THIS WEEK’S FIELD TIP
Making the decision to add a clay base to your high wear areas is a tough one. The first thing to consider is if you have access to water on your field. Pure clay, when used on a ballfield’s high traffic spots, is a material that must be kept moist at all times to retain a desirable level of firmness and footing. It should be kept at the consistency of modeling clay — pliable and moldable, yet not wet and sloppy, and definitely not too dry. If it is allowed to dry out completely, like during the late days of summer, it will get very hard and possibly begin to crack or chip away. This can create a very dangerous situation for players. Without access to water on the field, clay is not a good option.
The second thing to consider is, what are the maintenance capabilities of the field? Is there a full-time grounds crew that can monitor and adjust moisture levels in the clay? Or is the “grounds crew” a few parent & coaches who help in their spare time? Clay is an excellent, but high-maintenance product — make no mistake about it… Continue reading this story and remember to visit Ballfields.com for more tips and articles… |
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