How To Care For Artificial Turf In Soccer Fields

A large number of soccer fields use artificial grass in the main arena as well as in practice areas. Fake turf has become the grass of choice as it is durable and needs minimal maintenance. Still, you need to be careful of the artificial turf used in the arena. Ignoring the guidelines mentioned below may create undesirable playing conditions, which is a nightmare for any maintenance manager.

Understand the Artificial Turf
You need to be aware of the type of soccer turf installed in your arena. Artificial turf comes in many varieties. The difference in construction style means that some types of artificial grass can only be installed in a home lawn and are unfit for a soccer field. There are special types of artificial grass that are perfect for sports arenas. Astro turf, for example, has become the gold standard in some sports. Soccer turf includes different varieties of astro turf as well as newer entrants.

These fake turf varieties are soft yet sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of the play. The grass comes in tightly packed format to provide a smoother playing surface. Another variety does not pack the fibers as close and is preferred by some soccer clubs.

Basic Care
The simplest maintenance procedure for soccer turf is to remove the debris with the help of a brush or a vacuum cleaner. Given the expanse of a soccer field, you cannot use a brush for this purpose. Heavy duty industrial vacuum cleaners offer the best option to remove debris and keep the fake turf nice and shiny. You can also use a light roller to keep the turf in place though there will be little need of that in case of a perfect installation. There are no bald spots in a soccer turf as it does not wilt or dies like natural grass.

Another aspect of basic care for artificial turf is watering. You need to water the fake turf once in a few days. This is required to keep the turf soft as otherwise cracks may appear due to constant exposure to sun and other factors. Some varieties of fake turf need more watering than the others. Soccer fields have started experimenting with those varieties of synthetic turf that does not need watering at all. It is thus possible that future soccer fields forgo the use of water to keep the turf soft and shiny.

Advanced Care
You may need to replace parts of the soccer turf if they have been damaged. You can remove that particular portion and replace it with a new one. The process does not take more than a few hours, depending on the area of replacement. The new fake grass can be joined together with the existing one through stitching, stapling or gluing. Given the durability of field turf, there will be minimal need of replacement and only after a few seasons have been played on the arena.

Artificial turf offers better playing conditions and is easier to maintain than natural grass. It is thus a wise idea to replace your natural soccer turf with synthetic variants.