Does anyone have any recommendations for indoor turf for a fitness center?
Brian,
I have a client who asked for ECORE Turf this week. I just got the email and don’t know anything about it yet.
Looks like the E-Core Speed and Agility Turf is what we would be looking for. Ive specd ecore rubber before, but didnt realize they had turf.
You might want to look at SYNLawn’s Agility Speed Turf. Discuss with them, as other turfs may be more appropriate. Disclosure: They are a client.
I recently specified some synthetic turf for a couple projects–these were outdoors but essentially the turf construction is the same.
It was a public project, so I wrote it as a descriptive specification with approved manufacturers. We approved Astroturf, FieldTurf, Shaw Sport Turf, and Turf Nation. It’s worth noting that there are some turf companies out there that buy the turf carpet from other companies and then rebadge it with their own installation system.
One thing I learned from the athletics expert in our office is that there is a big variety in turf products out there. A lot of the systems have their own proprietary features and the companies can say “there’s no equal” because of the unique blend of features they have. Also, the turf types all have a different feel to them based on fiber type, infill, and length. Some are better for certain sports than others–it’s best to check with a rep in this area or see if anyone from the Owner’s side has preferences.
A few things to consider:
- Fiber type (monofilament, slit film, or blend?)
- Height
- Backing
- Infill type
Something you may want to consider: there are turf products out there with primary and secondary fibers. The primary fibers are long and straight and the secondary fibers are shorter and curled to help keep the infill material in place. Might be something to consider if you’re concerned about the infill material migrating.
Stephen is right about there being a lot of differences in these products, although some of the differences may not matter for one’s project. I wrote MasterSpec section 321813 Synthetic Grass Surfacing a few years back. I’d recommend checking out the supporting documents, in which I try to explain those differences. The section is written principally as a performance section because performance seemed to be the driver of the selection process, kind of like wood athletic flooring, and some construction methods were not relevant to performance. (If you hate the section, please be kind.)