Birkenhead High School Academy

Works

The Problem
Lindsey Owen, the Business Manager at Birkenhead School, initially contacted REPLAY Maintenance with significant concerns about the very poor condition and safety of their 20+ year old artificial pitch.

The sand filled pitch had become unsafe and unplayable due to widespread moss, weed and dirt across the entirety of the surface. Fearing the pitch had reached its end-of-life, REPLAY recommended to Lindsey having a Free Survey to assess if anything could be done to improve its condition and extending it’s life.

The Process
REPLAY’s Assessor, Sam Thompson arranged with Lindsey to visit site, surveying the condition of the surface to which he concluded, that whilst the pitch was old, the key components of surface quality, construction and wear were that of a far younger surface. The main issue was the contamination, compaction along with heavy build up of vegetation and dirt reducing drainage that had been rendering the pitch unplayable.

Sam generated a Survey Report to show the results of his visit and also making recommendations for not only the surface, but the surrounds, pitch equipment and an ongoing maintenance regime which was sent to Lindsey for consideration.

The Solution
After consultation and reviewing REPLAY’s 25 years of successful Rejuvenation work to more than 1000+ surfaces, the school were assured that this was exactly the right process for breathing life back into their pitch and ensuring several more years of safe, usable life for existing and future users of their facility.

REPLAY were appointed to carry out the unique compressed air Rejuvenation process, removing all of the surface vegetation, dirt and contaminated infill, restoring the carpet fibres to vertical before refilling with new, clean sports sand.

Helping to avoid too much disruption for the School, the works were scheduled and completed over the October half-term break, allowing the PE dept to return to a safe, clean and usable surface which was very much needed going into the Winter months – ensuring both lessons and matches could go ahead again, unaffected.

The advice and subsequent improvements to the ongoing in-house maintenance regime and the implementation of a Revive Service Agreement with REPLAY are now helping the School achieve many more years of life from their surface the ongoing in-house maintenance regime and the implementation of a Revive Service Agreement with REPLAY are now helping the School achieve many more years of life from their surface.

New silica sports sand was applied to the surface and evenly distributed throughout the playing surface. This sand is spherical in shape and assists with drainage.   

Challenges

Widespread contamination including vegetation and root growth to the site perimeter required intensive, targeted removal and vigorous brushing to agitate the carpet’s surface prior to Rejuvenation works.

The Customer Says…

“Our sand-filled artificial pitch was showing signs of age and widespread contamination, and we approached Replay to gauge whether there was anything that could be done to preserve the surface for a little longer. Following the site survey, a Replay Rejuvenation was recommended. The operatives that attended site did a superb job and our pitch now has a new lease of life, allowing the school to defer resurfacing for a few more years. Following the works, I have no hesitation in recommending Replay Maintenance.” Lindsey Owen Birkenhead High School Academy