Synthetic turf provides lots of obvious benefits when utilized as a high-use athletic field surface, including its durability and relative ease of maintenance. Knowing what to do when it comes time to replace your field, on the other hand, might be less obvious, particularly since it’s likely been awhile since your original field installation. Just going through the motions, forgoing important investigations and due diligence, and mimicking what was done on the initial installation is very likely not your best option. Over the past several years, there have been advancements across the board with new turf fibers and fiber combinations, new infills, new shock pads and drainage layers, and we’ve learned a lot of lessons from recent field design projects that meaningfully inform the way we’re approaching new field and field replacement projects.
My latest article in Parks and Rec Business includes a rundown of some of the most important design criteria you’ll want to take into consideration to get a high-performing, safe system within your budget for your next synthetic turf field replacement. For instance, in order to ensure your synthetic turf field replacement project is as sustainable as possible, you’ll need to have a plan for removing and disposing of the materials in an environmentally responsible way. The options for infill have also broadened in recent years, with more choices for alternatives than ever before, some more viable or applicable in certain situations than others. Field owners will want to evaluate their options carefully to fully take advantage of the opportunity to balance safety concerns and the requirements of the activities the field will be used for primarily.
Additional details on these aspects of field design and much more are included in the new article; read the full text here and, as always, feel free to reach out with any questions about your specific project or facility.
