Athletics Track - Soft Surfaces

Long Jump Runway Construction in Somerset

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

We recently completed a long jump runway construction project in Somerset. The work took place in a week at a school on an existing grass sports field. The first part of the installation process involved excavating the existing grass surface to the dimensions specified by the school, and then installing a stone sub-base.

The porous stone sub-base is made up of a layer of angular stones which lock together to create an even foundation for the long jump run up track. Next, the ground was excavated and edgings were put in for the installation of the sand landing pit at the end of the long jump runway.

Long Jump Runway Construction Surfacing

The surface type for this long jump runway construction project was Multisport needlepunch synthetic turf. This is a sand-filled fibre bonded artificial grass system which is woven together. The weaving process helps to create a stable and durable surface for the athletics run up.

The school chose to have their needlepunch long jump surfacing installed in bright blue, but there are a number of other colour options such as red, green, yellow and even rainbow stripe patterns. Once the stone sub base was complete, the Multisport synthetic turf surfacing was applied to these foundations by our specialist sport surfacing installers.

The needlepunch surfacing is a very hard wearing and long-lasting material. Because of this, the school will be able to enjoy the long jump runway for a long time. There is no need to worry about replacing the facility after a few years. This makes the new athletics facility a great investment for the school and helps to cut costs over time. Many schools choose to have compact athletics facilities which incorporate many different sports.

The final stage of the long jump runway construction project was installing the sand landing pit at the end of the run-up surface. The sand pit is a very important part of the overall long jump facility installation. It provides a soft landing area for athletes and allows jump distances to be recorded accurately for competitive athletics events.

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Brand New Athletics Facility

Once the long jump runway construction was complete, the school were very pleased with their brand new athletics facility. The kids can now use this to practise on and develop their skills.

The needlepunch turf provides a softer alternative to the traditional polymeric rubber athletics track surfacing. This means younger kids stay safe when using the long jump facility and the risk of injury is lower. The bright blue colour of the runway also helps to make the sport even more appealing and fun for the children.

In the video below you can see the full construction process from start to finish:

We regularly complete many projects like this in various locations around the UK. Our team of experts have plenty of experience when it comes to installing sports facilities. We’ll be able to answer any questions you have regarding designs or costs.

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If you would like any further information about the long jump runway funding opportunities we provide to install one of these facilities. If you’d like to send us an enquiry about another sports surface, please fill in our contact form. Try to include as much detail as possible so we can give an accurate price.

We would be happy to help you with any questions you have, please visit our website at http://softsurfaces.co.uk/ where you can find details of specifications, installation and maintenance for all of our sport surfacing products and services.

Did you find this information useful? Have you ever had a long jump runway construction project carried out at your school?

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Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Slough, Berkshire

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

At Soft Surface, we’re a specialist installer on Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Slough, Berkshire and are able to fit this surface nationwide.

In addition to installations, our team can offer Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction repair services for existing Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Constructions within this location, so if you currently have a Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction that needs either resurfacing or rejuvenation, feel free to get in touch with us.

For this particular blog post, we show off one our Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction installations that we carried out in Slough, Berkshire.

Below you can see the specific information for this install, as well as the video transcript describing the job in detail.

As always, if you are interested in any of our Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction services we offer throughout Yetminster or the entire Dorset area, feel free to get in touch with us for a free, no obligation quote today.

A school in Slough, Berkshire recently approached us as they were looking to transform their existing field into a top of the range athletics facility with the addition of a long jump track and sand pit. Of course we were only too happy to undertake the project, here is our case study of how the installation process was carried out.

Foundations and Groundworks

The first stage of any long jump track installation is to excavate the existing ground, in this case it was an unused grass area. The ground is excavated to the specified dimensions of the long jump runway and the sand landing pit. Next comes the installation of timber edgings around the whole perimeter of the long jump track and sand pit, these wooden kerbs create an even edge for the stone sub base to be laid up to. The dynamic stone sub base is made up of lots of angular stones which all fit together to create a stable foundation for the long jump track surfacing to be laid onto. A geotextile membrane was also installed to the whole area to prevent the growth of weeds and contaminants through the surface of the long jump facility.

Long Jump Track Specification

This particular school chose to have needlepunch synthetic turf surfacing installed for their long jump track. Although it’s very different from the traditional polymeric EPDM rubber athletics track material, the needlepunch surfacing is becoming very popular at schools as it is softer and provides more impact absorption against trips and falls. This fibre bonded artificial material can be supplied in a number of bright colours and rainbow stripes, but the school chose to have their long jump facility runway installed in bright red with white line markings. The red track surfacing was laid out like a carpet onto the prepared stone sub base and infilled with a layer of silica sand to keep the turf fibres upright and stable.

Finally, the long jump sand pit was installed at the end of the runway, the landing pit is a very important part of any long jump or triple jump facility as it enables accurate jump scoring and provides a safe landing area for the athletes. We also included a specially designed sand pit cover to fit the exact dimensions of the landing pit area so that the sand is kept free from dirt and debris.

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The End Result

The final athletics facility was a state of the art, top quality long jump and triple jump runway with sand landing pit and multi use line markings. The school are very happy with their new sports surface and the children now have the opportunity to take part in a fun new athletics event.

We have installed a huge number of these long jump athletics facilities at schools and clubs all over the UK and we would be happy to discuss your project with you. Our services include help with all aspects of the construction process, including long jump facility funding grants to help schools who may not have the budget to install a new sports facility. If you’d like to talk to us about an enquiry or a project you’re involved with, please use our contact form and fill in as many details as you can so one of our staff members can get back to you with some advice for quotes and specifications.

Please share this post if you found it helpful and don’t forget to leave a comment if you have any questions or queries about long jump runway specifications. You can visit our website at http://softsurfaces.co.uk/ to find out more about athletics facilities or any of the other products and services we have available.

Why Choose Us?

At Soft Surfaces our team have over 25 years of experience installing a Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Slough, as well as across Berkshire in general.

The team pride themselves on only using the highest quality materials for our works, and our hard working installers will work relentlessly to ensure your Slough Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction surface looks brilliant in whatever specification you desire.

Additionally, our team can take care of the maintenance of your surface once installed too, making the process of caring for your new surface a breeze. Feel free to get in touch with u if this is something you would be interested, and a member of our team will get back to you right away.

Other Berkshire Areas we Install Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction

At Soft Surfaces, we’re able to install Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction throughout the Berkshire area, including the following areas:

Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Reading
Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Bracknell
Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Maidenhead
Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction in Wokingham

and any other surrounding areas.

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If you would like a Long Jump Track With Sand Pit Construction installed in Slough, please make sure to speak to us using the contact form provided.

We can offer information on designs, colours and prices along with advice on preparation works and more.

Thank you for taking a look at our case study, and for any more questions, please get in touch today.

Long Jump Facility Installations in Essex

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

Multi Use Long Jump Facility Installation in Essex

We recently carried out another long jump facility installation project at a high school in Upminster, Essex. The school wanted to transform an existing grass area with the addition of a new state of the art long jump runway and sand pit.

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Specification and Construction

The specification for the long jump facility included a full runway in needlepunch synthetic surfacing with a sand landing pit, as well as a small practise area at the side of the sand pit. Installing the long jump facility began with excavation of the existing grass field to the required depth and area size which was specified by the school, and then installing edges for the runway and sand pit. Rubber safety edgings were used to create an impact absorbing surface around the perimeter of the facility in order to prevent injury and keep the area safe for the students. A stone sub base made up of lots of angular porous stones was then installed to create a stable and even foundation for the athletics surfacing to be installed onto. Once the groundworks were prepared and the sub base was laid out, the next stage was to apply the surfacing itself.

The school opted for the needlepunch synthetic turf specification for their long jump runway, this surface type is made up of woven yarn fibres and has a layer of silica sand infill installed within the synthetic grass. Needlepunch is an extremely durable and long lasting surface specification which provides a softer alternative to polymeric rubber which is typically used for athletics tracks. This particular school decided to have the main long jump runway installed in red, and the small practise area installed in a red and blue stripe design. The synthetic turf was rolled out like a carpet onto the stone sub base and secured at the edges and multi use line markings were applied in white.

Needlepunch synthetic sports surfaces are very popular with schools as they are safe for young kids to use and they can be utilised for many different activities and sports. As well as long jump and athletics track facilities, the fibre bonded turf can also be installed for multi use games areas where sports like football and hockey are played. The versatility of this surface specification makes it a great investment for schools and clubs as it enables kids to get involved in a range of sports all in one place.

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The final part of the installation process for this long jump facility project was to complete the landing pit by filling it with washed and dried silica sand. Having the sand landing pit installed creates a safe area for the students to complete their jumps, as well as making it easy to record distances for competitions. We also supplied a sand pit cover as part of the installation process, this helps to keep the sand free from any dirt or debris and ensures that the long jump facility remains safe for use by the school.

The Finished Long Jump Facility

Once the installation was complete, the final product was a state of the art long jump athletics facility complete with a top-quality sand pit and an extra practise area. The school are very pleased with their new long jump runway and are keen to get all the students involved in new athletics activities. Having the long jump runway surfacing installed in bright red and blue colours makes the facility even more appealing and fun for the kids.

The school spoke of how please they were with the final long jump runway and sand pit facility:

“As a school we take pride in providing the best possible facilities for our students. We are currently investing in several areas in order to further enhance our national sporting reputation. Soft Surfaces have installed an impressive double-lane long jump pit, with practise side run-ups, to enable us to deliver high-quality athletics lessons and training. It will certainly be put to good use in the summer and, no doubt, serve to improve the jumping standards of our students in the future.” – Mark Duncan, Assistant Headteacher at The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School

If you’re interested in installing a long jump facility like this one at your school or club, please don’t hesitate to fill in our contact form and we’ll be happy to discuss your project with you. We can also help schools to find funding for long jump runways to help cover the cost of the installation process. If you’d like any further information about this and the other products we install, please go to our website at http://softsurfaces.co.uk/ where you can see our whole range of services and case study examples of our work.

Have you ever used an athletics track with needlepunch surfacing? What did you think about it?

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Let us know your views on this topic and don’t forget to ask if you have any questions about what we do!

Long Jump Runway Installation in Colchester Essex

What was the specification? : MultiSport synthetic turf

What colours were used? : Red

What was the size of the job? : 108m²

How long did the job take?: 3 days on site

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Long Jump Runway Installation

Check out our case study video below to see our team installing a long jump runway in Colchester.

Video Transcript
Hi guys it’s Dan here, and today i’m going to be showing you a Long Jump Runway Installation in Colchester, Essex.

So we got a call from the client explaining that they were interested in having a long jump facility built onto their school field. After a brief conversation breaking down what we could do for them, they booked us in to install the facility.

Here at Soft Surfaces we’ve become long jump specialists over the last 20 years, installing and maintaining these sports facilities across the country. We’re proud to be market leaders in the field, and believe we install the best product in the sector.

The surface type we largely install for long jump and triple jump runways is polymeric rubber surfacing. This is well known as being the best choice for athletics surfacing, as both running and jumping on polymeric feels so great under foot.

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Not only that, polymeric is also the go-to choice as it can be fitted in a huge range of colour choices, from more neutral finishes to the vibrant multi-coloured designs, this really is the client’s decision. We can run through the many options available to you during the enquiry stage.

Here at Soft Surfaces we don’t just build the runway either, we also offer a full installation of a long jump sand pit and sand pit cover as part of the complete works. Again, like the polymeric runway, the sand pit cover can also be specified in a huge range of colours to suit, too.

You can see from these photos now that this particular job has been completed, and looks really great with the red lanes and blue sand pit. The client was absolutely buzzing with the work we did for them.

As we eluded to earlier we are a nationwide company, however as we’ve worked a lot in the Essex area over the years we actually show up in Google for the following key phrases:

Essex Long Jump Construction Company
Triple Jump Flooring Specialists Colchester
EPDM Rubber Surfacing in Essex
Best Long Jump Builders Colchester
Essex Rubber Long Jump Experts
And much more.

Thanks for checking out this installation guys, and if you’d like to enquire today, please just visit our website at http://softsurfaces.co.uk or simply just us a call at 01625 445 760

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Thanks a lot for watching, and we’ll see you guys later.

Athletics Surfacing Specification Options

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

If you are looking for the best athletics surfacing specification for your facility, we offer a number of choices. Schools, colleges and sports clubs across the UK are embracing athletics and getting kids into participating in a whole host of different sporting events. Some of these include long jump, triple jump and sprinting.

The popularity of these athletic events means there is a greater demand for top-quality sports facilities, and the athletic facility needs to give great performance qualities as well as being safe. So what sports facility would be the best for your school or organisation? Let’s take a look at some different athletics surfacing specifications.

Athletics Running Tracks

A typical athletics track is made of rubber crumb with a polyurethane binder, and these can come in a range of specifications that are put together in slightly different ways to suit individual requirements and budgets, for example, full EPDM or structural spray polymeric.

These running track facilities can be installed in a range of dimensions to suit the individual size and shape of the area that you have available. We can also apply professional line marking to the surfacing to ensure perfect accuracy when recording race results. Running tracks can be used for a multitude of events from 100m sprinting to more long-distance running races.

Although EPDM rubber is a very popular choice for athletics running tracks, a lot of primary schools have chosen to install Multisport artificial grass athletics surfacing instead. This is a softer surface for younger kids to run on and a great alternative to the traditional hard rubber tracks which are more suited to professional athletes and older children.

For more details on the different athletics surfacing specification options, please get in touch with us today. Just complete the contact box on this page to let us know what you are looking for, and we’ll reply back as soon as we can. You can also check out this page for more details on the most common designs for schools.

Long Jump and Triple Jump

Long jump and triple jump are great athletic events for kids to get into as they are a bit more interesting than just the traditional running events. Runway surfacing for these events can be constructed by sport surfacing contractors from the same materials as running tracks (EPDM rubber or Multisport artificial grass). They can also come in different dimensions and specifications depending on the requirements of your organisation.

It is also important to have a good quality sandpit installed with your long-jump runway surface to keep it as safe as possible, this will provide a soft area for the athlete to land on once they have completed their jump.

You could also improve the safety of your athletics facility by installing long jump and triple jump sand pit rubber safety edges which provide more absorption of impact from trips or falls than the traditional precast concrete (PCC) edges. These extra safety precautions are highly recommended, in particular for facilities where younger children are going to be taking part in events.

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Compact Athletics Facilities

A number of clubs in addition to academic institutions have begun to get more cost-effective features constructed for sports and athletics. Many schools and colleges are finding it difficult to renew their sports facilities for a number of events, meaning that youngsters are unable to take part in these types of sports.

This may be due to a limited spending budget or not a sufficient amount of outdoor space for the institution to build on. The athletics surfacing specification may be changed to suit distinct spending budgets and requirements. FUNdamental skills may also be developed with the help of these compact activities, since children could enhance their running, throwing and even jumping.

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School Sports Provision

By setting up different athletics facilities, youngsters can take part in numerous activities for a more diverse experience. Several of the widely chosen facilities include things like shuttle running tracks, discus areas and also jogging tracks. You can create multiple activity areas by building a single track; this can be utilised for long jump, relay races, hurdles and many more.

These then promote health and activity for children by allowing them to take part in many different events. In schools that can’t have a full-sized track, this makes a fantastic alternative that is more affordable and takes up a lot less room. If someone completely enjoys performing a certain activity just like triple jump or throwing, then they could advance to specialist clubs within the United Kingdom. An important deficiency in existing athletics provision is a lack of developing facilities for beginners and young people at the first stages of the athlete enhancement model. Many experts recommend that these sporting activities need to be available for kids from as small as primary school Key Stage 1 and up to high school.

A new athletics model has been made by UKA, allowing small children to gain access to these areas. This gives a cost-effective, versatile, entry-level option that makes use of pleasing designs and colours meant to attract new participants.

Cost-Effective Designs

For establishments with a low spending budget together with outdoor space, the compact athletics facilities produce an ideal option for training basic FUNdamental skills in a range of sports activities. A number of establishments decide to get long jump runways and high-jump fans within their compact sports facility.

Where there’s a shortage of space, we are able to reduce the size of sports facilities and alter the athletic surfacing specifications. The flexibility of the style of smaller facilities ensures that they are related to a wide range of situations. Colleges, universities, primary schools and also secondary schools may set up these to complement existing sport and play provisions.

By participating in different sports and athletics activities, young people from Key Stage one to Key Stage four all can build up learning and fitness abilities. Many more children will want to take part in the new sporting activities if there is top quality and appealing facility accessible for them to utilize.

If a school or college is seeking a much more cost-effective beginners level product, the compact facilities are fantastic for decreasing expenses in the event you only need a recreational space. Compact features help introduce the FUNdamentals of these sports. Therefore children can build on primary skills of movement and also physical activity.

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Athletic Surfacing Installers

Soft Surfaces Ltd are a leading installer of athletic facilities and other sports and play surfacing products. We can ensure that you get the best quality sports surface for your school or organisation. We can also offer you help with funds for your project through a funding grant or finance plan to help spread the cost, you can search the funding grants website to see if you’re eligible to apply for a grant and find one that’s appropriate for you.

If you would like any further information about athletics surfacing specifications or any other sports or play facility products and services, please visit our website at http://softsurfaces.co.uk/ and you can see examples of projects we have completed. To submit an enquiry, please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you with details of quotes and prices for your sports or play surfacing project.

To see more pictures of these athletic tracks, have a look at our Soft Surfaces Pinterest page where you can browse through examples of other sport surfacing projects we have carried out.

Did you find this article helpful? Are you more informed about athletics surfacing specification options? Please leave us a comment and let us know, and don’t forget to share this post!

Synthetic Long Jump Athletics Track Construction in Peterborough

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

The synthetic long jump run up construction in Ortongate, Peterborough was carried at a school on their grass playing field. The school desired for the synthetic long jump athletics track surface to be in two different colours. This appears as a red and blue stripe design.

Installation of Long Jump Athletics Track

The installation of a stone sub-base and Multisport™ synthetic athletics surface can help reduce long-term costs by ultimately increasing the lifespan of the product whilst eliminating the need for a macadam sub base. Due to the long lasting life of the product, this means that the school will not need to regularly replace, resurface or refurbish their synthetic long jump athletic track.

This will help the school keep within their budget. The long jump athletics track will also act as an investment over time. The synthetic Multisport™ long jump athletics track can be installed on top of the sub base now that the ground is flat and level. As the client is a school, they required an aesthetically pleasing look as to help engage with the children. The vibrant design also helps to make sports and fitness seem more fun and appealing.

Please see video transcript below:

00:03 Hi there, this is Dan from Soft Surfaces here and today we’re going to be showing you a multisport synthetic long jump installation in the Ortongate, Peterborough area.
So the first thing we do here is we actually mark the area for the digging, so as you can see it’s quite a sizable area that we’re doing that on. Next up, the marked area is actually then dug up and a soft kerb edging is then installed. So you can see us installing the edging here to the area.

00:25 After that, the stone sub base and the sandpit is then installed shortly after, so you can see that coming into place now with these photos. And then after that the precast concrete, or the PCC edging, is then installed. So this is essentially the geotextile membrane installed underneath the surface, if you like. Finally the multisport synthetic turf is then actually applied, so you can see that on the photos here and it’s really starting to come into it’s own and come in to life, really, on the surface.

00:49 So now for the completed project. As you can see, this looks absolutely fantastic really. It gives the kids a massive area to be playing there, you know, long jump and high jump on. And not only that, it’s a very large area too. It’s 120 square meters this one, on a four lane long jump, so many kids can use this at the same time, really helping with their educational, recreational needs, really, at school. So thanks a lot for watching, guys, and I hope you enjoyed the video and I’ll see you guys later.

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The surfacing that was chosen for the synthetic long jump was an alternative to the traditional athletic tracks. This would usually be a polymeric rubber specification. The installation process of the synthetic long jump athletics track took approx 1-2 weeks on site.

Now the school is happy to have an all-weather athletics facility for the children to practice on. It is suitable for use all year round in all weather conditions.

For further details on these long jump runway pits, sand pit covers or athletics surfacing specifications please visit our Long Jump Runway page where it highlights the various designs and option you have and if you fill the contact form in then we can provide costs, prices and quotes to meet your requirements.

Long Jump Run Up Construction Specialists

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

As long jump run up construction specialists, the supply & installation of a run up and sand pit athletics facility is one of our core services. We have carried out these projects all over the UK at a variety of organisations.

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Long Jump Run Up Specification

We carry out the full construction of these athletics surfaces which includes excavation of the existing ground, installing a geotextile membrane, mot stone, pcc edges, engineered sub base (open textured porous macadam). Then EPDM rubber surfacing is installed which is also commonly known as polymeric surfacing or tartan surfaces. Long-jump run up tracks and sand pits are used in a lot of schools, nurseries and leisure centres at all locations throughout the UK. The maintenance for these long-jump run up systems is relatively low but you need to try and keep the long jump landing pit sand clean so it is advised to purchase a landing pit cover which most sports equipment companies sell off the shelf. You can also carry out regular maintenance with specialist equipment such as sand pit rakes which help to remove debris from the sand pit and prevent contamination of the sand.

Long jump runway surfaces may be fitted by professionals to ensure the very best end result. To construct a long-jump, the first thing you must do will be the preparation groundworks. The foundation tasks are crucial simply because they aid the rest of the surfacing so they may be carried out appropriately. The previous surface should be excavated to the required level to make a solid sub-base. To help make the substrata secure and effective, the ground surface area will be rolled making it more compact. Specialized PPC edges shall be put around the outside the run-way and also sand pit, and then a geotextile membrane should be put down. Getting a geotextile membrane within the sub base stops weeds developing. A stone sub base will get fitted to create a solid along with porous layer. Macadam will then be added to give the long-jump run-up a smooth and level base. Sand pits are recommended at the end of long jumps, we are able to put in this sort of facility in a choice of models and specifications.

Needlepunch Long Jump Surfacing

There are two unique surface requirements which can be used for athletic runways. Long-jump run-ups may have artificial needlepunch or maybe polymeric rubberized surfacing. Both of these surface area types are permeable therefore fluids will be able to drain through and then to the ground. The needlepunch flooring will be rolled out onto the sub-base and properly secured utilizing glue. The needlepunch materials are woven with each other to develop a strong floor designed for long jumps. Fine sand infill should get spread all through the carpeting to offer good playing qualities. Many schools and leisure facilities get the needlepunch turf put in for long-jump run-ways. As it is a gentle surfacing alternative for young people to utilize. Polymeric rubberized surface types would be the recommended choice for sports clubs. As it’s made use of by a lot of pros and experts. It is a hard surfacing which can be installed in various specs to accommodate every facility.

How to Maintain a Long Jump

If you want your long-jump track to maintain looking its best, regular servicing ought to be performed. To be proactive with the maintenance, a long-jump track cleaning plan ought to be developed. This can prevent significant and costly maintenance becoming needed. It’s important to conduct upkeep depending on the kind of surfacing, it may incorporate brushing and power washing. Carrying this out type of maintenance can get rid of any debris and dirt blocking the water flow system. Appropriate footwear ought to be worn for the surfaces to prevent any kind of damages and also problems happening. House hold detergent and hot water can eliminate surface stains. If any unwanted weeds appear, consequently treatment ought to be put on. If oil products are being used, it can cause surfacing issues so you must ensure these aren’t utilized. If any ice or compacted snow is over the long-jump surfaces, then rubber edge scrappers and then a brush really should be utilized to remove it. Salt and grit must not be utilized as they can create more surface problems. There’s professional de-icers designed for surface types available if you’d like to use them.

We have completed many long-jump pit constructions across the United Kingdom. Once the long-jump run up installation was complete, the final result was a state of the art athletics facility which enables kids to develop their skills and get involved in a different sport. Above is a photo showing the construction of a runway with the sand being installed to the landing pit. To see more of how this project was carried out, take a look at this video here for the construction of a long jump runway.

We are experienced sport surfacing installers and we have carried out many jobs like this at various schools and clubs in the UK. If you would like to send us an enquiry or discuss an installation project, please fill in our contact form with as much detail as possible so we can reply back to you with some helpful advice. To find out more about the products and services we have available, visit us at http://softsurfaces.co.uk/ where you can see case study examples of our previous work.

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Have you ever considered having a long jump run up installed at your school or club?

Let us know your views on this topic in the comments and please share this article if you liked it!

Rake for Maintaining Long Jump Sandpit

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

The installation of long jump runways is quickly becoming more and more popular in schools, colleges and clubs throughout the UK. The keen interest in this and other athletic sporting events means that a top quality long jump sandpit is crucial.

Above all, a long jump runway surface and landing pit need to be safe. Especially those being used by children in schools or junior athletics clubs. As well as this, any type of athletic sports surfacing needs to ensure that the athlete can perform to the best of their ability. They don’t want their talent held back by a poor quality long jump sandpit or runway surface. But are we all looking after our long jump surfaces properly?

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Long Jump Sand Pit Maintenance

Most reputable athletics surface construction companies in the UK will be able to provide specialist maintenance equipment such as long jump sandpit rakes and covers to help you keep your long jump pit and runway in the best condition for whomever it is used by.

It is essential that you set up a schedule for the cleaning and maintenance of a long jump run-up and landing pit. This ensures you get the best use out of it and to save money on the costs of repairs and renovation of the flooring. A regular maintenance programme ensures that damage to the long jump surface is kept to a minimum. It also helps keep the area safe for use for as long as possible.

Athletics Sandpit Rake

One vital piece of equipment for maintaining a high-quality landing surface is a plastic long jump sandpit rake. These rakes have a special design for their purpose with a strong fibreglass handle and wide plastic head. This means it can reach to all corners of the landing pit in order to remove any dirt or weeds. It’s important to get rid of these as they may be contaminating the sand in the pit. The specialist design of the rake means that the sand spreads evenly around the landing area. This prevents injury by providing a steady surface for the athlete to land on.

As an athletics surface contractor we are able to offer these long jump sandpit rakes and other surface maintenance equipment along with the construction of a synthetic long jump runway or any other athletic sports surfacing you may require, we can install surfaces for a range of specifications and individual budgets depending on what you’re looking for.

Please get in touch with us today through the contact form on this page for more information on the products and services we can provide as well as additional equipment including the sandpit rakes.

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Pole Vault Runway Construction

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

Pole Vault is now becoming more popular with sports clubs and schools as an athletics event. This is likely due to the Olympics and other major athletics events. We can install these facilities at many areas across the UK for both recreational and professional use. The designs can vary but we’ll always try to keep the costs affordable for each client. Pole vault runway construction is ideal for adding an engaging new activity to your sports area.

The run up track is made from an EPDM recycled rubber Polymeric surfacing and is a minimum of 40m in length. This material is durable and long lasting, we often use it when installing full size running tracks as well. You may also see it on long jump runways which are popular in school athletic facilities.

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Pole Vault Runway Dimensions

The pole vault runway dimensions can be different for each facility and we can tailor the design. It has a standard width of 1.2m and has a landing cushion of 5 m x 5m (25m2). Depending on budget and available space this can change. Our team will be able to devise a quote which suits your price range.

The Pole Vault runway construction also has an overall inclination in the running direction of 1:1000 and an overall lateral inclination of 1:1000. The Pole Vault box is 1.084m long, 600mm wide at the front and tapers off to 150mm at the bottom. These areas always built to specification and design but can be adjusted to meet IAAF, NCAA and NFHS. These requirements can affect the overall budgets and costs. Our team often install outdoor athletics tracks so we have plenty of experience with these products.

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You can speak with our team and find out more about the costs for installing one of these facilities. Just let us know what your budget is and where you are located so we can put together a quote. Soft Surfaces Ltd are prime sports surface contractors and specialise in the construction of Pole Vault and other athletic tracks.

Costs to Construct Triple Jump Athletics Facility

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by Elliot

After the sporting success of the summer, why not add to your athletic facilities to breed the next generation of superstars? Our team install triple jump facilities and other athletics areas throughout the UK. We can tailor the costs of building a triple jump run-up to meet a school or sports club’s budget.

Triple Jump Athletics Facility Specifications

To comply with IAAF and UK Athletic specification a triple jump runway should be a total length of 58 meters (Men); with a maximum length of 45 meters before the take-off board with a further 13 meters to the pit where the hop and skip phases would take place. The pit speciation matches that of a long jump being 9 meters long, 3 meters wide with a depth of 500mm.

Here you can see a video of one of our previous construction projects. The final product is a dual-use long jump and triple jump facility with striped red and blue lanes.

If you are looking to build a triple jump athletics facility for children this size of run way would be unsuitable and unnecessary and this is reflected in the cost. Here at Soft Surfaces, we can construct a triple jump runway to fit almost any budget and level of participation, there are many factors that can be compromised bringing the price down effectively.

A more suitable run way size for boys and girls would be a 30-metre track to the first board followed by 8 metres to the pit giving it the size and dimensions 38m x 1.22m. Reducing the pit size is also an option for example this could be reduced to 6m x 3m x 300mm.

We have a wide range of colours available to give your runway its unique look. For example, if your school’s colour is blue why not have a blue run way? The options are endless but if it is the cheapest you’re looking for a black EPDM would be the cheapest without sacrificing anything in terms of quality.

There are also a number of optional extras you add to your triple jump pit :

Rubber Edgings in the pit (Maximise Safety)
Mowing Strip, Concrete or Rubber
Sand Pit Cover
Fixed Take off Boards
Removable Take off Boards.

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Get More Information

For any more information on the construction of a triple jump athletics facility or any other of our products please contact us. Just fill in the enquiry form and include as many details as you can about the project. We can provide information with regards to the specification, costs and prices to construct these athletics facilities.

Benefits of Athletics for Schools

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Elliot

Out of all sports, many schools see athletics as one of the best types of sports to get kids into due to its wide range of activities contained within it. But, how do schools start to include athletics into their PE lessons and leisure time?

There are many benefits of athletics for schools as there is a wide range of events available to suit different pupils’ abilities.

Which Athletics Events are Available?

The beauty behind athletics is how there are so many different events to choose from, really allowing for people to build upon different skills. Creating a multipurpose track is always a good idea as it allows for multiple sports (e.g. sprint, marathon, hurdles, long jump, relay races) to be carried out on it.

Surfacing for more specific events can be installed/supplied by us, and these include discus circles, long jump tracks, high jumps and triple jump. Installing things like this can really encourage children to try out new activities and possibly spark an interest in a new event that they previously didn’t know any information about beforehand.

Classic athletic tracks can be requested also like the 1200m track. We can add the painted lines to create a more stand out track and make it clearer for those taking part. If you’re looking for just a simple 100m track, then we can also help with that as well. All ideas are welcomed by our team so make sure you send us an enquiry as soon as possible with your ideas

Athletics Tracks and Facilities for Schools

Athletic tracks are incredibly beneficial for children in schools. With so many different types offered, you can really cater for what the kids want to do whilst also giving them a wide variety of physical and mental benefits. We at Soft Surfaces can supply and install various types of surfaces which can be used for a full running track to smaller facilities.

Choosing the surface of your sports track can be a bit of a nightmare if you don’t know what you’re looking for exactly. Below are the two most popular selections we get and some points to note for both.

Polymeric rubber – Being made up of rubber granules, this surface offers a great platform for athletes to fully express themselves. Many professional athletic clubs and high schools make this their prime selection when it comes to picking between the two as the surface is perfect for aspiring/professional athletes.
Needlepunch turf – On the other hand, some people may find polymeric a tough surface to fall on and may result in injuries to those who are inexperienced or too young. Needlepunch turf is a perfect counter to this problem. Being a lot softer, many primary schools like to choose this surface out of the two. Visit this page for more information on this particular surface type.

It really is up to you how you want to design your athletic tracks/facilities as you can pick either and even change colours and add patterns depending on the size. Soft Surfaces really promote the idea of having full creativity over your own product and so we will try and make sure that your ideas are bought to life.

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Boosting Children’s Health with Sport

Recent times have seen children become unhealthier as time goes on. The UK government has stated that 1 in 6 children during reception and 1 in 3 children during primary school are classed as obese.

With an increase from previous years, many believe that technology had some role to play in this whole act but there are ways in which we can improve health. Starting with athletics. Some benefits of athletics for schools include:

Healthy habits are built – Through athletics, healthy habits are improved on and children start to become a lot more adapted to the effort that you must put in. Preparing them with these types of activities is great to start to integrate sports within their lifestyles. See another post here to find out more about healthy and active lifestyles for kids.
Slow down ageing – Getting older can lead to many bone and muscle problems for those who don’t do any exercise. By getting children doing exercise like this, it decreases the chance of these problems occurring earlier.
Improves confidence – Children often suffer from a decrease in confidence when they don’t do a lot of sport as they can start to think of themselves as incredibly unhealthy. Athletics gives kids a wide variety of sports to take part in and really express themselves without any worries.
Teamwork – Relay races rely on great teamwork to have a winning chance. Sports like these highlight the importance of teamwork amongst children and gets them into a strong mindset to understand how an effective team can accomplish and achieve goals within a quick time.
Sharpens coordination – Sports such as shot put, javelin, hurdles, triple jump all require great coordination. Combining two key muscle functions, children start to improve coordination skills In school and learn how to master certain functions of the body.
Great sportsmanship – Taking part in these activities means so kids will win whilst most will end up losing. Loads of children don’t want to lose but by taking part in these types of activities, they start to understand that it’s more about taking part and enjoying the sport than winning.

These are just a few of the points which are important to note when it comes to how these activities can boost children’s health. A good point to remember is that children get bored incredibly quickly with most sports as they end up being the same thing repeatedly whilst athletics offers a wide variety of sports to take part in.

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Designing a School Athletic Facility

When it comes to designing a school athletic facility, it can be incredibly overwhelming and complicated at first. You may not know what type of surface you want or how to structure the track properly. We at Soft Surfaces can solve those worries for you and make it ten times easier to decide on what you want and need.

Over 20 years of experience makes our advice and services nearly unbeatable by any other company operating in the industry. Ranging from commercial to residential, we have dealt with all sorts of clients and always received great feedback about our work and staff.

Contact Our Team

If you have any questions or queries that you would like to be attended to, then send us an enquiry and one of our team will get back to you quickly. We can give more information on the benefits of athletics for schools to help you decide what you need. Whether it’s the design process to the installation process, our team will be more than happier to assist you.