Synthetic tracks fail for one of two reasons — the base was not laid to the right fall, or the system was too thin for the traffic it carries. Both are decided long before the rubber goes down. We build the base and the surface, so the specification and the execution are the same responsibility.
We deliver for universities, schools, sports authorities, academies and corporate campuses — 400m eight-lane and six-lane tracks, 200m compact loops, and the field event areas that go with them.
System choice is a trade between grip, weather tolerance, lifespan and budget. Here is what separates them.
| Full-PUR System | Sandwich System | Spray-Coat System | Prefabricated Rolled Rubber | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playing feel | Firm, high energy return | Balanced grip | Textured, moderate | Consistent, springy |
| Shock absorption | High | High | Medium | High |
| Indoor / Outdoor | Outdoor | Outdoor | Outdoor | Outdoor |
| Weather resistance | Excellent — impermeable | Very good | Good | Very good |
| Lifespan | Longest | Long | Moderate | Long |
| Maintenance effort | Low | Low | Moderate — re-top sooner | Low |
| Typical use case | Competition venues | Schools and academies | School training loops | Fast-programme builds |
Land area checked against 400m or 200m geometry and levels.
Asphalt or concrete base laid to fall, with kerbing and edges.
Perimeter and infield drainage sized for heavy monsoon runoff.
PUR, sandwich, spray or prefabricated system laid to thickness.
Long jump pit, shot put circle, steeplechase and high jump apron.
Lane and event marking to World Athletics geometry, then handover.
Levels taken and track geometry checked against the land.
Configuration, thickness and drainage design finalised.
Base, surface, field events and marking in one quotation.
Base construction and curing, then the synthetic system.
Lane geometry set out, measured and handed over.
Spray-coat is the most economical synthetic system and works well for school tracks with moderate daily use. If the track will also host inter-school meets or run all day, the sandwich system is worth the step up — it lasts considerably longer under traffic and costs less over its life than re-topping a thin track early.
Either asphalt or concrete, laid true and to a uniform fall for drainage. The base tolerance matters more than most clients expect — undulations telegraph straight through a 13mm surface and cannot be corrected afterwards. We build the base ourselves so the tolerance is our responsibility, not a handover argument.
Often yes. If the base is sound and the existing rubber is bonded, we can clean, repair and re-top it — much cheaper and quicker than a rebuild. Where the surface has delaminated or the base has cracked and settled, re-topping just repeats the failure. We core-test before recommending either route.
Thickness determines shock absorption and how long the track survives spikes and daily traffic. Thirteen millimetres is the practical starting point; competition specifications go higher. A thinner track looks identical on handover day and wears through in a fraction of the time, so compare thickness and system when you compare quotes.
Full-PUR systems are impermeable, so water runs across the surface to perimeter drainage — which is why the fall and the drainage design matter as much as the rubber. Permeable systems drain through into the base. We size the channels for local rainfall intensity rather than a standard detail.
Certification is a separate process run by the relevant federation and depends on geometry, surface testing and documentation. We build to World Athletics dimensional specifications and can supply the material documentation the process needs. Confirm the certification level you are targeting at design stage — retrofitting it later is expensive.
