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Home > Blog > 2017 > September

Hybrid Turf – Exciting New Turf Technology

September 29, 2017

In Perth, Western Australia, Perth Stadium is nearing completion. One of the new features the arena will boast is a hybrid turf surface. This surface combines fake grass with live grass. Hybrid turf isn’t as strong or cost-friendly as fully-synthetic turf. That said, it very useful for venues that want to retain natural grass but want a more durable surface. The arena plays host to events ranging from rugby games to concerts. Some of the teams that play there need a live grass surface due to league rules. So, hybrid turf was the perfect option. The artificial sections stabilize the live grass, so it remains flat and even. This makes it ideal for gameplay. No matter what sport an athlete plays, they need a surface that stays in good shape. Hybrids also boast added strength for heavy foot traffic from concerts. However, these turfs are no match for fully-synthetic turf.

To learn more about the benefits of fully-synthetic turf, head to Watersavers Turf. Our experts will gladly answer any of your questions.

Artificial Grass Adds Support to Live Grass

Artificial grass offers many benefits at sports venues. That said, not all people are ready to remove live grass from them. This is often the case when many teams will be using the field. Artificial grass affects gameplay in all sports. Sometimes, its effects are entirely welcome. Artificial grass, for example, is strong enough to stand up to wear-and-tear. It looks real and vibrant all year long. It also dries quickly after rain. This means games and practices are less likely to get canceled. Live grass fields get too slick after rain. This isn’t safe for players.

However, sometimes the effects alter gameplay for athletes. For instance, a ball may bounce higher off a synthetic grass surface than a real one. Thus, gameplay on a fake grass surface can be very different from gameplay on a fake grass surface.

Some leagues feel that gameplay needs to be the same on every single field. They also find that the cost of switching to fake grass at every single field is too high. Instead, they decide that every field in the league needs to consist of live grass. This ensures that gameplay doesn’t vary too much from one venue to the next.

A hybrid of live and fake grass offers the perfect middle ground. It conforms to league standards, but it’s not as easy to damage. It’s also a very useful surface for concert venues. During many bigger shows, foot traffic and heavy stage items flatten out the surface. Sometimes the damage is major. With this style of turf, venue owners can replace damaged portions easily.

As Hamish Sutherland, who helped design the Perth Stadium field, puts it: “If you put loads on it, like during a concert, it will support those loads. But if a concert damages the grass, for instance, if they decide to cover the grass for one or two weeks, we are able to roll this grass up and put some new grass in.”

Why Sports Venues Choose Artificial Field Turf

“If you looked at it, you couldn’t tell the difference (between 100 percent natural grass), but it’s a very durable, uniform consistent surface.” That’s how Greenacres Turf Group director Peter Pitsikas describes the new artificial field turf at Perth Stadium. The benefits of using artificial field turf are clear: it keeps live grass stable and protects it from damage. Artificial field turf already looks like the real thing. When combined with live grass, the effect is even stronger.

That’s one of the main reasons more field owners are looking into this option. If league or fan demands force them to use natural grass, they don’t have to forgo some of the advantages of an artificial option. Overall, the artificial surface is the better choice. It requires less care, so it costs less to maintain. It’s also less likely to be damaged. But not all venue owners can install it. By using a hybrid, they don’t have to worry about breaking league rules.

Nor do they have to worry about some fans or teams saying that the turf surface offers a home field advantage. Pitsikas says, “There won’t be won’t really be a home ground advantage because we’ve done AAMI Park, the MCG, and ANZ Stadium.” In the future, this type of hybrid may become the standard for new sports fields.

What to Look for in Sports Field Turf

There are certain traits all sports field turf should have. It needs to be strong enough to stand up to intense gameplay. Sports field turf should also remain flat and even. If it doesn’t, players are more likely to trip and fall. A high-end sports field turf should also be easy to replace if a section gets damaged. This is hard to do with live grass alone.

Hybrids of fake and live grass offer these traits. While they may not share all the benefits of a fake sports turf, they’re more durable than live grass alone. Using them is a good way to give players a surface that doesn’t have too much of an impact on gameplay. The fact that hybrids are stronger than live grass also makes them ideal for concerts and other types of events often held at sports venues.

In other words, you don’t need to own a major venue to find uses for them. They’re also perfect for school districts and local parks. This new tech is a great way for venue owners to get a sense for why synthetic turf is an ideal surface.

To learn more about the benefits of fully-synthetic surfaces, call us toll-free at 844-974-8873. We’ll discuss your project and suggest the best turf for your needs. Our online free estimates will help you start planning.

We want to make sure you select the product that meets all your standards. That’s why we’re happy to offer free large 1’ x 1’ samples. Visit any of our SF Bay Area locations to claim yours. Don’t worry if you’re not going to be in the area in the near future. We’ll ship them to any spot in the Continental United States if you can’t make it to us. We even ship them free if you’re a contractor.

We’ll also refer a contractor for your project. Want to learn how to install our products? We offer free classes on the subject.

At Watersavers Turf, we want you to enjoy the best possible service when making the switch.

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