Complex criteria for sports floors

Duncan Wilson Technical Sales Manager at Sports Coatings explains why producing surfaces for sports flooring is a specialised area.

Varying demands of grip, cushioning, pace and ball bounce, are some of the criteria sports surfaces have to comply with.

Then there are differing demands of surfaces for outdoor courts and pitches and indoor sports halls.

The type of sport to be played and even the playing standard of the players can make specific demands on the surface to be installed - for example, the surface for a professional tennis tournament would be quite different from a local authority court in a sports hall.

Indoor sports surfaces.

Most indoor sports centres have pitches that are used for multiple games such as badminton, netball, tennis, 5-a-side football etc, in specifying surfaces for such areas, many factors have to be taken into consideration.

Firstly, the ability of the surface to withstand the demands of the activities; for instance, the harsh foot traffic, turns, sudden acceleration and abrupt stops necessary in competitive games.

Secondly, concern for the physical well-being of the players.

Contact with the floor surface can cause physical injury, strains and twisting of joints.

Prolonged use of the sports floor requires surface characteristics to minimise the potential for injury while allowing maximum enjoyment.

This can generally be achieved by specifying a surface system that provides moderate levels of friction and good shock absorption.

By and large the surfaces of indoor sports halls fall into two categories: wooden floors of blocks, strips or composite board and rubber cushion floors with acrylic or polyurethane coatings.

Both types are installed onto the substrate which is usually high density macadam or concrete with minimum thickness as laid down by the code of practice from SAPCA (Sports and Play Construction Association).

The wooden floor surface is generally treated with seals that are much the same as for wooden floors in other situations.

The main considerations are that the seal can cope with the extensive foot traffic and provide good grip.

Cushion floor systems.

Cushion floor systems typically comprise a rubber mat of around 6mm thickness, topped with acrylic coatings.

In the case of the Proflex PU system from Sports Coatings, polyurethane coatings are used that are reckoned to be more durable and need little maintenance.

The application sequence of Proflex PU begins with adhesion of the rubber mat to the substrate with a two-pack polyurethane adhesive, a two-part polyurethane compound is then applied as a pore filler providing a smooth surface for the upper layers.

The first of these is a polyurethane wear layer followed by the final water-based polyurethane top coat.

All materials used within the formulation and installation of these products are environmentally friendly using recycled rubber and solvent-free, water-based polyurethane technology.

Colour rules.

One of the most noticeable developments in sports areas over recent years has been the introduction of multi coloured surfaces.

No longer does grass green rule for every sport, any more than cricketers or tennis players have to wear whites.

Now there is a terrific choice of colour and many combinations for the playing surface and the surrounds.

Not only does this add to the aesthetic appearance and increase enjoyment of playing but also much more clearly define the court or pitch areas.

Sport should first and foremost be fun for participants and spectators alike - and long may it continue.

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