Tuff Group

Commercial Turf & Surfaces

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Maintenance

Building the Lion’s Den: Rydalmere Park

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From design to construction, our team took on the massive task of creating an elite FIFA certified pitch to serve as a fitting crown for the future developments planned by the Rydalemere Lions Football Club. It was a tremendous undertaking that consisted of the professional pitch, the elite lighting, fencing, car park and surrounding landscape, a project that took around six months to fully accomplish.

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While the task at hand was already monumental due to the sheer scope of the project, it was made even more formidable when we found large amounts of asbestos on site. This caused some slight delays as we made sure it was removed safely and efficiently. Thankfully, our team consisted of industry veterans. Travis Knight, Vincent Bonasera and Mark Wojcik with the help of senior installers Damian Jacobs and Daniel Johnstone were able to take it all in stride and knock this project out of the park without further issues.

Despite the challenges and the delays, we found that the City of Parramatta and the Rydalmere Lions’ Club President Peter Bacha were a pleasure to work with. The City of Parramatta was a great client that’s been a tremendous help in facilitating the project, while Mr Bacha was so keen and passionate about this project that our guys will forever hold fond memories of Rydalemere Park because of him.

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The club president was so happy with our work he even wrote to us saying: “From the first shovel dug into Rydalmere Park… to the finishing touches. Your amazing team worked seamless, with attention to detail second to none, through the most challenging times our country has ever faced and delivered a great gift to our local and broader community. A state-of-the-art FIFA approved synthetic pitch that can only be described as “quality.”

Mr Bacha then proceeded to tell us that even a representative of the Rydalmere National Premier League team has said that “I have played at a high level for years and this pitch is the best I have played on. Feels like we are playing on national turf.”

Their praises filled us with so much pride, but just being able to take part in the project already made us hold our heads up high. Because in the end, we were able to deliver a pitch that has become a key part in the future development of the Rydalmere Lions. One that has also greatly impacted the local community by providing an asset that can be heavily used at all levels of football from grassroots to professional.

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Want to learn more about other projects we’ve completed? Click here: https://tuffturf.com.au/turf-and-surface-case-studies/

Poor Maintenance is a bad investment

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Maintenance is like insurance…

– No one likes paying for it

– Its hard to see the difference on a day by day basis

– If you don’t have it, eventually you will REALLY regret it!

Tuff Group was recently asked to look at a field that had been poorly maintained for a long time. The organisation that owns and uses the field is frustrated because the high-level athletes who train on it are complaining and of course fingers are being pointed everywhere. 

This situation is more common than you may think. In this particular case, the field was poorly installed on a base that was not properly constructed. Over time, even with good maintenance, this would have meant a shorter-than-necessary lifespan, but poor maintenance and lack of repairs to critical elements of the field mean that it will now be difficult to do anything other than replace it. 

Here are some of the critical elements that should be addressed in the Maintenance process. 

1. Failed joins

When Synthetic Turf is laid, the joints must be sealed together correctly, using the tape and/or glue approved for the particular product. If this is not done correctly, the joins will come apart, as can be seen in the images below. 

During the maintenance process, this needs to be fixed by placing new tape / glue under the join, or by removing a strip where the join is located and creating two new joins. This is not ideal, but sometimes the only way to resolve the issue. 

2. Separating joins

The first stage of a failed join, where there is evidence of the joins coming apart, but they are not yet totally failed. The ‘back yard’ solution is often to fill these with infill to give the appearance of a correct surface, but this will ultimately lead to further damage (and cost). The join needs to be fixed correctly on the spot, which is part of any good and responsible maintenance program.

3. Overuse in specific areas

Some areas will invariable get more use than others. The goal areas in football and AFL grounds are good examples. Likewise, the Penalty Spot in football often wears quickly. This should be replaced with a larger piece of turf and not ‘filled in’ to ‘cover up’ the problem. The image below is an example for this. 

4. Uneven Infill

Perhaps the most critical purpose of fortnightly or monthly maintenance is to ensure that Infill sow constantly re-spread to ensurer an even coverage. The image below shows an area where there is too much infill, which invariably means another area has too little. The area with too much will feel spongy, while in areas with too little influx, the grass blades will bend, flattening (and this deadening) the surface. This is very difficult to fix. 

So, while it’s not sexy, a regular maintenance program that addresses all the elements of a synthetic grass surface is critical to get an appropriate return on investment for the Capital that has been put into a field. 

Tuff Group now has Maintenance Operations in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. If you are unsure about the maintenance and life expectancy of your synthetic turf surface, contact our Signature Care Maintenance Team. They will come and inspect the facility, give you their view and then suggest a program. There’s no obligation and you have nothing to lose, except years of use of your surface if you do nothing!

Strathfield Surface Ready to Go

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Following the development of the first football pitch at Strathfield in 2017, Tuff Group are in the final stages of completing a second surface which includes another football pitch and two Futsal fields located in the vicinity of the existing pitch.

The development of this field was lead by Tuff Group ‘Rising Star’ Daniel Johnstone. Daniel has worked tirelessly to ensure that every element of the new facility is built to the standard required for strong performance and a long surface life. 

  • The brand new Strathfield surface…

As can be seen in the photos below, the sand for the surface is being laid in rows. It’s important that this is done evenly and so the sand is put on in layers. We then ensure it is spread evenly using the Laymore brush. Once the three layers have been completed, the infill can then be put on top so that the surface is completed to play on. 

  • Sand being applied in layers
The Laymore in action…

This process is particularly important as the field gets used to ensure no particular section will wear before any other. 

This project also has a cricket pitch in the centre of the field. To ensure the best integration, Tuff Group have laid a flat concrete base, which (at the time of writing) was about to be covered with the synthetic grass wicket. This allows for a multi-purpose surface so that a number of sports can be played.

  • Material for the wicket…
…and in place!

Now that the pitch is completed to the right standard, the key element for a long surface life is maintenance. A well-built and installed pitch such as this one can quickly underperform and deteriorate if not marinated regularly and effectively. 

  • Discussing the application of sand and infill

One of the key aspects of maintenance is ensuring that the infill layer is even across the surface of the field. While the layer of sand underneath helps to keep the surface in place, it is the infilled that really helps to keep the grass upright and looking (and performing) to the highest standard. If these two elements are undertaken carefully, then the pitch has the best chance of a sustainable and long life. 

Maintenance makes the difference

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Tuff Group have been building world-class surfaces across Australia and the region since 2009. During this period, we have been constantly called on to extend the life and improve the quality of the surface by implementing our world-class maintenance program. 

Our fully equipped maintenance division is headed by experienced synthetic turf and surfaces maintenance expert, Garth Andrews. Garth and his team have years of experience in maintaining surfaces and extending their life to ensure both quality of use and longevity. Each of our service trucks in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide has all the equipment necessary on board to complete any maintenance project on any type of surface.

Here’s why should you consider Tuff Maintenance to ensure your surface has a long life performs at its best:

1. Significant expertise in construction and installation of synthetic turf & surfaces

Since 2009, we have completed over 1,500 projects. We spend all our resources and energy understanding how artificial turf, acrylic and rubber surfaces work and what to do to get the most out of them. If there is a problem, our team of over 55 people is well equipped to solve the issue. We don’t have to get someone else in to do the job or come back later to fix it. We have the equipment on site to ensure that your surface is ready to use all the time. We know how to install turf, acrylic and rubber, we know how it works and we know how to maintain it. 

2. The highest operational standards 

Tuff Group is accredited an accredited installer for FIFA, AFL, International Tennis Federation, International Rugby Board, FIH Hockey and IAAF Athletics. We have have implemented the highest standards across the business to ensure that our staff, systems and processes are strong and robust. We have a training program to ensure that all our staff are compliant and up-to-date with the latest techniques. People are our most important resource and we spend the time and energy to train them effectively.

  • Artificial turf surface before Tuff Maintenance stepped in
  • The finished result – better play and a longer life!

3. World-class equipment that’s fully maintained and up-to-date

We attend the world’s largest artificial surface trade shows and have relationships with the best suppliers of the best equipment from around the world. This means that we’re at the cutting edge of ensuring that our techniques and systems are up to date and we can supply you with the best service. For you, this means that your surface is being protected and its life extended.

4. The knowledge that your significant capital investment is being protected

We often find that schools, councils, sports clubs and the other organisations will spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars on constructing and installing an artificial surface only to neglect its maintenance and therefore see its value plummet. Too often, artificial surfaces have a reduced life because maintenance is not conducted effectively. By implementing the Tuff Maintenance program, you are assured that your surface is getting the best treatment available. It has the best chance of being utilised as much as possible and having a longer life. That means your capital can be used for other resources within the community.

5. Great systems 

We are about to install the world-class Replay Maintenance system to ensure that our clients have full visibility and reporting over every maintenance job that we complete. This includes photographs and videos of the work being done, a written report and step-by-step actions we have taken on site to ensure that maintenance is being completed effectively on your site.

6. Personalised support around the clock

With over 55 people, Tuff Group is well-placed to ensure that there’s always someone to speak to about servicing your artificial surfaces. We have not become a market leader by taking shortcuts or ripping off our customers. We’ve built Tuff Group on long term partnerships of trust based on our extensive knowledge of designing, engineering, constructing, installing and maintaining quality services across Australia and the region. 

  • Tuff Maintenance team on the job.
  • Our growing team is ready to go…

If you have a surface, we will ensure it’s maintained effectively. If we build a surface for you, we can ensure that it has longer life as possible and we will take responsibility for ensuring that this is the case.