Synthetic Sports Surfaces

Superb staying power for specialist sports: how to choose the right synthetic sports surface for your facility

Advances in innovative sport construction and design are pioneering new opportunities to deliver year-round sporting opportunities for schools, councils, community groups and private clubs alike. At the forefront of developments is a vast array of technology enabling you to tailor your sports surface to your users. The level of choice can be confusing, so if you’re considering a sport construction of any kind follow our simple advice on how to choose the perfect sports surface for your venue.

Define the purpose of your sports surface for maximum performance

The specific purpose of your venue is the starting point for deciding on the most appropriate sports surface. An all weather surface, for example, can be the ideal solution for a multi sports area which doubles up occasionally as a tennis court. However, if you are building a brand new tennis court for semi-professional and professional players they will expect the optimal feel and performance of a clay tennis court surface. Schools lacking new space on which to build may opt for a multi use games area featuring an all weather pitch, in order to maximise use of their precious facility all year round.

Football clubs, on the other hand, will favour the new generation of 3G all weather pitches which incorporate a unique rubber filled artificial grass surface to cope with wet weather, give ultimately durable performance, and offer non-abrasive technology for contact situations. Specialist athletics surfaces such as athletic running tracks and polymeric surfaces can be the perfect choice for venues requiring exceptional non-slip action and the ability to cope with running shoe spikes. These functions also make such sports surfaces another good choice for multi use games areas where a number of different sports need to be accommodated. Above all, always take Government’s health and safety guidelines and regulations into account when choosing your surface.

Don’t let your sports surface be beaten by the weather

For busy schools and clubs, weather related cancellations are highly inconvenient and can impact both financially and on the aesthetic of your sports surface. Traditionally, clay tennis court surfaces and grass football pitches have been victim to sodden conditions that make play impossible. The good news is that all weather surfaces have advanced dramatically and bring huge benefits over and above their ability to resist the UK’s rainfall.  You can tailor your all-weather surface to your venue’s sporting focus. Hardwearing options are available for high impact sports pitch constructions and multi sports areas – whereas more specialist surfaces suit particular sports that require a certain level of bounce and flexibility – for example in a synthetic tennis court. It’s well worth investing in an acrylic coating to protect against warm weather too – ensuring that your sports surface does not soften when the sun shines, and prolonging it’s lifespan by protecting against wear and tear.

Plan for the  maintenance of your sports surface

Your pitch or court is the key feature of your sport construction – maintaining it is crucial to ensure that your users continue to be delighted with your facilities and want to use them again and again. The good news is that in general maintaining your sports surface is not a huge task – whether you’re looking after an all weather surface, a synthetic sports pitch, an athletics track or a tennis court surface. The key areas for attention are the removal of weeds, autumnal leaves and any obstructions, moss spraying on a regular basis (probably twice a year) and pressure washing for all weather surfaces.

Some sports surfaces, however, might require more specific care. If you opt for an artificial grass pitch for your football ground, for example, you need to take into account grass rejuvenation on a periodical basis to keep your pitch up to scratch. Whereas if you have a synthetic sports surface with a coloured acrylic coating, it might be necessary after some years to invest in colour spraying and give your sports surface new life. Whilst maintenance is necessary it is very simple to arrange, and the small amount of effort you put into planning your maintenance will reap dividends through keeping your sports construction in mint condition and building an exemplary reputation that attracts repeat users for you.

Designing a sport construction is a thrilling experience these days with so many options available to make your venue come to life, from floodlighting to integrated audio visual systems, 3rd generation pitches and everything in between. But there is one defining factor that will set your facility apart from the rest. Choose the ideal sports surface for your venue – one that suits your user’s requirements perfectly – and you will have a facility that draws crowds for decades to come.  Take a look at our full range of surfaces or contact us for more guidance – we’ll be only too happy to help!