A Quick Lesson on Turf: Selection, Installation, and Marking

[Jon Gilson]

Hey Guys,

I’m noticing a lot of questions on the Boards about Turf:

http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=86206
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=77775
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=77076
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=86920

Given the volume and lack of solid info, I thought I’d post a quick primer. Here we go:

Types of Turf

You should use padded turf for indoor applications. The pad will cushion the activity, weigh the turf down, and keep noise to a minimum. Unpadded turf is better for outdoor applications.

There are three types of turf, differentiated by yarn type: Nylon, Poly, and Mono. Nylon is extremely durable and extremely expensive. Due to the price point, we don't carry it.

Rather, we offer Poly, which is both affordable and much softer on the hands and body, good for when you are active on the turf: burpees, sit-ups, mobility, agility drills, etc.

The final type, Mono, is much stiffer than either Nylon or Poly, and isn’t really suitable for Affiliate applications. There lies the land of "turf burn" (which is super sh*tty, trust me).

Installation

There are 3 options for installing turf:

1: Lay it down and do nothing.

We don’t recommended this for several reasons: big dudes pushing sleds could cause the turf to curl/bunch up, making it easy to punch a sled runner through it. More importantly, unglued turf voids the manufacturer warranty.

2: Double stick tape around edges and every few feet within the perimeter.

While this allows you to move the turf if you change boxes, it’s not as secure as glue and again, the warranty is voided.

3: Glue it down.

We sell the adhesive; it holds turf down really well. Obviously, the installation is bit more work, and nearly permanent, but it keeps the manufacturer’s warranty in tact. If you wanted to move the turf, you’d have to scrape it up, which usually damages the padding underneath.

Durability

Overall, if you take care of your Poly Turf, glue it down, and alternate sled/drill direction and path, indoor turf can last 6-10 years.

Marking Turf

In terms of marking turf, it’s easy to spray lines, and much more cost-effective than pre-printed turf. We have access to stencils as well as a paint company that makes the correct formulation.

You can check out our offerings here (https://www.againfaster.com/shop/flooring/, WFS), but regardless of supplier, make sure you are well-versed on product differences and installation options prior to buying.

I hope that helps! Feel free to email me if you specific questions: jon@againfaster.com.

Best,

Jon