There have been a lot of scare stories in the media recently about playing football on artificial turf. Some of the claims haven’t been reported very responsibly but the fact is that there’s no reason to worry about getting cancer from your local five-a-side game.
If you play on a good quality 3G synthetic pitch then you’ll find the surface plays very similar to natural grass (before it gets worn down, patchy and muddy) and it’s also much more durable. It’s also a lot easier to get on and off the pitch than with a real grass surface especially for players with disabilities and injuries.
3G pitches are accredited by a number of different sports governing bodies and they’re designed with specific requirements in mind for the sport being played on. For example, a rugby or hockey pitch will require the surfacing to be of a higher pile height so that it can cushion the fall of the player. This type of artificial surface is also often installed with a shock absorbent pad beneath to help the players to reduce stress on their joints.
The newest artificial surface is 5G. This is the fifth generation of artificial grass and it’s been developed with the latest technology to create a surface that aims to be as close as possible to natural grass while also being more durable, safer and easier to maintain. It has been developed with the same fibres as 3G but they have been woven into a sturdier base and there are more resilient rubber granules in the infill which helps to provide the traction of a real grass surface.
A 4G artificial grass 5G astroturf all weather multisport area is an accreditation endorsed by the FA, FIFA, IRB and RFU sports governing bodies. The fourth generation artificial turf is a combination of synthetic turf with sand infill and rubber crumb infill. It is sometimes also fitted with a shock absorbent pad underneath to help the players to reduce stress on their knees and joints.
There are some manufacturers of 4G that are pushing a non infill carpet however this has yet to be approved as an accreditation endorsed surface and is therefore not available to the FA, RFU and FIFA. However, ACT are leading the way with a non infill carpet system that doesn’t need any sand or rubber infill to achieve top performance.
This is a revolutionary development in artificial turf and it means that there’s no need to use sand or rubber for the surface to perform at a high level which reduces maintenance costs and environmental impact. If you would like to know more about constructing a 4G or 5G football surface for your organisation then please get in touch with us today. Our team will be happy to talk through the costs, prices, quotes and specifications. Our expert project managers will be on hand to guide you through the process from start to finish. Our aim is to make it as easy and as simple for you as possible to get your perfect artificial football surface.