What time of day or type of weather is best to maintain a synthetic turf field?
Of course, there are many different types of fields from a variety of companies and each has its own recommendations as to how to maintain a field. But there are a variety of techniques that will help give you better results for the same amount of effort.
Grooming and Sweeping Synthetic Turf Sports Fields
For instance, we find that sweeping or grooming your field should be done when the field is at its driest. When the field is wet, the infill may clump together and the fibers lay flat. Therefore, a sweeper can pick up lots of excess infill and a groomer will not be able to redistribute rubber effectively. Furthermore, if you are using a magnet on a wet field, metal objects will tend to remain stuck in the infill. Sweeping and grooming in the rain can leave your field and your equipment a mess. Try grooming and sweeping from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm or when the field is warm and dry.
Disinfecting Synthetic Turf Fields
If you are disinfecting your field, ideally you’ll want to put down the disinfecting solution during the time of day when the least amount of evaporation is occurring. The longer the wet disinfecting solution is in contact with the plastic fibers, the more effective the treatment. Cool, overcast days with high humidity and no wind are perfect for disinfectant treatments.
Painting and Removing Paint from Synthetic Turf Fields
Warm and dry conditions are the best for painting synthetic turf fields. Cool and humid conditions are best for removing paint from synthetic turf fields. We try to remove paint when the field temperature is below 90 degrees (use an infrared thermometer
to determine field temperature). As a rule, we recommend removing paint in the early morning and try be off of the field by 10 a.m. Further south, our customers may need to be off the field by 8:30 or 9:00 due to higher temperatures in the summer.
Following this recommended schedule, some customers may run into difficulties due to local noise or light restrictions (working before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.) In which case, you’ll need to notify the administration or proper authorities to get the clearance to work during these times. Working on removal between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. has proven to be a great option for those that can get approval, and should only be 1 night of inconvenience.
