Hello, everyone. I am glad you have been enjoying my playground seaming series. Today, I’ll give you a few tricks that I created to assist in seaming playgrounds that are used worldwide today.

As I mentioned in my last vlog, ensuring that the seams do not move during the curing process when securing seams on top of playground shock pads is essential. This is especially important during hot temperatures. When the sun beats down on your installation, the seams will likely shift due to expansion and contraction. Therefore, you must connect, compress, and secure the seams effectively.

This also means maintaining compression on the seam line throughout the curing stage of the adhesive. I have a few methods that can simplify your installations.

“JW Triangle Method”
Most installers secure the seamline with temporary nails so the seam’s edge does not shift or move. Many only use one nail on each side of the seamline, which may sometimes work.
Whether you know it or not, when temperatures rise, synthetic turf expands and contracts, and what you put together perfectly before applying the adhesive has now moved and caused you to re-align the two sections all over again.
“one nail can be shifted easily… two nails, depending on how you place them, they may work…. However, placing three nails together in a triangle fashion on each side of the seam line will prevent any movement if placed correctly.

“Ask JW” Bagging Method

If you want to perfect hiding seams in all of your turf installs, especially playgrounds, I created this method to assist in the “magic of invisibility.”
This technique elevates and integrates the fibers vertically and forces a memory of their position while waiting for the adhesive curing process. This also helps prevent excessive adhesive from reaching the fibers and destroying your installations.
When the infill bags are removed, this bagging method, along with both of your hands and fingers (if you have them), causes the fibers to cross, integrate, and hide the seamline. It’s pretty cool if you master it.
Here is a video showing how easy this technique is. The results are Magical!

“Ask JW”
“Plastic Cap Nail” Compression Method

In my previous columns, I have always mentioned that compressing adhesives will create longevity between the bond and the backing of the synthetic turf. When installing seams over a shock pad, depending on how thick the shock pad is, the padding cushion may cause the seam to move when placing bags on top for compression, especially if you are not careful. Stepping alongside the seamline that is on top of the foam shock pad alone can move the seam an ½” inch.
I created this method of placing plastic cap nails temporarily for compression, which works excellent when seaming on top of thick shock padding.
The grooves in the Cap Nail create a strong bond when inserting them into the turf and down into the shock pad. This compresses the turf to the seaming tape and gives a strong temporary bond for compression. When the adhesive is cured, carefully remove the Cap Nails. It’s that simple.
Come join me next time where I will talk about the Playground Seaming process do’s and don’ts…UNTIL NEXT TIME?…. JW OUT !!!!