FieldTurf Benefits
Excellent System Durability
As the years go by, the FieldTurf system will not only be safer and play more consistently, but will need less maintenance and will last much longer than our competitors' fields. Many in the industry like to make such claims, but simply have no proof to support it. FieldTurf fields have been in the ground for over 10 years of consistent play, season after season. The proof of our quality and durability is clear to see. Over 2500 times.
The only way to ensure such long lasting performance is through the use of large quantities of the highest quality materials. FieldTurf's fiber system features the latest in monofilament technology.
The FieldTurf infill contains three times more material than any of our competitors. That's 560,000 lbs. more infill per field! And these costly materials are just part of a complex and expensive installation process. Installation starts with the sewing of every seam with a unique joining flap that protects each seam. This process takes more time than gluing seams. Our competitors who sew seams use overlock machines, which join field seams like the sleeves of a t-shirt. On a FieldTurf field, seams do not come apart. Period.
Our infill is layered to deliver perfect biomechanical performance. A stabilizing ballast of silica sand enhances vertical drainage. Multiple layers of sand and cryogenic rubber follow, which provide energy restitution, proper cleat penetration with quick twist and release and improved Gmax. A final top layer of larger sized cryogenic rubber granules completes the system. This infill system does not move or displace like all-rubber infill systems. With higher material costs and an improved sewing and layering process that requires more skilled labor, it should be no surprise that FieldTurf costs more. About $1 per sq. ft. more. And worth every cent.
Cost Effective
Cost Comparison of Synthetic Grass versus Natural Sod Grass
Synthetic lawn prices for installation are negligible compared to the lifetime return on your investment. Synthetic grass is an application that pays for itself.
| Initial Investment Cost for 1,000 sq foot lawn | |||||
| Synthetic Grass | Natural Sod Grass | ||||
| Cost per square foot | $12 | Cost per square foot | $2 | ||
| Initial Investment | $12,000 | Initial Investment | $2,000 | Annual Maintenance Cost for 1,000 sq foot lawn | |
| Synthetic Grass | Natural Sod Grass | ||||
| Annual Cost | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | |||
| Power wash with disinfectant | $350 | Irrigation | $100 | $1,200 | |
| Lawn maintenance | $100 | $1,200 | |||
| Fertilizer | $100 | ||||
| Chemical | $100 | ||||
| Irrigation Repair | $10 | $120 | |||
| Annual Maintenance Cost | $350 | Annual Maintenance Cost | $2,720 | Total Cost After Each Year for 1,000 sq foot lawn | |
| Synthetic Grass | Natural Sod Grass | ||||
| Year 1 | $12,000 | Year 1 | $2,000 | ||
| Year 2 | $12,350 | Year 2 | $4,720 | ||
| Year 3 | $12,700 | Year 3 | $7,440 | ||
| Year 4 | $13,050 | Year 4 | $10,160 | ||
| Year 5 | $13,400 | Year 5 | $12,880 | ||
| Year 6 | $13,750 | Year 6 | $15,600 | ||
| Year 7 | $14,100 | Year 7 | $18,320 | ||
| Year 8 | $14,450 | Year 8 | $2,1040 | ||
| Year 9 | $14,800 | Year 9 | $23,760 | ||
| Year 10 | $16,050 | Year 10 | $26,480 | ||
| Total cost after 10 years | $16,050 | Total cost after 10 years | $26,480 | ||
Synthetic grass pays for itself in fewer than five years. And each year after that your savings continue to grow!
Insured Warranty
Eight-Year Third-Party Insured Warranty
When you make a large investment on a modern artificial turf field, you want to know that your investment is protected. Protected for the future, regardless of what happens to the company who sold and installed your field. FieldTurf's Engineered System makes our turf stand out from the crowd. We're the best in the business and have been since we revolutionized the artificial turf industry. The same holds true for our insured warranty.
FieldTurf Tarkett's aggregate limit per policy year on their prepaid warranty insurance is US$10,000,000. The company is once again setting the standard in the industry for ultimate customer protection. With FieldTurf Tarkett's industry-leading policy, there is no deductible, no limit per claim, no retention, and no retention period. All FieldTurf fields are automatically covered upon issuance of the Warranty Certificate.
In addition to the rock solid warranty policy that is rated A++ (Superior) and Category XV by A.M. Best - the highest rating available, FieldTurf Tarkett continues to earmark $500,000 in an 'In Trust' bank account to serve as a preliminary layer of protection which is exclusively for small warranty repairs - to cover any possible repair work needed on projects installed.
«This is a very significant financial milestone as this kind of security has never been equaled in this industry», said Michel Levasseur, FieldTurf Tarkett CFO. «With the failures of artificial turf companies in the past, it should be comforting to clients that FieldTurf Tarkett is financially protected from catastrophic product failures and that our clients themselves are protected in the unlikely event FieldTurf ceases to be around to warrant its fields. Over thirty companies in the artificial turf industry have gone bankrupt in recent years, leaving their customers with no protection and worthless warranties. We go forward never looking back because we continue to set the bar and have invested in our security and that of our clients. We have secured this by paying out over $9 million in insurance premiums in the past 7 years alone».
Safety and Comfort
Dramatically Different From All Other Turf
FieldTurf is dramatically different from traditional synthetic turf. The most striking difference is immediately obvious. Instead of a dense, abrasive rug, FieldTurf's fiber surface is soft, silky - like new blades of grass in a spring meadow. Players can slide, tackle and tumble on FieldTurf's unique blend of specially treated polyethylene fibers without fear of abrasions. Rug burns are a thing of the past. The old hatred of «turf» - voiced so loudly by players, trainers, coaches, the media, even parents and doctors - simply vanishes, a distant memory from the rough «carpet age».
But FieldTurf is much more than just the absence of abrasions. Unlike traditional turf, FieldTurf does not rely on an underlying shock pad for safety, resilience and player comfort. Rather, like its natural grass cousin, FieldTurf's grass fibers are surrounded and stabilized by a special blend of «synthetic earth» - FieldTurf's patented mixture of smooth, rounded silica sand and rubber granules.
The rubber granules are a key component. Tire rubber is cryogenically frozen, shattered into smooth, clean, rounded particles, sized and shaped to stay «in suspension» with the sand, which is of a similar size, shape and weight. The sand and rubber are precision layered to guarantee uniformity, with an installation process that is also patented.
The result: A stable, resilient, uniform, shock-absorbing surface. FieldTurf is the original and only system emulating natural grass, ideal not only for athletes at the elite level but for everyday athletes.
Environmental Responsibility
Installation of a FieldTurf field eliminates the use of harmful pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides, while at the same time, removes over 40,000 tires from landfill sites.
FieldTurf requires no mowing, fertilizing, reseeding or watering. A typical soccer / football field can use between 2.5 million and 3.5 million gallons of water per year.
FieldTurf saves a billion gallons of fresh water every year. Coupled with reduced labor costs related to maintenance, equipment and elimination of costs for supplies such as fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, many of our clients report a reduction in maintenance costs of as much as $30,000 to $60,000 per field, per year.
"The safety of athletes and communities is, and always has been, the number one priority at FieldTurf," said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields. "Our commitment to the environment ensures that our products are constantly being tested to ensure safety. The FieldTurf system has worked wonders for organizations all over the world as a product that reduces water consumption and pollution caused by chemical use, while increasing playing time, reducing injuries and promoting a healthy lifestyle." The installation of FieldTurf eliminates the use of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and fungicides, while at the same time removes thousands of tires from landfill sites. FieldTurf requires no mowing, fertilizing, reseeding or watering. FieldTurf helps organizations earn the necessary points needed for U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification. FieldTurf's reused rubber content and water use reduction, among other factors, can contribute up to 10 points towards LEED certification.
