My club has an old artifical pitch in the middle of our square. It never gets used and is an eyesore. As a newly employed groundsman, I am wondering what the procedure is for replacing this with a turf pitch. I am desperate to do it.
To get rid of all the artifical underlay etc, I would have to go about 7 inches below the surface. I was going to hire a JCB to do that. When I have done that and have purchased my loam, what is the procedure?
Do I to line the bed of the pitch with sand or gravel before applying the loam to help with drainage?
If so, how many inches of sand (assuming it's sand) would I need to put down?
Once all the loam is applied, how high generally would it need to sit above the surrounding turf?
I am assuming I don't do any rolling on it until the all the loam has been applied?
World Heavyweight Champ
You need to reproduce the soil profile of the rest of the square no point having one strip different than the others. So ask around and take some cores to work up a profile. When you have removed the base you may need to break the sub soil up but i wouldn't add sand . I hope this helps . Ian
Can you just is the longest sentence in the world !!!!!!!
Hi sunlover, agree with what wicketdevil says, and it is possible to either find out historically what was used to lay your original square or to find out through soil testing. Then you can match your existing and reduce the amount of management issues you might find once you have laid your new track.
As long s you have a skilled JCB operator you should be able to remove the old artificial without any damage to the bordering strips, but it might be better to remove as much as possible either with a mini digger or manually so as not to disrupt the pitches either side to ant degree.
Once you have removed all of the articial and the sub base it was laid on, you would need to tilth the base in order to create a key for the next layer of soil you intend to put in. With a depth of up to seven inches you don't have to use surface quality loam all the way up but might choose to use a medium loam for the first three inches or so then finish off with a heavier loam; it is difficult to advise exactly without knowing the existing conditions or the level at which you play on this square. The methods for laying loam in increments are well documented but each involves consolidation by treading in if possible followed by keying in each new layer- this helps to ensure a consistency throughout the profile.
The only time you might use sand or gravel for drainage is if you have a serious drainage problem, and then only really if you are looking to match your existing- different processes, different management practises. See what you have already and if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Opinions differ about how 'proud' of the surface a new pitch sits to allow for settlement. If your consolidation is very good throughout the profile you would need very little, again it is difficult to advise as each has their own rules. IF you are expecting it to stand proud of the surface then you are probably best to leave the work until the end of the season, then the pitch can settle during the close season and marry into the rest of the square with pre season rolling.
Whichever way you decide get plenty of advice from the likes of your County Pitch Inspector who can be contacted through your County Cricket Board, and good luck.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
That's excellent information - many thanks. I will take a profile. I know that our square is naturally sand based, as well as the outfield, so drainage is never much of a problem on the square. Initally our old groundman used K Loam, but changed to Surrey Loam about 15 years ago.
To proceed, I should create a tilth on the sub soil and then work in layers of medium quality loam followed by a few inches of quality loam to finish? We use Surrey Loam GOSTD 125. Representative games are played at the ground.
So, in simple terms, after adding maybe the first two inches of loam, (should I flatten that by a light roller?) do I then create a tilth and then apply the next layer of loam and repeat the process until I apply the final layer?
What do I use to create a tilth? A pitched fork? Sarel roller?
I plan to get this done in September after the season end.
World Heavyweight Champ
LOL at the idea of matching the profile of the rest of the square. Whilst this might be a very good idea if you've got a perfectly good square it would be a physical impossibility on my 2nd ground.
I'm actually considering removing the artificial my 2nd ground and replacing it with a grass track - the last thing I'd want to do is try and emulate the abortion that is the rest of the profile.
Sunlover, dig out the old artificial - how you choose to do that depends on the skills of the operators you've got. Then tilth up the base - ensuring it's relatively level with what you want to end up (ie you want it roughly parallel with where you want to end up). Then you build up the profile in layers - how big the layers need to be will depend a lot on a) the time you've got to do it in, and b) how soon you need to be playing on the new track. I'd suggest building up in a lot less than 2" layers - personally I'd do it in 10mm layers. You don't use a roller to compact the layers - you heel it in or use the tread from a small tractor type machine. This will in turn create the key for the next layer.
I'd create the tilth at the bottom using a scarifier - this should key in the new loam fine.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
2 Mar 2010 by Loammeister Last edited 2 Mar 2010
Not so much LOL at the idea of matching the existing profile jl, if Sunlover had a clean profile of any of the proprietary loams then it would have been sensible for him to match up and be able to follow the same management practises across the square. As it is there might well be an issue already in the square as the Kaloam has been overlaid with Surrey, but that is another consideration.
Sunlover it's true what jl says about building up the layers, if you choose to go in 2"/50mm layers you'll have a high possibility of getting voids/ air pockets which could cause more uneven settlement.
It's far too complex an operation to solve easily in a few sentences here but it's effective if laborious to literally tread the loam down in thin layers- we've found that good loam spreaders will lay it in even but precise layers- and to key in after each operation.
Whilst building up the profile it's also important to integrate each separate material with the one above i.e. base layer, then base layer/medium loam, then straight medium loam, then medium loam/ heavier loam, and finally heavier loam, all depending on what you choose or are advised to use.
As you can see it's a matter of opinion as many sportsturf matters tend to be, there are plenty of grey areas but very few black and white. Good Luck with your venture but get some very detailed advice before you venture out and do it yourself.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
Sunlover, you have all summer to think this one out and get advice. Please do not attempt to dig up and relay until the end of the season.
Yep Bath (I played at Bath with Colwyn Bay in 1996), I certainly won't be doing anything until the season is over, which is early Sept up here.
Apart from the base, which I will tilth with a scarifier, are the following 10mm loam layers each keyed in by the heel prints if I tread the layers down by foot?
I've received plenty of excellent, helpful information that will give me confidence come September. Let's just hope the treasuer grants me the funds! He should, he's the one that's been desperate to get the artifical pitch lifted for years!
World Heavyweight Champ
Just rake them lightly Sunlover, then you'll help to avoid the possibility of layering or separation. It's a long long job but well worth it in the end. You just need plenty of patient helpers.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
Rake them after treading on them?
World Heavyweight Champ
Superficially with a springbok rake Sunlover, it creates a key for the next layer, you're not undoing what you've just spent ages trying to achieve you simply need to prepare the soil to receive the next layer. Very time consuming but necessary.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
3 Mar 2010 by mario
Speak to Alan Simpson. He's done rebuilds.
The three pitches up here that, in the main, I use for the internationals were all relaid in 1998 using the methods which the lads have been commenting upon.
You've played on them and taken a barrow load of wickets! Remember the Namibia match (I think it was), you were unplayable with the pace, bounce and carry. Was Blainy not amongst the wickets as well?
I know no boundaries.
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