3G Football Pitch Construction

Football on Artificial Turf

3G (Third Generation) pitches are the best choice of synthetic surface for football and are the only surface type permitted by FIFA for football at a competitive level. A 3G pitch is comprised of artificial turf supported by an infill of rubber, replicating the look and feel of a grass pitch.

The surface can be tested to meet FIFA 1* and 2* performance standards, and a choice of system is available to cater for different age groups, usage requirements, and additional sports. Other surfaces available for football include sand-filled turf, tarmac, and polymeric.

3G rubber-filled sports turf designed for football

Full-size 3G football pitch at Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy near Walsall

3G football pitch and training facility at Dearne Valley College

3G artificial turf football pitch at Glossopdale Community College in Derbyshire

Blakedown Sport & Play built the full size 3G football pitch for Bangor FC

The opening ceremony for Blakedown's 3G football pitch at UCE Academy in Cheshire

5-a-side 3G Football pitch at Goals Soccer Centre in Hull

Football on the 3G pitch at Accrington & Rossendale College

Laying of the tarmac layer on a 3G artificial turf football pitch

Blakedown opening a new 3G football pitch

3G turf is the best surface for football

Our Services | Football

Blakedown are one of the UK's largest and longest established construction contractors that specialise in synthetic sports surfaces. We have been in business for more than fifty years - longer than 3G artificial turf has been on the market - and our clients include clubs, councils, universities, colleges, schools, leisure centres, and private companies across the UK.

We offer the complete package for football pitch construction including design, planning, groundworks, fencing, turf installation, shockpad installation, floodlighting and spectator stands and dugouts.

Case Study | Nelson and Colne College

Through a competitive tender process Nelson and Colne College appointed Blakedown Sport & Play to design and build their new 3G pitch. The facility features a top specification 3G turf product - Edel Future-DS 60 - that complies with FIFA 1 Star and IRB22 standards.

Client: Nelson and Colne College

Contract Type: JCT with CD

Contract Value: £500,000

Contract Duration: 16 weeks

The turf was laid onto an 'Engineered' base of porous tarmac with in-situ shockpad. Cross-play lines were seamed into the turf for 5-a-side and 7-a-side football. Blakedown also installed twin-bar sports fencing and an eight column floodlighting scheme. » View project

Opening the new 3G pitch with players from Burnley FC

Laying of blue 'cross-play' lines

The pitch was laid with FIFA accredited Edel Future-DS 60mm turf

Goal.

Featured Projects | Football

Motherwell Football Club

Johann Cruyff Foundation

Chesterton Sports College

Stratford Town FC

Choice of surface for football

Football at a recreational level can be played on virtually any synthetic surface: tarmac playgrounds are very common for schools and local councils needing to provide a robust and economical area for play. At the higher end of the scale, 3G artificial turf tested to FIFA 2* Standard represents the best possible synthetic surface for football at competitive level.

3G (Third Generation): 3G artificial turf (usually specified in 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, and 65mm lengths) is the optimum synthetic surface for football. It is much more hard-wearing than natural grass and meets all criteria for quality play characteristics including realistic ball bounce, ball roll, firmness under foot, and softness upon ground impact. Go to 3G pitch construction
Sand-based surfaces: Sand-filled (astroturf) surfaces offer a hard-wearing alternative to 3G with the benefit that a multitude of other sports can also be played. Sand-dressed systems are also an option for football and provide very good ball bounce for tennis and basketball. Go to astroturf pitch construction | Go to sand-dressed pitch construction
Tarmac: An extremely hard wearing and econimical option which offers satisfactory ball bounce and ball roll for football. Line markings are easily applied in coloured paint and other sports such as netball, basketball, tennis, and quick cricket can also be played. An acrylic coat can be sprayed onto the tarmac to offer a non-slip perfomance layer that also protects the surface from erosion. Go to tarmac sports surfaces
Polymeric: A polymeric is a rubberised sports surface used for athletic tracks, basketball courts, netball courts, MUGA's and play areas. Football can also be played on this surface, and is increasingly common for 5-a-side and mini-soccer facilities. Go to polymeric sports surfaces