  
  • 12mm reinforcing bars cut
    to 610mm long x 22
  
  
  • 3m decomposed granite
  
  
  • 0.7m brickie’s sand
  
  
  
  

110 JULY 2018 Australian Handyman