Football Pitch Construction: How to Start the Process?

Have you taken the plunge and decided that right about now is the time to revamp? Renovate? Restore? Are your facilities a little old, outdated and in need of maintenance? Are you comparing the performance your pitch to those of others and wondering why the number of people, using your pitch, has rapidly declined over the recent years? Have you thought about football pitch construction and exactly how you should go about it?

Artificial turf has been predominantly used for football throughout the past few years

5-a-side Football Pitch Construction

The first step is often the most difficult, but you’re already there! This is recognising that you need to do something about your lack of football facility or your underperforming pitch. The rest of this process is very easy for you, and that is because you are already in the right place.

The Synthetic Turf Management team are obsessed with artificial turf. We just love it! And we know all the ins and outs and what turf type is suitable for each facility. We consider several factors when designing and planning a new pitch such as:

• Target market- who will be using the facility? How often will they use it?
• The Base- can we use the existing base works or will you need a whole new base completed, (at STM we pride ourselves on safety so will always ensure that the base is as safe as it can be therefore fulfilling sufficient drainage requirements).
• Access- can the pitch be easily accessible. A full pitch build requires rather large machinery, and time can be drastically reduced should sufficient access be provided.

We are happy to come out to your facility and provide you with a no-obligation quote, and better yet... it’s all free! We will then come up with a quote sent out via email/post and if you’re happy to go ahead, we can sort everything out for you. Although we do understand that you may need time to sort out a few things first such as:

• Discussion between various stakeholders
• Planning permission (if needed)
• Funding (if needed)

But we are here to help through every step of the way for your football pitch construction, so if you need any help, don’t hesitate to contact us.

How are artificial 3g football pitches constructed in the UK?

Artificial grass pitches are laid down on top of a flat, firm base (usually concrete). A protective layer is then placed over the pitch to provide strength and puncture resistance. This is normally an infill made up of rubber granules or sand particles topped with a shock pad; however, there are some pitches that use different infill materials such as silica or cork.

The surface of the pitch is then painted green and white lines applied to mark out football pitches, goal areas and penalty spots etc. The paint is usually made from a synthetic material that is water-based. In some cases, it can be an acrylic type paint which will form a flexible film over the protective layer.

Artificial football pitch painting

Once the paint is applied to the whole pitch, it is then cut into sections using a rotary cutter with a spiral blade attached. The machine cuts through the painted surface and removes small quantities of infill along with it. When this happens, compressed air is blasted onto the cutting line so that the infill material falls back into place. This prevents the formation of ruts and ensures that the players won't be able to detect any cuts in the surface.

Artificial football pitch markings

The finished artificial football pitch is then ready for use. Upon heavy usage, it will need to be re-painted at regular intervals; usually every 6 to 12 months, depending on how much it is being used.

If you're looking for an artificial turf construction for your football pitch, please call our expert turf contractors today for a free no obligation quote!