The “My Pitch – Orlik 2012” program, under which over 2,500 small football and multi-sport fields with artificial turf were built in Poland, is now over 10 years old.
This initiative marked the beginning of a new approach to promoting physical activity and sports among children and youth. It also significantly contributed to the development of sports infrastructure and the widespread adoption of artificial turf in Poland.
What have we learned over the past decade?
At the beginning of the program, the Ministry of Sport defined the following requirements for artificial turf:
- fiber type: monofilament
- chemical composition: polyethylene
- yarn weight: 11,000 dtex
- turf density: min. 97,000 fibers/m²
It must be clearly stated that these requirements were relatively low. They did not include key durability parameters, and the main selection criterion was price.
As a result, modern technologies were not rewarded, and most suppliers could easily meet the tender requirements. Over time, this led to reduced quality and durability of installed surfaces.
Orlik pitches in Poland – maintenance or replacement??
Tufted turf systems with thin fibers and SBR rubber infill could not withstand intensive use (10–12 hours daily).
After about 5 years, they began to degrade:
- fibers broke and twisted
- fibers detached from the backing
- playing performance decreased
Even maintenance could not restore functionality. Surfaces lost shock absorption, ball roll quality and safety.
Replacing the surface is an option—but limited public budgets often make it difficult.
How to build pitches for decades, not years
Thanks to the experience gained over the past decade, we know that building Orlik pitches according to the original Ministry guidelines results in low durability and the need for costly upgrades or even more expensive replacements.
So what should be done to invest public funds wisely and avoid replacing surfaces after just 5–7 years?
The most important stage of the investment process is proper preparation of design and tender documentation.
When preparing documentation, a simple rule should be followed:
- the higher the quality of the artificial turf used, the longer the lifespan of the pitch.
It is also important that the surface is installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
On football pitches today, artificial turf with a pile height of 45–50 mm is most commonly used, installed on a shockpad layer and filled with quartz sand and EPDM rubber granulate (recycled).
Because modern turf systems are now of much higher quality than in the past, the installation of 60 mm turf is being phased out due to the need for large amounts of rubber infill, which is both costly and not environmentally friendly.
Another trend we observe is the growing interest among investors in woven turf technology instead of tufted systems.
Woven artificial turf – a guarantee of durability
Woven turf technology allows fiber bundles to be fixed in the backing in a “W” shape rather than the “V” shape used in tufted turf.
This provides:
- stronger fiber binding,
- durability that does not decrease over time.
This is a major difference compared to tufted technology. In tufted turf, fibers are stabilized with latex glue, which weakens over time, causing fibers to detach from the backing. In some cases, fibers start falling out after just two years.
Woven turf has been installed on football pitches worldwide for over 12 years. Despite the passage of time, these surfaces remain in very good condition and do not require replacement.
Users estimate the lifespan of woven turf at 15–20 years—approximately twice as long as tufted systems.
The resulting long-term savings are substantial.
Fiber Thickness and Structure
Another key durability parameter is the type and thickness of turf fibers.
To ensure durability, fibers should:
- be made of polyethylene and reinforced with a core,
- have a dtex value of at least 2000,
- have a thickness between 300 and 500 microns,
- have a compact cross-section (e.g. diamond, C, 2C, S or V shapes).
Fibers with these characteristics are highly elastic and resistant to breaking, even under intensive use.
Project documentation should also define other parameters such as:
- tuft dtex,
- pile weight,
- total weight,
- tuft density per m²,
- type of backing,
- water permeability.
Summary
Investors today have significant influence over the type of surface used on their facilities.
By setting higher quality requirements, it is possible to achieve much greater durability without increasing budgets.
Simply including the requirement to use woven turf in tender documentation can double the lifespan of a sports surface.
This approach allows:
- avoiding frequent and costly replacements,
- ensuring safe and comfortable gameplay,
- making responsible use of public funds.
If you would like to learn more about woven artificial turf or discuss technical parameters relevant to your project, we warmly invite you to contact us.
We will be happy to talk with you, answer your questions and provide expert advice. If needed, we can also send samples so you can physically compare different types of surfaces and choose the one that will serve you for many years.
