Field Painting

Many sports that we watch whether live at the stadium or on T.V. are played on a field. Ever wonder how they get the logos/lines on the fields to look so neat and perfect for the big game? It comes down to neatness and detail when painting an athletic field for sports turf managers.

This is what sparked my interest to pursue Turf Management. I love the detail of the fields from logo painting to nice straight lines. This article was fun for me to look up relating to the do’s and don’ts of painting fields.

Field painting is an art. Even though time consuming is very important to the function and play of the game. Painting accurate lines is helpful to determine close calls that could decide the outcome of the game! To ensure accuracy, here are some helpful tips.

First off you want to buy quality paint. Having the right paint ensures less time mixing it, is less likely to clog your paint machines, brighter color, and last longer on fields after being applied. Even though it may seem important to paint your field multiple times during the week, it is not preferred. It is important to minimize and not paint more frequently than you have to because water holding capacity and slickness increases as you paint more. Paint closer to a game or event to ensure maximum brightness and allows time for it to dry.

To get the best results, you need short, thick, healthy grass. Mow right before you start painting. Shorter turf provides a better canopy to paint on and more detail can be added in. Grass two inches or higher will not provide good paint results. Before you paint, make sure you have good equipment to work with. Constant agitation and pressure is required to get the best results. Also mixing of the paint is key to prevent clogging of the nozzles. Five gallon shakers and stir drill bits are preferred.

Prepare yourself before painting especially spills. Stencils are typically laid out at the beginning of the year to ensure accurate logos! When painting, use the least amount of pressure. We are painting the grass, not the soil! Painting the soil seals the surface which blocks the movement of water and air to the plant. Lightly frost the grass in one direction, then repeat in the other. These are essential to ensure the best results. Now some don’ts for painting fields.

Do not paint when it is windy! You will get paint drift in areas not needed. Use plywood or Masonite boards to block the wind while painting. Avoid painting logos in high traffic areas and if you are irrigating or rain is in the forecast. Monitor the weather patterns to determine the best day to paint to ensure maximum brightness. Irrigate first to allow the grass to dry, then paint.

Be neat with your strings! Double check you accuracy and placement of the strings before you paint. Do not scrub paint off of grass to damage the blades. A good way to cause less damage is to find a green color closely related to your field to paint over unwanted areas. Make sure you don’t paint in your best clothes and shoes, keep a set of paint clothes and shoes!

These are some helpful tips to become successful in painting fields. It’s all about the detail when it comes to preparing fields. Ensuring the right equipment and proper paints is key to successfully get the job done right. Don’t forget to wear old clothes!

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/maintenance/field-painting-101/