How to Make a Dirt Baseball Mound

A properly constructed pitcher's mound is critical to the design of a baseball field or a pitching practice area. A pitching mound that is incorrectly made can lead to injury of the pitcher. Pitchers are charged with a job that can either win or lose a baseball game. By building a mound correctly, pitchers can practice at home on a mound that is the same as the mound on a real baseball field.

Things You'll Need

  • Square Shovel
  • Level
  • 2 Large Nails or Spikes
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Packing Clay
  • Compactor
  • Tape Measure
  • String
  • Carpenter's Square
  • Rubber Strip
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate a site for the pitcher's mound that is not near trees or buildings. Keep in mind that the center of the pitcher's mound should be 59 feet away from the rear of the batter's plate.

      Clear a circular area at the chosen site. The pitching mound should be 18 feet in diameter.

    • 2

      Begin building up the pitcher's mound. The most optimal material for the mound is packing clay. Packing clay can be delivered by local supplier and dropped off by truckload.

      The height of the mound should be 10 inches high in relation to home base. Pay careful attention to the height because this is a common error that will either give the pitcher an advantage or disadvantage over the batter that will not be present in real games on a regulation field.

      To build the pitcher's mound, add only a small amount of dirt at one time. Flatten the top of the dirt using a heavy roller. The flat, level area at the top of the mound should be 5 feet wide and 34 inches deep (front to back). The front edge of this area should be 10 feet from the front edge of the mound. Use a tape measure to make sure the dimensions are correct.

      Use spikes and string to make a straight line that reaches from the pitching mound to the home plate.

      Place a carpenter's square on top of the straight line created by the board or the string. Look at the carpenter's square to make sure that the height of the mound is 10 inches.

    • 3

      If additional height is needed, add a small amount of dirt to the mound and repeat the process of compacting, leveling and measuring the height until the mound is the correct height.

    • 4

      Mark an area for the rubber. The position of the rubber is critical and provides an opportunity to cross-check the other measurements you have already made. Officially, the front edge of the rubber should 60 feet and 6 inches from the rear of the home plate. If everything else has been measured correctly, that should be 10 feet 6 inches from the front of the mound and 6 inches from the front edge of the flat plateau on the mound. Lay out the rubber in the mound.

    • 5

      Keep the mound lightly moistened for one week to allow the dirt the opportunity to further compact. Do not use the heavy roller during this time.