When a school decides to have a football field installed most of the time, they do not wonder what is going under the turf. Have you ever wondered what is underneath your school’s synthetic turf field? Is it just dirt? Or did they possible just lay it over the grass that was already there? Well, we are here to tell you today that it is probably not what you think.

Prepping the ground for synthetic turf to be laid is not a step that can be completed quickly. After removing the natural grass, they have to compact ground before they can begin to layer the products. Once the ground has been compacted there are a couple of things that can be placed at this time. Two of those options are concrete or crushed stone. If this is an indoor install it will be concrete. Then along the edges you will have nailer board which could be a number of products and materials. Along with concrete and crushed stone you can add an air drain.

What is an air drain?

The air drains are 100% recycled copolymer, which is considered a “no break” plastic. This means that it can withstand a lot of wear and tear as well as different environments. The system can be put in climates with extreme heat and cold and they will not weaken. The reason air drains are used is to help water flow away from the surface quickly. This helps prevent puddles on the field when it is raining so that you can continue to play in many weather conditions.

If you did not know what was under your school’s turf field now you know it is more than you might have thought. If you have any questions about your field or would like to have one installed, contact our team today!

Turf athletic fields are growing in popularity across the US. Check out some of our turf football field installations, find inspiration in our photo gallery, check out our facility designer.