Common Maintenance Needs of Artificial Turf Fields

Season after season, turf faces relentless exposure to the elements and intensive athletics. Despite the fact that modern turf is capable of withstanding the harshest of weather conditions and years of heavy-duty traffic, eventually, all materials begin to degrade and lose their ideal performance characteristics. 

In an ongoing effort to protect our partners from premature artificial turf replacements and repairs, our in-depth maintenance support covers all realms of cost-saving upkeep and material preservation. If you are a facility manager or property owner hoping to keep your field in top condition, follow these practical guidelines and enjoy a pristine field for longer. 

Organizing a Comprehensive Maintenance Plan

The first step towards turf field longevity begins with a budget-friendly turf field maintenance plan. When organizing your field’s maintenance schedule, here are some common maintenance needs to include in your plan. 

Daily & Weekly Tasks

Remove trash, debris, and perimeter weeds. While performing daily clean-up tasks, inspect the surfaces for warning signs such as worn sections of turf, lifting sections, or visible tears and other types of surface damage. 

Easily integrated into your cleaning plans, a weekly brushing can be performed to keep the fibers aligned and redistribute the infill materials evenly. Be sure to use an approved turf brush or gentle rake to avoid damaging the mesh backing or sublayers.  

Monthly & Quarterly

While providing accurate infill checks, we gauge the depth and determine the responsiveness of your infill quality across the entire field. We also provide professional grooming and top-off replenishment services. Far more efficient and consistent than attempting to manage infill redistribution with manual brushing, our state-of-the-art equipment can restore like-new field performance after a single grooming or infill refill session. 

During our comprehensive inspections, we also check for issues with seams, artificial grass integrity, and drainage systems. In the majority of cases, when turf issues are identified early, our restoration services can add years of high-performance playability to your space. 

Other proactive monthly/quarterly maintenance considerations include:

• Plant and weed control solutions: Apply an eco-friendly weed deterrent around the perimeter. If any trees or plant life is encroaching near the perimeter, you may need to relocate the plants to prevent turf/subsurface damage caused by roots and debris.

• Sectional turf repairs: Before a damaged section compromises the surrounding materials, our like-new sectional replacements provide a seamless finish. If your field still has plenty of life left, a more affordable repair is often the best option for minor resolutions. 

Annual Recommendations

On an annual basis, maintenance services such as deep cleaning, infill refills, and or turf replacement may be necessary if your field is at the end of its life cycle. In addition to investing in any major repairs and/or a turf replacement if necessary, there is often significant overlap with many monthly/quarterly maintenance needs. For instance, if your field is lightly used, you may only need to invest in a comprehensive field inspection or infill services once a year. 

Depending on your facility’s elemental exposure and demands, it may also be beneficial to invest in specific services before/after seasonal changes. For example, if your field is exposed to heavy snowfall during the winter months, thorough drainage and field cleaning following snowmelt will ensure that your field is ready for the spring and summer seasons. 

For other professional field maintenance recommendations or for those in need of services from a tennis court construction company, get in touch with our pros at Keystone Sports Construction and learn how to maintain your field like an expert.