Model bid spec for synthetic turf installation.

Section 1

Scope of work

1.1 The Work consists of furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, and supervision to install a complete synthetic turf surfacing system at [project location], including demolition and removal of existing surfacing, excavation, aggregate base construction, drainage provisions, shock pad (where required by Section 5), synthetic turf, infill, seaming, edging, and site cleanup.

1.2 The installed area is approximately [X] square feet as shown on the project drawings. The Contractor shall field-verify all dimensions before ordering materials.

1.3 The completed system shall meet the performance standards of Section 5 for its designated use, and shall be delivered with the submittals of Section 8 and the acceptance testing of Section 9.

Section 2

Site preparation and excavation

2.1 Existing vegetation, sod, organic material, and topsoil shall be excavated and removed from the full install area to a depth commonly specified as 3 to 4 inches below finished grade for landscape and grounds applications, and deeper as required to accommodate the base depth of Section 3 plus the turf system thickness on sports and playground installs.

2.2 The exposed subgrade shall be graded to slope in the same direction as the finished surface drainage plan (see Section 3.4) so that water reaching the subgrade moves laterally to a designed exit rather than ponding beneath the base.

2.3 A commercial-grade weed barrier, rated for a service life of not less than 15 years, shall be installed on top of the compacted base and below the turf. Install-grade landscape fabric is not an acceptable substitute.

2.4 The Contractor shall photograph the excavated subgrade, including its slope, before any base material is placed, and shall include these photographs in the closeout documentation (Section 9.4).

Section 3

Base construction

3.1 Material. The base shall be free-draining crushed aggregate: crushed concrete, decomposed granite, or an equivalent angular aggregate approved by the Owner. Rounded gravel and sand-only bases are not acceptable.

3.2 Depth. Base depth is commonly specified as 3 to 4 inches for landscape and grounds applications and 4 to 6 inches for sports fields and playgrounds. The specified depth for this project is [X] inches, measured after compaction.

3.3 Compaction. Base material shall be placed and compacted in not fewer than two lifts, each compacted with a plate compactor or vibratory roller to 95 percent Standard Proctor density before the next lift is placed. Single-pass compaction of the full base depth is not acceptable.

3.4 Grading and drainage slope. The finished base shall be laser-graded to a consistent fall, commonly specified as 1 to 2 percent, toward a designed exit point (daylighting edge, collector drain, or storm inlet) identified on the drawings. Surface tolerance is commonly specified as plus or minus 1/4 inch over 10 feet under a straightedge. Where the site is flat or slopes toward a structure, the Contractor shall install the collector or French drain system shown on the drawings; "the water will find its way out" is not a drainage design.

Section 4

Turf system requirements

4.1 Face weight. The turf shall have a face weight of not less than [X] ounces per square yard, commonly specified in the 50 to 80 oz range for landscape and grounds applications and matched to the manufacturer’s tested system for sports and playground use.

4.2 Backing. The backing type (perforated, mesh, or fully permeable flow-through) shall be stated in the bid response. For pet areas and installs where drainage is the design driver, fully permeable flow-through backing is preferred because it drains across the entire backing surface and is more forgiving of clogging over time.

4.3 Permeability. The turf system shall have a water permeability of not less than 30 inches per hour when tested per ASTM F2898, documented by the manufacturer’s test report. Note that F2898 characterizes the turf system only; the base and subgrade drainage of Sections 2 and 3 remain separately required, and a high carpet number shall not be accepted as proof of a drained system.

4.4 Warranty. The turf shall carry a manufacturer product warranty of not less than 15 years. The Contractor shall separately warrant installation workmanship, including base settlement, for not less than 1 year. Warranty documents shall be included in submittals, and warranty language tied to specific performance targets (Section 5) is preferred over workmanship-only language.

Section 5

Performance standards by use

5.1 Sports surfaces. Fields and athletic training surfaces shall comply with ASTM F1936: no test point may exceed 200 g-max when tested per ASTM F355 Procedure A. At installation, the surface shall test below 165 g-max at every test point, and a maximum of 130 at install is commonly specified for competitive fields; 165 is the common end-of-warranty ceiling. Test point layout, drop protocol, and retest cadence are covered in Section 9 and in our G-Max testing reference.

5.2 Playground surfaces. Surfacing within the use zone of playground equipment shall be certified per ASTM F1292 at a critical fall height that meets or exceeds the fall height of the tallest piece of equipment, with g-max at or below 200 and HIC at or below 1,000 at that rated height. Certification shall come from an IPEMA-validated listing for the exact turf-plus-pad system installed; substitutions void the rating. Shock pad thickness, seam continuity, and infill depth shall be documented during install. See our ASTM F1292 playground turf reference for the full compliance chain.

5.3 Commercial grounds. Landscape and grounds installs without sports or playground use have no impact-attenuation requirement, but shall meet the drainage, base, and warranty requirements of Sections 2 through 4. Accessibility per ASTM F1951 shall be required where accessible routes cross the surfacing.

Section 6

Infill specification

6.1 Infill type and application depth shall match the turf manufacturer’s tested system for the designated use. Substituting infill type or reducing depth to lower the bid price voids the tested performance ratings of Section 5 and is not acceptable.

6.2 Common selections: rounded silica sand for landscape and grounds; silica or silica plus crumb rubber for sports surfaces per the manufacturer’s tested system; antimicrobial-treated infill (such as zeolite with silver treatment) for pet areas. The bid response shall state the proposed infill type, application rate in pounds per square foot, and installed depth.

6.3 Infill shall be applied in multiple passes with power brooming between passes so the fiber stands upright and the infill settles evenly to the specified depth.

Section 7

Seaming and edging

7.1 Seams. All seams shall be joined with full-width seam tape and polyurethane seam adhesive, pinned while the adhesive sets. Panels shall be laid with consistent blade direction, and seam edges shall be stitch-cut so color and blade direction match across the join. Nail-only seams without tape and adhesive are not acceptable.

7.2 Edging. The turf perimeter shall be secured against a rigid edge restraint (concrete curb, bender board, or treated nailer board) appropriate to the adjacent surface, with the turf edge fastened at intervals per the manufacturer’s installation guidelines. Exposed cut edges that can lift or fray are not acceptable.

Section 8

Submittals required from bidder

• Manufacturer certifications for the proposed turf system, including product data sheets, face weight, backing type, and warranty terms.
• ASTM test reports: F2898 permeability for all installs; F1292 certification (IPEMA-listed) at the required critical fall height for playgrounds; F355/F1936 g-max documentation for sports surfaces.
• Certificate of insurance showing commercial general liability coverage at the limits required by the Owner, naming the Owner as additional insured.
• References: not fewer than three completed projects of similar type and size, with contact information.
• Certifications and eligibility documents as applicable, including HUB or other state vendor certifications for public-sector work.

Section 9

Testing and acceptance

9.1 Sports surfaces. A baseline g-max test per ASTM F1936 shall be performed by an independent third party at installation, before final acceptance. Every test point shall meet the Section 5.1 install maximum. The report shall be delivered to the Owner and retained for warranty enforcement.

9.2 Playground surfaces. Field verification per ASTM F3313 shall be performed on the installed surface at the required critical fall height before final acceptance.

9.3 Drainage verification. The Contractor shall demonstrate drainage performance by flood test at the low corner of the install, with surface water clearing in minutes, or by ring infiltrometer test where the Owner’s stormwater plan requires documented infiltration numbers.

9.4 Documentation. Closeout shall include photographs of the excavated subgrade, base compaction, shock pad seams (where applicable), and finished grading, taken before the turf was laid.

Section 10

Maintenance handoff

10.1 At closeout the Contractor shall deliver a maintenance plan covering grooming and decompaction cadence, infill depth checks and top-up procedure, seam and edge inspection, and drainage upkeep.

10.2 For sports and playground surfaces, the plan shall state the retest cadence: commonly specified as a retest at the one-year mark and annually thereafter, documented by a third party. Annual documentation is what keeps performance warranties enforceable and what protects the Owner in a liability review.

10.3 All warranty documents, test reports, and closeout photographs shall be delivered as a single package to the Owner’s facilities office.