Standard Ballyard Materials
Perfect for High Drainage and Safe Footing
Our Standard Topdressing works great for existing fields. This material has excellent drainage characteristics, eliminating mud and dramatically reducing rain-outs. Kafka’s Topdressing is a cost effective way to provide safe footing, consistent ball hops, and smooth sliding on your field. Recommended depth ¼” to ½” over existing infield material.
A warning track is similar to an infield surface, but typically receives less maintenance. Sometimes it takes more abuse with all the maintenance vehicle traffic. Kafka’s Warning Track Mix is a coarser version of our Topdressing, which helps it compact to provide a stable, safe warning track that will hold up to more traffic with less maintenance. The coarser material also allows players to feel the “crunch” under foot that warns them when the wall or fence is near. You can see our Warning Track Mix in action at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins.
How it works
Kafka’s Standard Infield Topdressing Mix is crushed to ⅛″ minus with fines for better compaction and excellent drainage, and works great for existing fields. With excellent drainage characteristics eliminating mud and dramatically reducing rain-outs, this material is a cost effective way to provide safe footing, consistent ball hops, and smooth sliding. A depth of ¼” to ½” over existing infield material is recommended.
Kafka’s Standard Warning Track aggregates are crushed to ¼″ minus with fines, which helps it compact to provide a stable, safe warning track that will hold up to more traffic with less maintenance. The coarser material also allows players to feel the “crunch” under foot that warns them when the wall or fence is near.
Get a QuoteADVANTAGES
Kafka Granite’s Standard Ballyard Mixes are a cost effective way to provide safe footing and consistent performance with less maintenance.
While many ball fields use a blend of sand, silt, and clay, Kafka understands the advantages of using a decomposed granite base for both player and fan experience. Clay- and sand-based mixes often become muddy or collect standing water during rainfall. Our Standard Ballyard Mixes are incredibly permeable, allowing rainwater to drain quickly and drastically reducing the number of rainouts you or your fans have to face. Kafka’s ballyard mixes are crushed to a size that allows for maximum drainage while staying firm and stable under foot. Not only will players experience safe footing, but also consistent sliding and consistent ball hops as a result of the natural compaction of our material.
Installation & Maintenance
Proper installation and maintenance is critical to the durability and longevity of any ballyard. You will need to determine how much material is necessary for the project. This is dependent upon a number of factors, including the size/configuration of your ballyard and the materials being used for the aggregate.
Infields
Kafka’s Standard Infield Topdressing works great for existing fields. This cost-effective material is intended to be spread over an existing infield at a recommended depth of ¼” to ½”. Our Standard Infield Topdressing can also be used on the warning track, batter’s box, or pitching mound. Reference the chart below to determine the configuration and amount of Standard Infield Topdressing to order.
Warning Tracks
Kafka recommends 3″–4″ of Standard Warning Track Mix. Excavate the warning track area and compact an appropriate base material with a one-ton drum roller to allow a minimum 3″ depth. Soak the base material, then spread the Standard Warning Track Mix evenly to allow for a minimum 3″ compacted depth. Wet the material enough to just saturate. Once the material allows, compact to the finished thickness. Use the Warning Track Mix Calculator to determine the amount of material to order.
Note that the Kafka Standard Ballyard Materials should be firm, but loose aggregate will appear on the surface for a natural look and feel. If the loose material on the surface is excessive, water the surface and re-compact as needed. Additional material can be spread, watered, and compacted as needed.
Get a QuoteInfield Topdressing Coverage Rates
| BASEBALL FIELD 90′ Bases with 95′ Arc | Exposed Skinned Area | ¼” Topdressing | ½” Topdressing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Infield | 11,550 sq. ft. | 12.5 tons | 25 tons |
| Skinned Infield | 18,300 sq. ft. | 20 tons | 40 tons |
| LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD 60′ Bases with 50′ Arc | Exposed Skinned Area | ¼” Topdressing | ½” Topdressing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Infield | 3,850 sq. ft. | 4 tons | 8.5 tons |
| Skinned Infield | 6,700 sq. ft. | 7.5 tons | 15 tons |
| SOFTBALL FIELD | Exposed Skinned Area | ¼” Topdressing | ½” Topdressing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55′ Arc with 25′ foul territory skinned | 10,443 sq. ft. | 11 tons | 22 tons |
| 60′ Arc with 25′ foul territory skinned | 11,190 sq. ft. | 11.5 tons | 23.5 tons |
| 65′ Arc with 25′ foul territory skinned | 11,974 sq. ft. | 12.5 tons | 25 tons |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kafka Granite’s standard ballyard mixes are quality options for those looking to improve the ball-playing experience of their fields. While many ball fields use a blend of sand, silt and clay, our standard mixes are composed of decomposed granite. Kafka understands the advantages of a decomposed granite base for both player and fan experience. Our standard ball yard mixes offer a firm, stable playing surface—even in the rain. Clay- or sand-based mixes get become muddy or collect standing water in rainfall. Kafka’s decomposed granite-based Standard Topdressing and Warning Track Mixes are incredibly permeable, allowing rainwater to drain quickly, which drastically reduces the number of rainouts you or your fans have to face. Our granite is crushed to a size that allows maximum drainage while staying firm and stable under foot. Not only will players experience safe footing, but how our mixes compact makes for smooth sliding and consistent ball hops.
Aside from the depth of installation for a new or existing field, the difference between the two ballyard mixes is slight. Because of the extra abuse a warning track endures due to maintenance vehicle traffic while receiving less maintenance when compared with the infield, our Standard Warning Track Mix is a coarser version of our Infield Topdressing.
Coarser warning track mix also provides a more prominent “crunch” when stepped on. This crunch warns players that they’re nearing the wall or fence around the perimeter of the field.
The product is commonly shipped via bulk end-dump trucks and trailers, with an average truckload of material weighing approximately 23 tons — though the type of material and the size of the truck and trailer will cause this to fluctuate slightly. Less-than-truckload quantities are available in one ton increments, but may be subject to additional set-up fees due to small production runs.
If bulk truckload shipping is not an option, our Ballyard Mixes can be packaged in ~3,000-pound super sacks. These 1½-ton bags provide easy transportation via flatbed, van, or LTL common carriers, and also facilitate easier storage and handling on job sites.
Kafka Granite recommends covering your existing infield mix with ¼” to ½” of our top dressing. To calculate how much you may need, read our guide to estimating how much infield mix you may need.
