How Are Sports Fields Constructed?
The majority of field sports involve running on the field and risk the chance of injury, which is why a safe and stable sports field is essential for athletes. A quality, well built field establishes the entire game, because it ensures players feel safe to go above and beyond. River Region Sports Fields pursues perfection and can provide you with a top-notch, reliable sports field so your athletes can perfect their performances and achieve greatness. In this article, we discuss our process of constructing a quality sports field.
Sports Field Construction 101
Building a sports field is a complex process, because River Region builds each one to last. Sports fields endure rough play and outdoor weather conditions, which is why each field is carefully planned and created. Athletic fields are built layers by layer and all begin with field designing.
Field Design
To ensure your needs are met and exceeded, our team will walk you through the entire sports field construction process. We will discuss the specific field design you are looking for within your budget and perform the following processes depending on your needs and wants:
- Laser Grading
- Sodding
- Drainage Systems
- Rootzone Construction
- Irrigation Systems
What Is Laser Grading?
Laser grading for sports fields establishes a specific slope where the field will be constructed. This process moves soil using a grading mechanism until the area is the desired surface elevation. Laser grading avoids uneven, inconsistent surfaces that result in water pooling, soft spots, and other effects that result in a failed sports field. Laser grading is critical in building a successful sports field!
Sodding A Sports Field
Depending on the field design and your timeline, sodding is the quickest way to establish turf on your sports field. Our professional team will install strips of pre-grown grass on prepared soil. Before laying the turf, the River Region team has many tasks to prepare the sodbed. Some tasks include liming, fertilizing, and soil conditioning. Once the soil is prepared, we begin laying thinly cut sod in a line squared by the longitudinal axis of the field. Although this process can be costly, the grass will root and be ready for use in 4 to 6 weeks.
Sports Field Drainage Systems
Drainage systems are essential for any good sports field, because of the variety of benefits the system provides. Below are five benefits of installing a drainage system for your turf field.
- Remove excess water
- Avoid water pooling
- Decrease waiting time after unfavorable weather
- Increase playability of the field
- Lower risk of injury
The River Region team installs a pipe system to allow water to drain equally and rapidly through the turf, while actively avoiding water pooling. Depending on your preferences, our team may recommend perched water table systems or slit drainage. Give us a call to learn more about sports field drainage systems!
Sports Field Rootzone Construction
There are many factors that play into building a quality sports field, including the type of soil laid underneath the field. The main rootzone soils are native soils and sand based soils, which can both be beneficial for your sports field. Native soils are a great medium for grass growing, while sand based soils improve water drainage. When constructing your sports field, our team will walk you through each of the benefits and drawbacks of rootzone soils.
Irrigation Systems For Sports Fields
When building a natural turf sports field, watering and field maintenance is essential. Our team can provide a fully functioning irrigation system when constructing your sports field. Our state of the art technology effectively waters the natural turf and avoids water pooling. Not only can we build a quality sports field, but the River Region team can also help you with sports field maintenance!
Give us a call to inquire about your new sports field! River Region can go above and beyond to ensure your needs, wants, and expectations are met to build you the highest quality sports playing field.