Homemade Bowling Lanes

Homemade bowling lanes can be very basic and simple or very complex, more akin to an actual bowling alley, depending on the homeowner’s preference. Commercial and professionally made bowling lanes can cost lots of money, but there is a way to create a cheap and simple homemade lane without the need for complex machines or top-grade commercial materials.

  1. Basics

    • A bowling lane should have a level surface for a bowling ball to roll properly. It should also have gutters on both sides – with enough depth and width so the ball can fall. A bowling lane typically has five distinct areas: the pin area, gutter, lane, approach and player’s area. The player’s area contains the ball rack, while the approach is the area where the player positions himself before releasing the ball. The bowling lane should also be elevated and have a deck to reduce the chances of the wood warping or gathering moisture at the bottom.

    Dimensions

    • A professional 10-pin bowling lane needs to be at least 90 feet in length and 39 inches in width; however, since you are building a homemade lane, you can reduce this length depending on the available space, size of ball and pins you intend you use. The actual bowling lane should be at least 60 feet, while the remaining 30 feet should be divided in half for the lane approach and the player’s area. If your budget allows, buy tongue-and-groove hardwood to make your lane. These floorboards can be constructed and combined together with less work and hassle since each piece easily connects with another.

      As for the size of the gutter, base it on the size of the bowling ball that you will use. A ten-pin bowling ball has a circumference of around 2.25 feet, so the depth and width of the gutter should be wider and deeper than 2.25 feet.

    Pinsetter

    • Modern commercial bowling lanes have mechanical pinsetters, or machines that arrange the pins and return balls automatically. There are custom mechanical pin setters that can be purchased, but they can be expensive. To cheaply resolve the issue, build an extra space at the end of the lane where an actual pin setter, a person who manually places and clears pins during a game, can stand. The pinsetter is also the one responsible for bringing the balls back to the player’s area by rolling them through the gutter.

      Also, remember to add markers on the pin area signifying where each pin should be placed. The official distances between pins should be 12 inches from all sides, meaning that each pin should be at least 12 inches apart from any other pin. In this set up, the ten pins should form an equilateral triangle.

    Considerations and Modifications

    • A homemade bowling lane does not really need to be as long as a professional lane, but this depends on your budget and preference. The most important point to consider is that the ball should travel properly on the lane, so it should be straight and level. Lane modifications, such as oiliness or dryness, can also be added once the lane has been varnished and dried properly.