Last night was the screening of the Beast Games Season 3 episode filmed at ECU, and I'll be honest, the part I kept watching wasn't the contestants, it was the black turf on the ground.
Why?
Because we installed it.
Between the main site at Pactolus and ECU's Dowdy Field, we laid over 100,000 square feet of turf for this season of BEAST GAMES. That turf will get walked on by Mr. Beast, celebrities, production crews hauling gear, vehicles rolling across it, and contestants running, falling, and grinding on it for hours. Watching it hold up under all of that was a quiet kind of proud moment.
We can't share photos of our work yet; we don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but if you're tuning into Season 3 and you see anything green on the ground, that came from us.
Why does this matter if you're thinking about turf
Installing turf for a "Hollywood production company" is far more complicated than installing it for a home, a recreational field, or a business.
A residential lawn doesn't have giant lifts rolling across it, a dog run doesn't host a production crew, a backyard putting green doesn't see hundreds of people on it in a day, and an athletic field doesn't need to be dismantled the next week...
But the same fundamentals are required for it to work, which is why Landscaping Unlimited can claim to be professional turf installers. We have been put through the wringer with these BEAST GAMES installs, and being able to create quality-looking, safe, and sturdy ground under the requirements set by an active and evolving production studio, it makes putting a permanent fixture down "easy".
(It's never easy, but not having to undo everything and deal with the equipment and changes means we can just focus on installing what you need that will last for decades.)
The steps that made our Beast Games installation hold up are the ones that decide whether your turf still looks good five years in, or starts looking tired by year two. There are three main steps, and most homeowners don't hear about them until something has already gone wrong.
FOLLOW ON TIKTOK
STEP 1
Base prep: Turf is only as good as what's underneath it. We grade the site, lay the right depth of compacted base material, and build proper drainage before a single roll comes off the truck. If the base is wrong, nothing on top of it can save you.
STEP 2
Seam work: Most turf failures show up at the seams. We use the right adhesives and tape for the climate and traffic load, and we take the time to align grain direction across panels so the finished surface looks like a single continuous piece rather than a quilt.
STEP 3
Infill and finish: The infill you choose affects how the turf feels, how it drains, how it handles heat, and how long the blades stay upright under traffic. The wrong infill makes turf feel like a doormat at your front door. The right one makes it feel like real grass.
Where turf makes sense
Turf isn't right for everywhere, and we'll be the first to tell you that. But here's where it consistently wins.
- Backyards with shade, drainage, or pet wear problems. If you've been overseeding the same dead patches every spring for years, turf will solve that problem permanently.
- Dog runs and pet areas. Pet-specific turf with antimicrobial infill changes the game for anyone tired of muddy paws and bare spots.
- Putting greens and short game areas. A custom green in your backyard is one of the highest-use, highest-joy features there is, and we can install it. People or businesses who get one end up out there every evening.
- Pool surrounds and patios. Turf stays cooler than rock, softer than concrete, and doesn't track into the pool the way mulch does; it provides a, "always perfect" landscape around your pool.
- Rooftops, balconies, and tight urban spaces. Anywhere natural grass isn't an option, turf is.
- Sports fields, training areas, and athletic facilities. This is where turf really earns its reputation. The same product family we install for athletic use is what made the Beast Games site possible.
- Small shaded areas you want green. There are just some small, stubborn spots you want green, since you want to be out in nature, but the spot where you want to sit is compacted and mossy, and you just can't get grass to grow. Everywhere else is fine. We can install smaller plots as well for those areas that provide you with what you want, where you want, and it doesn't have to be a full football field production to get it.
Why the installer matters more than the product
There are many turf brands out there, and most of them sell decent products. What separates a five-year install from a fifteen-year install usually isn't the turf itself; it's the company that put it down.
- Ask what infill they're using and why.
- Ask your installer how deep they're going on base.
- Ask to see jobs they've done that are three, five, and seven years old. If they can't show you, that should tell you something.
We've installed turf for homes, commercial properties, sports facilities, and now one of the biggest shows on streaming; that same crew, same standards, and same prep work, no matter the size of the project, could be yours today.
If you're considering it
We're getting booked out for the rest of spring and into summer right now, so getting on the schedule for turf in the warm weather will mean getting in the books relatively soon.
Whether you're thinking about a small dog run or replacing your entire backyard, we'll walk the site with you, talk through what actually makes sense for your space, and give you straight answers about whether turf is the right call.
Reach out through the site or call the office, and if you're watching Season 3, keep an eye on the ground.