Synthetic turf is a great investment for a baseball or softball field because it can endure a lot more foot traffic compared to natural grass and doesn’t need much recovery time. The following guides will give you a full overview of what goes into the price of a new baseball turf field, design considerations, and tips for funding.
A football field must withstand a lot of beating throughout the long season. Making sure your gridiron meets the safety, playability, and aesthetics requirements, should be your main priority. Installing a synthetic football turf field goes a long way in achieving those goals. Read more about artificial turf football field installation costs and design considerations in the guide below.
Soccer shoes with their hard cleats are notorious for causing wear and tear to the playing surface. Now imagine two sets of 11 players running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes and you can see why soccer fields need a lot of maintenance to keep them in top shape. Synthetic turf soccer fields can take a lot of beating during a game and still be ready for another kick-off the following day. Read about the costs, design considerations and grant opportunities in the below guide.
Field hockey is a game that requires speed, strength, endurance, precision, and agility. A level playing field with uniform attributes across the pitch is a must for hockey at all levels of play. Installing a quality synthetic turf hockey field will ensure the results will not be decided due to pitch conditions. Read more about how much it would cost to install a turf hockey field for your sports facility in the guide below.
We’ve created a comprehensive set of tools designed to assist facility managers and project planners in initiating their projects and connect them with the professionals in the industry.
This guide will answer all your big questions regarding turf field installation and get you started on each major step of the planning process. Ultimately, you’ll work through the details with the team of specialists and vendors you’ll assemble to fulfill your vision for a turf field.
Artificial turf fields are robust and can take a beating for quite some time, but nothing lasts forever. After years of heavy use, you will begin to see certain signs on and around the field that suggest you should consider replacing the turf field playing surface.
Sports facility owners can maintain artificial turf fields by following a basic set of guidelines. Cleaning and maintenance can be performed either in-house or by an outside partner. Read about the important considerations in the article below.
Synthetic turf field surfacing grants are offered by the public and private sectors. The availability of grant programs varies greatly across states. Read more about turf field funding opportunities in the articles below.
Many companies install artificial turf sports fields, but not all of them are created equal. Choosing the right company is essential to getting a high-quality installation that will last for years. We have written about important considerations when choosing a turf field installer in the below article.
Synthetic turf field infill granules are an essential part of the turf system. They provide support for the fibers, improve shock absorption, and facilitate better drainage for the field. There is a long list of infill material options to choose from. Read more about the alternatives in our turf field infill guide below.
A quality synthetic turf sports field gives you more up-time because it can take a lot of beating, needs very little recovery time or maintenance, and can endure difficult weather conditions much better than natural grass fields. More up-time also means more opportunities to generate revenue.
Synthetic sports turf fields typically last for around 10 years and during their lifetime they require a lot less maintenance compared to natural grass fields. Less maintenance needs result in reduced maintenance bills. We have written about turf field maintenance guidelines in the article below.
Installing an artificial turf field made up of recycled plastics and rubber is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint. Synthetic turf fields also don’t use any fertilizers and need a lot less watering compared to natural grass. It may sound counter-intuitive, but synthetic turf can be a great green choice!
Here are some of our tips and tricks that may help you during your artificial turf field installation or resurfacing project.
Here is some good-to-know background information that all artificial turf field project planners should be familiar with.
Maybe you’re trying to decide whether to install an artificial turf field or a natural grass field. Or you’ve already decided to go the synthetic route and now you just need to win over a few remaining stakeholders. We know most of the questions you’re going to hear and figure we could save you some time by summarizing the answers you’ll want to give.
Nope, not any more. Some leagues may still require that all competitive games take place on natural grass, but increasingly turf is used for playing and training. Even within those leagues that have a natural grass requirement for games, the teams often have artificial turf in their training facility. It’s more cost-effective, longer-lasting and is every bit as playable (sometimes more so) than natural grass.
If they ever did, it was back in the day when artificial fields felt artificial. The base layers, infill granules and fibers of modern turf fields are all designed to mimic the best parts of natural surfaces.
The playing surface is soft so players do not absorb a greater impact when running or landing than on a natural surface. The traction on artificial turf is designed to let players accelerate and change direction without sticking or sliding.
And, since turf is more consistent and controlled than natural grass, there’s much less risk of the freak injuries of landing on a stone, getting your foot caught temporarily in a divot or having to adjust in a sudden and uncontrolled way to an unexpected bounce.
Yes, definitely. While artificial fields cost more at installation than natural fields, they require less maintenance equipment and manpower than natural fields. They also last longer than natural fields before requiring in-depth maintenance or a complete replacement.
Any sport played on a field can be played on a turf field: soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball, field hockey… you name it. If there’s grass, that grass can be turf.
Because each sport has different playing characteristics, different artificial turf systems work better for some than others. When you start the planning and budgeting process, it helps to know what sport(s) will be taking place on the field. If you don’t know or simply want to keep your options open, go for a multi-use turf system that supports a variety of sports as well as non-sport activities.
Synthetic fields do not require as much water as natural grass, do not require fertilizer or pesticides and do not need to be mowed, which means you won’t be using as much gas. The field itself is made of plastic fibers – petroleum-based, yes, but increasingly recycled – so overall, synthetic fields have a smaller footprint.
Turf fields do retain heat more than natural grass. On hot days, the playing surface – and, therefore, the players – may be hotter than they would be on an adjacent grass field. However, the extra heat will probably not be significant compared to the overall conditions. Even so, this is something the coaches and athletic trainers should be aware of as they plan water breaks and cooling systems (like fans and misters), and educate the athletes on heat safety.
Artificial surfaces and the infill granules are a combination of cork, rubber and synthetic materials, so they should not be ingested. Keeping toddlers, infants and pets off the surface should minimize this risk (and is better for the overall condition of the field).
These are just some of the most frequently asked questions, but you probably have others. Ask us, and on the off chance we don’t know the answer, we promise that we know someone who does!
