The inlay crew is busy cutting out and laying the letters for "FINDLAY" for each end zone. Both end zones have green turf as background and both say "FINDLAY."
To install any of the numbers, hash marks or letters, a set of electric shears is used to cut through the monofilament green fiber to expose the backing of the carpet. The numbers are then glued into place. This plot shows the "2" on the 20 yard line. Note that the black backing is porous enough to allow the easy passage of rainwater.
Something that often goes unnoticed is the park area behind the stadium. A waterfall was installed on the northwest corner of the pond. This will be great when the salmon run.
LINES STRUNG
With the "carpet" installed, lines (seen in yellow) are strung from goal line to goal line marking out the locations of the hash marks. Hash marks will be cut in and installed for BOTH the collegiate and high school fields.
CUTOUT
Each hash mark and sideline yard line is hand cut with a template. Once cut out, a corresponding white carpet is cut and laid in the opening. This photo shows the cutout of one of the sideline yard markings. The labor-intensive part of this is cutting out the sideline yard lines on BOTH sides of the field along with 4 full sets of hash marks.
YARD LINE NUMBERS
Every number on the field is also cut out using the same process as each hash and sideline yard line. This photo shows a stencil used at the 50 yard line. Once cut out, it will be inlaid with a white number.
CENTER DESIGN
The center design, ordered a few months ago, is made at the factory and shipped as one piece. This photo shows the center design that is fit into the cutout made to receive it, just as the cutout for each hash mark is made. The center "F" is outlined in Blue and Gold.
END ZONE LETTERING
Just as the center design is manufactured at the factory, so is each letter used in the end zone. End zone designs vary, of course, but roughly cost about $1,200 PER LETTER when developing the overall cost of the field installation. The letters shown in this photo are laid out from the roll they were shipped in, waiting to be placed.
PILES & PILES
Several tons of sand make up the 50/50 mixture of sand and rubber that is spread on the field after all inlays are complete, the final step in the installation of the FieldTurf. Much more will be devoted to this when the final steps are reached.
The installation of the 15-foot-wide "carpet" continued through Aug. 3. The process of rolling out, sewing up and flipping over continues right down the field.
