Synthetic Turf

The first generation of Synthetic turf was first introduced in the 1960s, however natural grass was still the preferred solution for sports fields for many years. After a lot research and development, synthetic turf did successfully become the better solution. Developers worked closely together with athletes, trainers and doctors who carried out tests, trials and samples to achieve the best performance properties of natural grass. Today, the popularity of synthetic turf continues to grow worldwide thanks to new advances in playing surfaces.

An artificial sports pitch is a system construction that consists of different components. Each one of these components plays an important part in the quality and the characteristics of the field. The subbase is composed of a permeable material and a drainage system covered in concrete or crushed stone. The next step is the installation of a shock absorbing layer finished with the artificial grass. Depending on the final application of the pitch, the turf system is different: sand-filled, sand-dressed, sand & rubber filled or non-filled.

Artificial grass qualities come in different pile heights and for infilled systems, the height will influence the amount of infill material to foresee. The pile height, possibly the infill material and the subbase are always in accordance. 

We can say that the playing characteristics on artificial grass are the same as on natural grass but nowadays this statement is supported and proven by figures. Ball roll, ball rebounce and shock absorption are some of the characteristics that are measurable and thus objectively comparable. Organisations such as FIFA and FIH have installed a strict testing system and only the very best systems receive a quality certificate.

Artificial grass is available for different sports and each system provides the playing characteristics that are required for the type of sport. The different sports are:

• Football
• Hockey
• Football & hockey
• Multi-sports
• Tennis
• Golf
• Cricket 

The advantages of artificial grass are numerous. The pitch is always in perfect condition and the playing characteristics are stable and perfect, independent of the season or the weather conditions. No mud, no puddles, whilst the pitch remains green at all times. Sowing, mowing, fertilizing and line marking are all worries of the past. This means major time, work and money savings!