Rubber Infill

A layer of rubber crumb which has been incorporated into an artificial carpet with synthetic grass blades. The layer of rubber infill provides the playing performance qualities experienced from the pitch.

  Sand Dressed

A dense tightly knit synthetic carpet, with a fairly short height, about 10mm-20mm pile length, with a small amount of sand applied so that it fills the carpet to some 60%, or so, of the surface. These types of surfaces are primarily used for tennis and hockey. This type of surface may or may not also be watered, especially for hockey. Also known as a Dressed Surface and as a 2G surface.

  Sand Filled

A synthetic carpet which has sand within it. This is typically called a 2G surface and can be used for hockey, tennis, 5-a-side football, general casual full-sized football.

  Sand Infill

A layer of sand which has been incorporated into an artificial carpet. This can aid stability of a carpet by keeping it fixed in place and not moved by high winds.; in addition, it also aids durability and playability when used in sand filled and sand dressed surfaces.

  Seam

The join where two carpets meets. Two carpets are fitted together and joined at the seam to ensure a continuous surface is achieved. A seam is typically secured by having the backing of the carpet glued to an underlying material called a Seaming Tape.

  Seam Repair

Over time and with usage and gradual degradation of an adhesive a seam might start to loosen and separate from its fixing. A gap will start to appear, and this can be a potential trip hazard and needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Seam repairs will often be carried out by specialist contractors.

  Seam Tape

A thin strip of material which is laid underneath the join where carpets meet when being laid. The tape is glued to the backing material of a carpet to ensure the seam does not open up when the pitch is in use. Also called ‘Seaming Tape'.

  Seaming Tape

See Seam Tape.

  Second Generation Pitch (2G)

A sand-filled, as well as sand dressed, synthetic carpet, which formed the backbone of artificial surfaces from the middle of the 1980s. For sand filled pitches the fibres were made of polypropylene and with the pile length typically being 20mm to 35mm. These surfaces have proved useful for general games areas (for example MUGAs) which allowed for many hours of casual and community sports, although they were not suitable for higher level sports due to the fast surface, high bounce of a ball and friction burns to players. Sand dressed carpets are primarily used for tennis and hockey and have a shorter pile length than sand filled carpets.

  Secondary Backing

An additional coating on the back of a carpet to strengthen the fixing of tufted fibres and to add additional strength to the carpet.