Soccer Turf 101

There is a major difference between natural grass and artificial soccer turf. Many forget to keep this difference in mind and then end up spending more than what they can afford. It is the field managers and management staff that has to spend time and money on keeping natural grass green and pristine for games. The annual expenditure for soccer arena field turf can cause a dent in your financials if you continue to use grass. It is better to look for other options such as the fake turf that has won millions of fans around the world.

Why Fake Grass?
Synthetic turf has become the staple material for installation in soccer fields. There is enough evidence to suggest that field managers and facility owners have done away with natural grass. First and foremost is the cost and hassle involved in planting and maintaining the grass. Second is the regular replacement especially after every major game that takes its toll on the finances. The most important of all is the performance of natural grass during soccer games. Players often complain about bumps and depressions and bald spots hindering their play. Nothing could be more serious than impediments in the play for a facility manager and this call for replacing grass with synthetic turf.

Installation
The installation of fake turf takes a day or two depending on the dimensions of the facility. Smaller soccer fields can have fake grass installed in the facility within a few hours. It may take days for a larger facility to complete the installation. You first need to prepare the ground for artificial grass by removing the existing variety along with the debris. A thick layer of gravel is then added to the ground so as to provide a stable base to artificial grass. The last step is that of installation where rolls of fake grass are joined together with the help of clips and rollers are used to iron out the creases and bumps.

Maintenance
You will need regular watering of the fake turf though the frequency is not as higher as with natural grass. Also look out for bumps and depressions as these can appear due to uneven gravel. Debris can be removed from the artificial grass with the help of brooms and industrial vacuum cleaners. Also use rollers to keep the grass in firm and stable shape. You may also need to change portions of fake turf especially those that have been damaged. It only takes a few hours to do that and there will be no impact on the game schedules.

Performance
It all boils down to performance as soccer turf has to be sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of a game. This is where synthetic turf stands above the natural grass varieties. There are special varieties of soccer field turf that can help improving the performance of the players. There is less friction and the grass helps in better movement and footwork that helps players in performing at their optimum best.