Questions to Ask Before Adding Your Athletic Field Fence
When first trying to figure out what fence you should be using for a specific sport there are a few questions to consider:
- Is there a specific purpose for the fence other than marking territory?
- Will the fence only surround the field/court or is the fence going to be a backstop?
- What is the equipment for the sport like?
These are all things to question because the different needs may require different fences or strengths of a fence and the size of the equipment will change more specific details like how big the holes in a chain link fence are. Backstop fences for baseball would need thick gauged wire to be strong to keep from wearing easily and small holes to keep a baseball inside the field. An outfield fence doesn’t have to be as thick though because the ball isn’t hitting a specific part of the fence repeatedly so it doesn’t get as much wear.
Another thing to think about is if there are ways to make the fence look better - especially if the athletic field is in the middle of a city or somewhere that gets a lot of drive-by traffic. Even if you have an athletic court at your home it might be important to you to keep your property aesthetically pleasing.
With a chain link fence a person may want to use a vinyl coated chain link fence instead of a traditional galvanized fence, or maybe you’d want to paint a wooden fence to match your home rather than keeping it a natural color. The look of a fence isn’t necessarily important to the sport while it’s being played, however it is important to sports teams who want to look professional and homeowners who don’t want their property to look tacky.
The climate your fence is in can also be something to consider when picking out finishes. In Colorado Springs, a chain link fencing contractor might not be as apt to suggest a preventative coating for the fence because typically the state is very dry and there is minimum exposure to moisture. However, if that fence is sitting in grass that has a high exposure to sprinkler systems (which is often the case when it comes to sports fields with grass), then it is very likely a Colorado Springs fencing contractor would take that into consideration to help you from preventing damage to the fence. Whatever type of fence it is, it’s important to take the precautions to prevent damage because it will save money in the long term and keep the athletic area safe and looking good.
The best sport fence type
Fences can provide many functions for athletic fields or courts. It can provide crowd control and keep an audience from rushing the court or field, it can act as security if there’s an area viewers should be, it can tell the audience and players where the area of play for the sport is, but most importantly it can provide safety for audience members and the participants. The purpose of the fence determines the type of fence used for the sport.
Privacy fences are ideal for private tennis courts and sport areas that are near a road. The privacy fence prevents onlookers from watching you play.
A chain link fence is one of the most popular fences for almost all of these functions. This type of fence is great for football, tennis and baseball and varies in its thickness, hole size and coating to change it’s durability, containment abilities and look.
For football, chain link fences usually surround multiple areas of the stadium and tend to be about four feet high. They surround the track area, go along the edge of bleachers to keep spectators from slipping and, depending on the budget of the stadium, may even use chain link fences to surround the stadium as security. Most times, these fences are PVC coated to give the fence a specific look and to make the fence long-lasting.
In baseball, there are more variations to the fencing because of the athletic equipment and for the safety of players and spectators. The sizing of the chain link fence surround the field is about 4 to 6 feet high and the outfield fence is about 6 feet high while backstops tend to be almost 25 feet high. Each part of the fence is also marked differently.
For example, the outfield fence is topped with colored tubing so players are able to visually gauge the distance of a fly ball and make a better decision on jumping into or over the fence for a ball is wise. Even the dugouts of a baseball field are enclosed with chain link fencing. If the fence is in the part of the baseball stadium that often has balls flying at it or the fence’s purpose is to protect audience members from getting hit, the gauge of the chain link fence will be much thicker to avoid wear and tear.
Tennis balls aren’t quite as hard as baseballs, but they can still be dangerous for onlookers, which makes a durable tennis court fence important. The chain link fence surrounding most tennis courts is meant to enclose the area to contain the balls. Fence height depends on the surround land and buildings, but a usual size is about 10 feet tall. Tennis fences are commonly coated and the fabric mesh is smaller than the typical 2 inch diamond so that tennis balls are unable to get stuck in the fence as easily.
Other sports do use fences but the type of fence tends to be less set. Equestrians may build fences that are more aesthetically pleasing, and sports that don’t use small equipment might not be in need of a chain link fencing contractor. The best way to know which type of fence will best serve your sporting venue is to talk to a Colorado Springs fence contractor to consult on the wants and needs for your sport.
