Which is better: brushing or raking?

13 Mins Read

January 11, 2023

Opinions about whether brushing or raking third-generation synthetic turf fields is better for the field are divided. A grant from the Norwegian FA, the Dutch industry body BSNC, as well as the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport enabled the Municipality of Amsterdam to contract research institute ERCAT of the University of Ghent to investigate this in more detail.

By: Guy Oldenkotte

Despite the thousands of third-generation synthetic turf fields that have been installed around the world, there is still no consensus about what corrective action should be taken to keep infill loose and evenly spread over the field. Most maintenance manuals include the brushing of a field, but many municipalities with a significant number of these fields have opted to rake fields. “I regularly get students, who actually do it dutifully but don’t know what they’re doing and why they’re doing it,” says Gerrit de Koe of Amsterdam Municipality, referring to brushing. De Koe has followed the developments in the synthetic turf market from the very beginning and now offers courses to bring new people in the industry up to speed. “That is why I will ask them to work two or three lengths of a field in a specific way and judge the difference afterwards. Raking a compacted field once is often not enough. Especially with a 60 mm pile-height, you’ll have to do it twice or even three times to make a difference. However, once finished, the field will feel like it was installed yesterday.”

John van Gennip of installing company J&E Sports shares the experience but favours brushing. “I always put a lot of effort into brushing and I always emphasise that the person who will perform the maintenance should really focus on what is happening on the ground instead of looking up into the air.” Nevertheless, van Gennip is often asked to send out his crew again to do the maintenance. “It looks like a simple and undemanding task but there are a lot of details one has to pay attention to. Failing to do so will result in problems only getting worse.” Wijnand Hendriks of Henko Adhesives & Tools shares that opinion. “You have to become one with the field so that you understand all its characteristics,” says the man who could fill an entire afternoon just talking about the choice of brushes.

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