If you’re looking to get into baseball, but don’t have the space for a real one in your backyard, this is an easy and inexpensive way to start. You’ll need 1/4 inch plywood, as well as: 6-8 galvanized nails; 4 pieces of 2×2 lumber 3 feet long; contractor screws (optional); level
The “diy batting cage cheap” is a DIY project that can be completed in a few easy steps. This DIY project can be completed by anyone who has access to the following materials: PVC pipe, metal bar, and screen material.
Batting practice in baseball or softball might be pricey, but practice makes perfect. Batting cage visits may cost upwards of $45 per hour or more! If you want to get a lot of batting practice, you may want to think about building a batting cage in your backyard.
You will save money in the long run if you build a batting cage in your backyard. Full kits are available for purchase online, but they cost thousands of dollars. In this post, we’ll teach you how to save money by building a batting cage in your backyard.
Contents
Materials (for a length of 55 feet):
- Batting cage custom-made to your specifications
- 4 cement sacks
- auger or shovel
- 4 stakes made of wood
- 4-6 galvanized 3″-4″ steel posts, 13-15 feet long
- 4mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7mm 7
- 55 Carabineer 5mm Snap Hooks in Galvanized Steel
- 12 x 5mm galvanized wire rope grips
- 6 Galvanised Straining Screw Hook & Eye 5mm
- Cutter of Wire
- Heavy Duty (4-6) Eye Bolts, 3/8″ x 6″
- 12 Stakes for Tents
- Baseball’s Home Plate (optional)
- Machine for Pitching (optional)
- Paint using a spray gun (optional)
- Additional Cement and Artificial Turf (optional)
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Step 1: Determine the location and kind of flooring
You’ve probably already envisioned the ideal batting cage placement in your head. Consider the space you have available while choosing a site for your batting cage. If you have a tiny yard, the cage should be kept on the smaller side. The average batting cage is 10-12 feet wide, but if you don’t have the room, you may go a little smaller. Children’s cages should be 20-40 feet long, while adults’ cages should be 70-80 feet long.
If you’re using a pitching machine, choose an area in the yard that is pretty flat. You have the option of leveling the batter’s box and the pitching machine’s stand.
If you pick a grassy area, keep in mind that you’ll have to mow within the cage by raising the net. We’ll use a cable suspension system that lets you move the net out of the way if necessary.
A dirt area may also be used. Dirt, on the other hand, becomes unsuitable when wet and dirty. The expense of installing a grass or rubber sports court underneath your batting cage may increase, but it will be well worth it during the wet season!
Another excellent flooring choice is concrete. To save money and effort, concrete may be poured solely beneath the batter’s region.
Purchase a Batting Cage Net in Step 2.
We propose purchasing a prefabricated batting cage net in the desired size. There are many excellent choices, and we believe you will be pleased with your purchase. Batting cage netting is available in practically any size on Amazon. Sports supply shops, on the other hand, sell loose netting that you may adapt to your preference.
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Step 3: Draw a circle around the cage.
Mark the four corners of the batting cage in the selected area using the dimensions from the batting cage you ordered. Place pegs in the four corners of the rectangle and square the corners. The major posts of the batting cage frame will be located here.
Step 4: Selecting a Post Frame
The mainframe of your batting cage will be made up of poles. Choose weather-resistant materials and consider how long you want to use the batting cage. You should also consider if you want to be able to take the frame down in the winter or keep it up all year. Among the possibilities are:
- Posts made of galvanized steel
- 444 wood stakes
- Schedule 40 PVC pipe
- 14 gauge 3′′ square tube
Since Posts made of galvanized steel are both cost-effective and will last many years, we recommend this as your top choice. Your steel posts will need to be extended to about 13-15 feet for batting cages that are 10-12 feet high. Sometimes fence supply stores or Home Depot will do this for you. At a fence supply or metal store, you may also be able to find poles that are the height that you need without extending.
Cutting and constructing a robust construction with sturdy heavy-duty wood supports does not need the use of specialist equipment. In each of the four corners, you’ll need a 44 wood beam that’s 15-16 feet tall. A header board the width of your cage should be fitted. You should also install support beams since wood has a propensity to bend over time. Crushlife Acres demonstrates how he built a batting cage frame out of wood and steel cable in a video.
You’ll need to make many U-shaped frames along the length of the cage if you’re using PVC or square tubing. The use of PVC and square tubing has the advantage of making the whole system portable. More information about PVC pipe frames may be found on this page.
When building a cable suspension frame, keep in mind that only wood and metal are advised. You won’t be able to utilize cable suspension if you use PVC or other plastic posts, so you’ll have to put posts along the sides.
Step 5: Place the Posts
Double-check your dimensions and corners before digging holes and installing posts! With the addition of header cables, two posts on each end, for a total of four posts, should hold your net. For broad batting cages, a third pole in the center of each end may be added for increased support.
Attach the eye-bolts towards the top of each post after you’ve cut and stretched your posts to a height of 13-15 feet. One pair of eyebolts should face the cage’s length, while the other set should face the cage’s opposite end post. These will be used to connect wire rope and support the batting cage’s sidewalls.
Dig four 3 foot deep holes where your stakes were set in step 2. If you want to add a third pole to each end, dig a hole the same depth in the center of each cage end.
We recommend burying your metal poles approximately 3 feet into the ground and anchoring them with cement since they will be under stress from wires. If you want to be able to remove your net, make a sleeve out of a pipe that is slightly bigger than your posts and place it in the cement first.
Do not try to place the poles without assistance. This may seem like a task for a professional, but if you enlist the support of some buddies, you can do it yourself! Always put your safety first!
Allow the cement to set for a day or two before proceeding with the cable suspension operation. You may have to start again if you attempt to join the wire cables and cage before the cement has completely set.
Attach the Suspension Cables in Step 6
After the cement has hardened, you may join the steel wire cables and connect the net. To link the wire rope from one post to the post at the other long end, use eye-bolts, straining to screw eye and hook, and steel grips. If you’ve never attached steel grips to wire rope before, be sure you know how to do it properly before getting started.
To begin, make an eye loop on one end of the wire and attach it to the eye bolt on one of the end posts. Then run it along the length of the cage to the other post, which is equipped with a screwing eye and hook. Next, cut the wire rope at a sufficient length to allow for the addition of an eye loop and steel grips to shut the wire rope’s end. Finally, connect the wire rope and tighten it with the screwing eye and hook open as far as they will go.
Repeat until all posts are attached to the ones across from them using wire rope.
Create a header cable on both ends by connecting a wire rope from one end post to the other using the eye hooks you secured in step 4. Before running a support wire along the center of the batting cage, make sure the header cable is secure.
Run the steel wire rope down the batting cage’s center length to the header cables on both ends. Wire grips and carabineers are used to secure the cable.
Step 7: Join the Internet
Your batting cage is almost finished! Using the net’s ropes, connect each post end to the batting cage net. Attach the upper edges of the net, as well as the cables, with extra carabiners every 3-5 feet of the net, or as required. Rep this process for the whole length of each cable.
The net should not be too extended. To prevent balls from rebounding off the net, it’s best to keep it somewhat slack.
Stake the net to the ground along the base using tent stakes. Balls will not be able to escape the net and roll away.
Untie the ropes and remove the tent poles to remove the net for ground maintenance. Then, on one side of the frame, slip the net linked to the carabiners. Replace the net and tent poles after mowing!
Step 8: Add Finishing Touches
You might consider adding a couple more objects to your now-completed batting cage. A rubber backstop is the first. You may buy a rubber backstop online. It will extend the life of the net behind the hitter and safeguard everything behind the batting cage from being struck by balls repeatedly.
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To get the most out of your batting cage, you’ll need a throwing machine. This might be a fantastic drill if you have a pitcher and a pitching mound to work with. People, on the other hand, become tired quicker than a pitching machine! By adding a pitching machine to your batting cage, you can get hours of hitting practice.
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Use an i-screen to protect your pitching machine from hit balls after you’ve acquired one. These may be found online or at sporting goods shops. You may even construct your own if you wish.
A batter’s box and a home plate are inexpensive and simple additions to your batting cage. This can help you improve your strike detection skills and bat with improved form. Before you finish your batting cage, draw a box with spray paint and buy a home base.
Sale
Rubber Home Plate by BSN
- Indoor and outdoor usage, official size with suction grip underside
- White molded rubber, heavy duty
- There are no spikes.
- Set up a baseball, softball, or kickball field with ease.
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Conclusion
You now know how to build a batting cage in your own backyard! You have the financial means to train your hitting technique as often as you want. You can even bring the whole squad over for less than the cost of a day at the batting cages!
Take a swing at the batter! With steel poles and cable suspension, this batting cage will survive for years of use. You may have even designed it to be removed during the winter or off-season.
You saved thousands of dollars by learning how to build a batting cage in your backyard without buying a whole kit with a little bit of effort and sweat. Your family will undoubtedly spend their days having fun while refining their hitting skills in the batting cage!
The “batting cage netting” is an easy way to make a batting cage in your backyard. It can be made in only a few steps, and it is relatively inexpensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a batting cage?
A: This is a common question for baseball players. To make a batting cage, you need materials like wood and tarp to cover the ground so that balls dont go outside of your field of play when hit with bats.
How do you build a batting cage in your back yard?
A: To build a batting cage, you need to find the right materials. You will want 2x4s for the structure of your batting cage and extra wood for bats that are too thin or have broken arms. Then its time to start building!
How much does it cost to build a backyard batting cage?
A: A ballpark figure is $3500. The cost will vary, depending on the size of your backyard and whether you need a hard-surface or softball field for batting practice.
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