Lincoln City Football Club Top-Up of Fibresand Concentrate

As part of end of season renovations conducted at the LNER Stadium, Fineturf were contracted to top up the levels of fibresand concentrate within the main pitch. Three full seasons since Fineturf originally constructed the surface, work was undertaken at the end of May 2024 to restore levels to the ideal window of between 0.3 and 0.35%.

To strengthen and stabilise the surface, a reinforced sand known as fibresand is ameliorated into the rootzone to achieve optimal play characteristics. With wear and tear and general maintenance, levels of fibresand can be diluted meaning it is good practice to reinstate levels regularly or approximately every three to four years.

The process began by Koro’ing off the surface of the pitch, and hand-cutting to remove vegetation around pitch perimeters and sprinkler heads. The existing material was then cultivated and reconsolidated.

Fineturf then applied 150 tonnes of 0.9% fibresand concentrate over the pitch and ameliorated this into the top 90mm of the upper rootzone. This brought the concentrate levels into the ‘ideal’ window.

Once complete, the next stage of the ground preparation works could commence. This involved supplying and applying a combination of nutritional inputs – a conventional 14-6-8 fertiliser, Multigreen 28-3-15 and ICL Pearl at rates of 35g/m². The pitch was then sown with Johnsons Sports Seed J Premier Pitch at a rate of 70g/m² using the Blec Turfmaker.

With works completed to the very best quality, on time and on budget, the pitch was then play-ready come the start of the new season.

In the forthcoming years, Fineturf will return to deliver finesse in regular end of season renovations – fraise mowing, sand dressing and seeding until fibresand concentrate levels need reinstating once again.