SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
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Facility&Operations | Jim Cornelius, CSFM Advice for maintaining non-turf surfaces >> JAMES CORNELIUS, CSFM I N TODAY'S WORLD of turf man- agement the object of responsibility under one's feet has gone full circle. Long before the turf manager (as known and respected today) evolved, play- ing surfaces were typically the responsibil- ity of the maintenance department, facility manager, owner, highway department and sometimes the custodial department (with the exception of the golf industry) and many fields were left in a state of despair. Early in the evolution of today's turf manager their main responsibility was nat- ural turf, with a few exceptions for artificial turf; these modern day turf managers, many from the golf industry, were regarded as leaders in the industry and they were challenged with a true learning curve. Not only did the ball change but the amount of feet on a square foot of turf became astro- nomical. With the onslaught of the new generation infill turf, the manager's respon- sibility and continues to grow with no end in sight. Today our responsibilities range far and wide, from those who manage one or two playing surfaces to those having a multi- tude of trades to manage and yet we hardly look at what is below our feet. You will find those who are responsible for the turf are also responsible for the tennis courts, driveways, walkways, trails of all sorts, playgrounds, planting beds, retention basins and ponds, and some even building roofs, and a variety of indoor flooring ma- terials from terrazzo to carpet, wood to vinyl and more. The knowledge or lack of 16 SportsTurf | September 2011 how each of these surfaces is constructed, maintained, affected and reacts is mind boggling and very broad much like natural turf depending on the climate. What may work or is available in the South may or may not work in the North, etc. Dealing with the responsibilities of a manmade hard surface is not much differ- ent than a natural turf field, yet there are huge differences that make a difference. In natural turf we attempt to reduce com- paction at all levels from construction to the end use, in manmade hard surfaces we want as much compaction that is possible and then some. Natural turf is a living en- vironment, manmade hard surfaces are not. We paint natural turf for events as we do with some manmade hard surfaces. All surfaces require maintenance and care to survive the expected life span, although a good well designed, constructed natural turf field can last multiple generations or centuries manmade hard surfaces will not survive near as long. Here is some advice about maintaining some different surfaces from my more than 30 years in business: TENNIS COURTS The typical foundation of most hard surface (not clay or grass) tennis courts is an asphalt base with sports surface applied and the systems available are far and wide as are the colors. They are multi layered, single component, compound component, etc. Like most things the uneducated users and the environment are the worst ene- mies; in cold regions the frost can lift net bases, and expansion/contraction, if not considered, will tear the sports surface. The surface needs to be compatible with the base system that allows water to infiltrate the layers; any separations, splits, holes, etc. need to be addressed immediately to prevent further damage. Water lying on the courts (aka "bird baths") can discolor the surface or worst get between the base and top surface creat- ing bubbles and/or wear areas that are not easily repaired. Once bird bathing occurs it requires more extensive costly repairs un- less caught during construction. The sur- face will need to be recoated or refreshed depending on the wear and the environ- ment. Maintenance procedures should involve removing puddles and/or ponds of water as soon as possible, keeping the surface free of trash, leaves, food residues and all sport drinks and sodas as most of these will mark, bleach or stain the playing surface. In areas where cold weather and frost are persistent net tension should be released to prevent stress on the net posts, this will re- duce the effects of frost heave. Fencing around the courts if not main- tained securely will begin to bow and stretch due to athletes leaning, striking and running into it. Most tennis courts have wind screening attached to the fencing and this should be done with breakaway ties (allows wind screen to break loose of fence) to prevent high wind damage by the added wind shear load from the added wind screens. Fence rails and gates are notorious places for yellow jackets to build nests and will need to be treated, removed or pre- vented to protect the users from stings. Gates should be installed to swing out to prevent damage to the playing surface, hinges should be adjusted annually or as needed and gate latches should be aligned and kept in good working order. Cost estimate: One complete "new" court with fence, asphalt, concrete, nets and playing surface, $27,300-$34,100. Renovation of one court surface with no fencing or netting $39.00-$45.70 per square yard WOODEN BASKETBALL FLOORS These come in a variety of materials from natural maple tongue and groove, oak (yellow and white) tongue and groove to the newer engineered wood fiber materials. Most of these floors are installed on sleep- ers over concrete some having ventilation between the layers and some without. Nat- ural wood floors are typically finished with an oil base epoxy or the newer latex based single and dual part epoxy finishes. Installation of these floors requires that www.sportsturfonline.com By