How to take care of an artificial sports field

Artificial sports surfaces made of polypropylene or polyethylene fibres are highly durable and can be used all year round. As they require minimal maintenance, the annual expenditure on them is a smaller when compared to what is spent on the maintenance of natural grass sports surfaces.

Synthetic sports surfaces also require some amount of care and maintenance, if not as much as that required by a natural grass sports field. A proactive approach is the best way to ensure proper care and maintenance of an AstroTurf. There are many professional firms with the expertise in offering effective care and cleansing for every type of artificial sports surface- be it a synthetic soccer or hockey pitch, an athletics track, a MUGA (Multi-use Games Area), a sports hall, or any other sports surface.     

An artificial grass sports field requires power sweeping on a periodic basis, which helps  it to offer optimum playing conditions for a longer period of time. It is done with the help of a soft cylindrical brush which can lift approximately 2-3mm of sand and pile. The lifted pile is cleaned and is then returned to the surface. Such a sweeping action is essential to remove all dirt particles and debris from the surface before they penetrate deep into the pile. Power sweeping keeps the drainage system of the artificial turf in its best condition. It is a hassle free task, as it can be completed within a day even for a full sized sports pitch. Depending on the condition of the sports field, available budget, and climatic conditions, a sports facility can opt for power sweeping either once in every month for the whole year or bi-monthly for 6 months, or once  every quarter. In some cases, power sweeping is followed by some chemical treatments to prevent or remove moss from the surface.

Artificial sports surface cleansing is also a part of the proactive approach towards the maintenance of these surfaces. An artificial sports field, which is over 3 years old and is suffering from either surface silt or poor drainage, needs  deep pitch cleansing at least once a year. The deep pitch cleansing treatment involves lifting the sand and rubber infill from the pile, passing it through a specially designed machine for removing all kinds of contamination, returning the sand and rubber granules to the pile, and power sweeping the pile “carpet”. Such a cleansing programme is important for maintaining the drainage system of a synthetic sports field whilst retaining optimum playing conditions.   

In case of MUGAs and synthetic athletics surfaces, proper maintenance also includes taking care of the multi-coloured striping and event markings. Proper maintenance of floodlights, electronic scoring board, sports equipment, indoor sports hall, and fence of the sports area are also an integral part of the overall care and maintenance of a sports facility.