What Is Laser Grading For Athletic Fields?

For many years, baseball groundskeepers have leveled (or “graded”) their playing fields manually to ensure a safe, true field and to allow for effective water drainage.

While manually tackling this task is possible, it’s a slow and labor-intensive process that requires lots of experience and expertise to pull off. On an athletic field, grading entails creating extremely subtle elevation changes from high points to low points – as little as a one percent slope for a natural grass field, for example.

The good news is that technology has simplified this process significantly in recent years – particularly with the advent of laser grading.

How Laser Grading Works

With laser grading, a precision leveling blade smooths materials and surfaces to create the desired slope to your field (it’s important to note that annual athletic field maintenance – laser topdressing – is needed to re-establish the proper grade of your field).

Here’s how the laser grading process works:

• A laser transmitter, mounted on a tripod, emits a thin beam of light that rotates 360 degrees. This creates a grade reference over the work area.
• A laser receiver—mounted on a mast attached to the leveling blade—detects the laser beam’s elevation and sends the information to an onboard computer.
• The computer sends signals to a hydraulic valve, which controls the lift cylinders of the blade.
• The valve raises or lowers the machine’s cutting edge according to the signals, thereby maintaining correct elevation.

Key Benefits Of Laser Grading Your Fields

Laser grading provides great benefits for your athletic fields, where conditions can affect game outcomes, safety, and more.

Key benefits of athletic field Laser Grading include:

• A “truer” playing surface
• Less standing water
• Fewer postponements
• Reduced potential for injuries
• Fewer holes caused by wear and tear

Laser Grading For Field Construction And Field Maintenence

Laser grading is recommended for all phases of athletic field construction – from subgrade and gravel to root zone materials – to create a uniform field profile. This will ensure that the field has the least amount of slope needed to remove surface water without affecting play.

To perform laser grading on an existing athletic field, the surface contours of the field must be studied in detail first to understand how water moves, how the field currently slopes, and how to develop an effective athletic field grading plan. Once these benchmarks are established, crews can tow a laser-guided box blade over the field, cutting high spots and filling depressions until the field exactly conforms to the desired slope tolerances.

Looking for laser grading services for your ball field? Contact Diamond Landscapes & Athletic Fields today to learn more about Laser Grading and athletic field maintenance in Connecticut today!