(Published by Sports Turf Magazine April/May 2014)
Heavyweight Grudge Match: Sewing vs. Gluing Synthetic Fields
- Mal Maher CEO, Turf Sewing Machines
I know what you’re all thinking; here comes the most biased article ever written. As much as I’d like to put on my sewing pompoms, I’ll go against my better judgment and remain mostly unbiased. For years questions went - which is better? which lasts longer? which is easier? which is more cost effective? The fact is both are effective and both have their advantages.
Why are Glued Seams Better?
• Gluing is widely considered easier and I surely agree. See that glue guys, I’m not so bad.
• The need for skilled, technically proficient labor is not required. This is an enormous advantage for crews that travel state-to-state or nationwide. Why? You can easily pickup unskilled labor anywhere you land. Finding and affording skilled labor is often an arduous task. Not to mention, you have to pay for their hotel, airfare, food, and expenses. Hey it adds up.
• Glue doesn’t need a technician or service station. By employing glue you don’t have to contend with a sewing machine malfunction half way down a seam.
Why are Sewn Seams Better?
• Sewn fields cost exponentially less. STOP screaming at me glue guys. If you care about the bottom line, flip your common sense switch to the on position. Let’s compare with an apples to apples cost analysis. Let’s say Crew A & Crew B both install ten full fields a year for ten years. ‘Sewing Crew A’ will make an initial $20,000 investment for 2 cart style sewing machines. Including repair maintenance & supplies, two cart sewing machines will cost you roughly $40-50,000 over the course of 10 years. ‘Gluing Crew B’ will purchase glue for every field they sew. To glue a full field (with quality glue) it will cost approximately $15-20,000 per field. Let’s go on the low side and call it $15,000 per field. A gluing operation over 10 years will therefore cost $1,500,000. Hey glue guys, don’t blame me…blame Math. Sewing Crew A will have spent $50,000 vs Gluing Crew B spending $1,500,000. Double-check me, because I almost don’t believe it. Yes glue guys, go and tack another $300,000 in skilled labor for the sewing crew and sewing still saves you well over a million dollars. While you’re at it, spoil yourself and order two more cart machines, buy your wife a diamond necklace, go on vacation four times a year, and get each kid an Xbox1. You’re a $1,000,000+ ahead; what are you worried about?
• Sewn fields can be performed year round. Meaning in extreme heat or cold, you don’t have to worry about glue expanding/contracting. In addition, you don’t have to waste a full day waiting for a field to cure. A crew can immediately work/walk/drive over a sewn seam.
• So are you waiting for that biased “Sewn Seams Last Longer” comment? I won’t go there…remember I’m just going with facts here.
“ Like everyone we glue and we sew. Even though it’s easier to glue, both our crews and ownership dread gluing. We’ve kept track of every install since the year 2000 and about 90% of redo’s and repairs are of glued fields. Glue is surely trending and we’ll do what’s asked of us as well as anyone or better, but sewn fields last longer and don’t require nearly as much post install maintenance. “ - John Huard Jr. President, Northeast Turf
You must do what’s best for your company and your clients. Hopefully this article has given you some insight into some of the most important pros & cons of gluing vs. sewing. Just to further prove I’m an equal opportunity, non-biased guy I’ve invited NorDot to chime in. Nor-Dot offers the best synthetic glue in the industry. My advice…if you’re going to glue go with the best.
“ The use of Chemical Bonding is more advantageous because glue connects with more surface area versus a sewn seam which has spacing between each stitch. “
- Norris League President, NORDOT
Heavyweight Grudge Match: Sewing vs. Gluing Synthetic Fields
- Mal Maher CEO, Turf Sewing Machines
I know what you’re all thinking; here comes the most biased article ever written. As much as I’d like to put on my sewing pompoms, I’ll go against my better judgment and remain mostly unbiased. For years questions went - which is better? which lasts longer? which is easier? which is more cost effective? The fact is both are effective and both have their advantages.
Why are Glued Seams Better?
• Gluing is widely considered easier and I surely agree. See that glue guys, I’m not so bad.
• The need for skilled, technically proficient labor is not required. This is an enormous advantage for crews that travel state-to-state or nationwide. Why? You can easily pickup unskilled labor anywhere you land. Finding and affording skilled labor is often an arduous task. Not to mention, you have to pay for their hotel, airfare, food, and expenses. Hey it adds up.
• Glue doesn’t need a technician or service station. By employing glue you don’t have to contend with a sewing machine malfunction half way down a seam.
Why are Sewn Seams Better?
• Sewn fields cost exponentially less. STOP screaming at me glue guys. If you care about the bottom line, flip your common sense switch to the on position. Let’s compare with an apples to apples cost analysis. Let’s say Crew A & Crew B both install ten full fields a year for ten years. ‘Sewing Crew A’ will make an initial $20,000 investment for 2 cart style sewing machines. Including repair maintenance & supplies, two cart sewing machines will cost you roughly $40-50,000 over the course of 10 years. ‘Gluing Crew B’ will purchase glue for every field they sew. To glue a full field (with quality glue) it will cost approximately $15-20,000 per field. Let’s go on the low side and call it $15,000 per field. A gluing operation over 10 years will therefore cost $1,500,000. Hey glue guys, don’t blame me…blame Math. Sewing Crew A will have spent $50,000 vs Gluing Crew B spending $1,500,000. Double-check me, because I almost don’t believe it. Yes glue guys, go and tack another $300,000 in skilled labor for the sewing crew and sewing still saves you well over a million dollars. While you’re at it, spoil yourself and order two more cart machines, buy your wife a diamond necklace, go on vacation four times a year, and get each kid an Xbox1. You’re a $1,000,000+ ahead; what are you worried about?
• Sewn fields can be performed year round. Meaning in extreme heat or cold, you don’t have to worry about glue expanding/contracting. In addition, you don’t have to waste a full day waiting for a field to cure. A crew can immediately work/walk/drive over a sewn seam.
• So are you waiting for that biased “Sewn Seams Last Longer” comment? I won’t go there…remember I’m just going with facts here.
“ Like everyone we glue and we sew. Even though it’s easier to glue, both our crews and ownership dread gluing. We’ve kept track of every install since the year 2000 and about 90% of redo’s and repairs are of glued fields. Glue is surely trending and we’ll do what’s asked of us as well as anyone or better, but sewn fields last longer and don’t require nearly as much post install maintenance. “ - John Huard Jr. President, Northeast Turf
You must do what’s best for your company and your clients. Hopefully this article has given you some insight into some of the most important pros & cons of gluing vs. sewing. Just to further prove I’m an equal opportunity, non-biased guy I’ve invited NorDot to chime in. Nor-Dot offers the best synthetic glue in the industry. My advice…if you’re going to glue go with the best.
“ The use of Chemical Bonding is more advantageous because glue connects with more surface area versus a sewn seam which has spacing between each stitch. “
- Norris League President, NORDOT
