Fibreturf is the name given to natural turf growing in a synthetic fibre reinforced rootzone. It has been designed in order to obtain greater use out of natural turf whilst maintaining the high quality of surface demanded by present day sports users and amenity or landscape specifiers.

The aim is achieved by blending together sand, organic matter and 35mm long polypropylene fibres to produce a homogeneous rootzone, termed Fibreturf rootzone.

This rootzone is supplied in bulk tippers to be laid as the top 75-200mm, dependant upon end-use, thus producing a 'fibre re-inforced' or 'stabilised' upper rootzone. The natural turf finish is then produced by either seeding directly into the Fibreturf rootzone or by laying mature Fibreturf which has been pre-grown by specialist turf suppliers, Inturf.

The three components of the Fibreturf rootzone all have important but separate functions:

Sand

Sand gives the rootzone its necessary free-draining characteristics so that any surface water resulting from heavy rainfall is removed as quickly as possible.

The grade of silica sand selected may vary dependant upon end-use, but in all cases will have been produced in a hydraulic classification process to give a clean, narrow-graded material.

The design of any installation is influenced primarily by two factors:

The end use of the turf.

Typical examples are:

• general amenity areas
• winter sports
• high use grass areas in municipal and tourist sites
• grass verges subjected to occasional vehicle movement
• overspill/occasional use car parking
• access routes to industrial sites via recreation fields
• fire engine access routes around prestige office, industrial or educational buildings.

Installation

Installation is carried out by hand or by machine, subject to the size of the installation and to accessibility.

Machine Laying

Fibre stabilised rootzones can be handled using or forms of loading shovels, however, they are best placed and levelled using tracked machines, for example small to medium sized 360 degree excavators or small dozers.

Prepare lower rootzone, sub-soil or sub-base to specified levels and gradients.

Transfer the Fibreturf rootzone (delivered in premixed condition by bulk tipper vehicles to suitable tipping area adjacent to site) in dumper truck from the stockpile and begin tipping at one end of formation.

Begin spreading Fibreturf rootzone using a tracked excavator or dozer ensuring that no machinery movement occurs on the prepared formation base, i.e. all movement restricted to the Fibreturf rootzone.

Further delivery of Fibreturf rootzone can then be made by dumper travelling over the previously spread Fibreturf rootzone, preferably via plywood boards.

Place Fibreturf rootzone to appropriate level and complete even, light consolidation to the specified final depth using either the tracks of the spreading vehicle or a rotary rake (see 7. below). Compaction ratio is 0.75, e.g. 100mm as laid will compact to 75mm.

Any obvious depression revealed by compaction should be filled in with further Fibreturf rootzone or the existing material can be redistributed locally.

The surface should then be given a final levelling and finish using a power driven rotary rake, e.g. British Landscape Equipment Co (CLEC) Rotary Stone/Sand Raker which is available in both tractor drawn and self-propelled, pedestrian versions.

Important Note: Preseeding and controlled release (long-life) fertilisers must be added into the top 50mm at this stage using products and rates of application which are recommended by the manufacturer for use with sand-dominant rootzones. The 'long-life' fertiliser addition can be either a proprietary synthetic product or preferably a natural organic product such as 'hoof and horn'.