STC Releases Maintenance Guidelines for Synthetic Turf Fields

ATLANTA, GA – With the summer season quickly approaching, it is the perfect time of year to conduct comprehensive maintenance on the more than 8,000 synthetic turf sports fields in North American high schools, communities, and professional stadiums.

Recently, the Synthetic Turf Council (STC) published its landmark Guidelines for Synthetic Turf Maintenance. The guidelines make it possible for field owners to understand the basic maintenance that should be performed in order to maximize the investment and benefits of a synthetic turf surface. Through a combination of regular maintenance and performance testing, a synthetic turf field will provide many years of usage.

"This is an important reference guide for field owners,” explains John Baize, Chairman of the Board, of the Synthetic Turf Council and Director of ACT Global Sports. "Our voluntary guidelines help answer many questions from owners, buyers and specifiers about the maintenance program for a synthetic turf field throughout its useful life.”

Maintaining a synthetic turf field is essential for optimum appearance, safety, playing performance and field longevity. A comprehensive maintenance program has many components, but among the most critical are surface cleaning, debris removal, grooming and infill replenishment, redistribution and decompaction.

Before any maintenance work is performed on a field, it is critical that both the field builder and the maintenance provider work with the client on a comprehensive and ongoing maintenance program that includes using the proper maintenance equipment as well as adhering to the warranty provisions on the field.

"The STC’s Guidelines for Synthetic Turf Maintenance were developed by a task force of STC member professionals,” explains Baize. "The time, dedication and expertise of the volunteers that worked on this project were key in making sure that the guidelines addressed each issue in maintaining a synthetic turf field.”

Visit http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org to access these free Maintenance Guidelines, and other helpful information about synthetic turf and the STC’s member companies.

About the Synthetic Turf Council

Based in Atlanta, the Synthetic Turf Council was founded in 2003 to promote the industry and to assist buyers and end users with the selection, use and maintenance of synthetic turf systems in sports field, golf, municipal parks, airports, landscape and residential applications. The organization is also a resource for current, credible, and independent research on the safety and environmental impact of synthetic turf. Membership includes builders, landscape architects, testing labs, maintenance providers, manufacturers, suppliers, installation contractors, infill material suppliers and other specialty service companies. For more information, visit http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org.