How to Build a Portable Pitcher's Mound

A portable pitcher's mound is a handy piece of equipment when the weather gets nasty in spring and practice has to be moved indoors or to the nearest dry ground, which often doesn't have a pitcher's mound. You can build a two-piece portable pitcher's mound from wood.

Things You'll Need

• Four 2-by-10 lumber boards, 6 feet long
• Two 4-by-6-foot planks, 3/4 inch thick
• Drill
• 2-inch screws
• One 2-by-2 lumber board, 6 feet long
• One 2-by-4 lumber board, 6 feet long
• One 2-by-6 lumber board, 6 feet long
• One 2-by-8 lumber board, 6 feet long
• Two 10-by-6-foot planks, 3/4 inch thick

Instructions

1. Arrange three of the 6-foot 2-by-10s parallel to one another, standing on edge on top of the plank (on a 6-foot by 2-inch side), 20 inches apart.

2. Cover the three 6-foot 2-by-10s with the 4-by-6 board, screwing the board into the beams. You will need at least eight screws for each beam. One of the beams should be along a 6-foot edge, one should be about in the middle, and one should be four inches from the other 6-foot edge.

3. Flip the board and beams over and attach the other board to the other edges of the beams, aligned with the first board.

4. Arrange the other beams on the ground, parallel to each other, 2 feet apart, in ascending order: first the 2-by-2, then the 2-by-4, the 2-by-6, the 2-by-8 and the 2-by-10.

5. Lay a 6-by-10 board over them (it will be slanted, of course) with the 2-by-10 directly beneath one 6-foot edge. The other edge will touch the ground 2 feet beyond the 2-by-2. Attach the board to all of the beams with 2-inch screws, using at least eight screws on each beam.

6. Flip the board and beams over and attach the other 6-by-10 board to the beams.

7. Slide the wedge (made with the 6-by-10 boards) beneath the overhanging edge of the rectangular platform (made with the 6-by-4 boards). If you want to mark the spot of the rubber, it will be in the center of the 6-foot crease between the parts, six inches onto the platform. You can mark the spot or paint a rectangle to mark the location of the rubber.

8. Surface the wood with polyurethane or artificial turf for an extra touch.

References

• More Pitcher's Mound Instructions (Not to Professional Dimensions)