Forum Post: Baseball Geek Group: Jimm Hendren, Maintaining Your Baseball Field, Warning Track

The warning track is exactly that – a warning so players don’t run into obstacles and get hurt.

What you’re going to do

Your field needs a warning track.

It should extend around the entire field. The warning track provides player safety and reduces wear of turf in front of the dugouts and around the home plate area.

How you do this

Mark off the boundary of your warning track. For example, 10 feet for a high school field.

If you are building a new warning track, use a sod cutter or a smooth bucket tractor to cut the grass out of the warning track area. If you are adding warning track material, then cut this at least 3 inches deeper than the base of the sod. Remove the sod and weeds from the field.

Add warning track material. This could take several truck loads.

Spread. Drag.

Roll to help settle the material.

Drag the warning track with the same technique and drag used on the infield dirt.

When you drag the infield, drag the warning track to keep it maintained – weed free and smooth.

Tips & Hints

A warning track can be made from a variety of materials. Make sure the material is different in color and texture from the rest of the playing field.

A good mix for the warning track is 50% decomposed granite and 50% crushed, 1/8 inch red brick.

Little league warning tracks vary from 5 feet to 10 feet, but most are about 6 feet. High school warning track should be at least 10 feet wide. College level should be 15 feet.

A good width is one that your drag can cover from side to side in either one or two passes. Keep the drag off the grass!

A typical high school field will need about 35 yards of material to put in a good warning track. This takes 3 dump trucks.

Mistakes to avoid

Ignoring your warning track and letting it become overgrown with weeds and grass. Then it no longer serves its purpose – a warning track.

Source Link: http://hendrengroup.me/blog/maintaining-your-baseball-field-warning-track/