Artificial grass & synthetic sports surface maintenance
Brush it regularly. Sweep it before contamination becomes a renovation job.
Kersten equipment covers routine grooming, infill redistribution, pile lifting, debris collection, de-compaction and remedial moss removal on sand-filled, rubber-crumb, water-based and unfilled synthetic sports surfaces.
Different systems, same maintenance principles
Water-based, rubber crumb and sand-filled surfaces all need planned maintenance.
The amount of infill and the playing characteristics vary, but the recurring problems are familiar: contamination, flattened pile, displaced or compacted infill, reduced drainage and eventually moss or algae. Always follow the surface manufacturer's maintenance instructions and set brush pressure to suit the actual system.
Hockey & specialist surfaces
Keep organic contamination out, keep the pile open and maintain drainage. Light regular sweeping and brushing prevents debris becoming embedded.
Sand-filled surfaces
Regular brushing redistributes displaced sand and stands the pile up; powered sweeping helps loosen compaction and remove organic contamination.
Sand + rubber crumb
High-use areas can move and compact infill quickly. Wide-area brushing evens the profile; targeted sweeping helps keep the infill loose and free-draining.
Long-pile unfilled systems
There may be little or no loose infill to redistribute, but pile presentation, organic-debris removal and drainage protection still matter.
Choose by the condition of the surface
What does the pitch need today?
Routine care should be light and frequent. More aggressive equipment is there for specific remedial work — not as the default treatment on every visit.
Redistribute infill and stand the pile up
The 2.5 m KRB folding brush is the fast routine-maintenance tool: smooth player-created ridges and hollows, move infill back into high-wear areas and present the pile more evenly.
Explore wide-area brushes →Work top dressing and infill more positively
The powered KRPB reciprocating brush oscillates rather than simply dragging. Use it when you want more active distribution of loose material, top dressing and surface presentation.
Explore reciprocating brushes →
Remove detritus and de-compact high-traffic areas
Powered sweepers remove leaves, soil and organic debris before it decomposes into the surface. Correctly adjusted, they can also loosen compacted infill, lift pile and help restore drainage.
Explore sweepers →
Reclaim a surface thick with moss
A neglected synthetic surface is not automatically beyond recovery. A correctly set Kersten sweeper — including De-Moss options where appropriate — can remove established moss, mud and detritus over a series of controlled passes.
See the remedial process →Choose the actual equipment
Artificial-surface machines, broken down by carrier and job.
If you already know the maintenance job, this is the quickest route to the product. Images are hard-coded from the actual product pages; prices are checked live when the page loads.
KRB 250 wide-area folding brushes
All three use the same 2.5 m grooming principle; the difference is the attachment interface and carrier family.
KRB 250 KU 35
2.5 m folding brush for K820, K820 Pro and K1500. The natural choice for regular pitch grooming where access through a single gate still matters.
KRB 250 KU 70
The same 2.5 m folding grooming head matched to the larger K2100 hydraulic two-wheel tractor for higher-output pitch maintenance.
KRB 250 M-U 70
UBS-mounted 2.5 m folding brush for Hydro 9, Hydro 13 and Hydro 16 machines, keeping the same pitch-grooming geometry on a mechanical-PTO carrier platform.
KRPB reciprocating brush
For top dressing and more active material movement where a static groomer is not enough.
KRPB 1140
114 cm powered reciprocating brush for the K2100. The back-and-forth action actively works loose material through the surface and is particularly useful when applying or redistributing top dressing.
More active than a drag brush
Choose the KRPB when the job is not merely presentation. Its powered reciprocating movement is useful for working top dressing, breaking up localised material movement and producing a more deliberate grooming pass.
EFKM sweepers for two-wheel tractors
Fine brush-height control makes the pedestrian sweepers particularly useful on smaller pitches, tennis courts, cricket surfaces and targeted remedial work.
EFKM 09032 H-K 35
90 cm hydraulic sweeper with 32 cm five-row poly combi brush. A compact preventative-maintenance choice with optional collector, sports-separation collector and gully brush.
EFKM 10037 H-KU 70
100 cm sweeper with the larger 37 cm roller for the K2100. Useful where you want more capacity and a larger brush while retaining pedestrian control around gates and pitch edges.
EFKM 90 DE-MOSS
90 cm specialist sweeper with a more aggressive nylon brush for established moss and difficult contamination. Use it as a controlled remedial tool rather than the default routine brush.
HKM 40 rear-mounted PTO sweepers
A straightforward Cat. 1 rear-linkage route for compact tractors, especially useful on larger facilities where the tractor already exists in the fleet.
HKM 12540 M
125 cm rear-mounted sweeper with 40 cm five-row combi brush, Cat. 1 mounting and 540 rpm PTO drive. Collector box and gully-brush options make it useful for both routine pitch care and heavier clean-up.
HKM 15040 M
The 150 cm version for higher output on larger pitches and multi-surface sites, retaining the compact 40 cm brush and Cat. 1 rear-mounted format.
The core equipment
Three complementary tools — not three competing answers.
The best maintenance programme normally combines brushing and sweeping. The brush manages profile and infill; the sweeper manages contamination and compaction; the reciprocating brush adds a more active material-working option.
KRB wide-area brushes
2.5 m folding brushes for quick routine grooming, infill redistribution, smoothing and pile presentation. Fold the wings for access through narrower gates.
Wide-area brush range →KRPB reciprocating brush
Powered back-and-forth action for top dressing, excess-material distribution and more intensive grooming where a simple drag pass is not enough.
Reciprocating brush range →
Powered sweepers
Pedestrian, ride-on and tractor-mounted sweepers for debris removal, high-traffic de-compaction, moss removal and remedial restoration. Collector options can remove larger contamination from the surface.
Sweeper range →Preventative maintenance
A simple regular regime costs less than letting organic material become part of the pitch.
Frequency should follow usage, site conditions and the surface manufacturer's guidance. A heavily used 3G pitch may need attention far more often than a lightly used sand-filled tennis court.
Keep access routes clean
Reduce soil, grit and organic matter being walked onto the playing surface in the first place.
Brush before infill migrates badly
Work goal mouths, baselines, corners and other high-traffic zones back into an even profile.
Sweep out organic debris
Leaves, dust and detritus retain moisture and eventually create the conditions for moss and algae.
Watch drainage and pile condition
Compaction, slow drying and persistent dampness are signs that the surface needs more than a cosmetic pass.
When maintenance has been missed
A moss-bound artificial surface can often be reclaimed mechanically.
Kersten case studies show heavily contaminated tennis courts, hockey surfaces and cricket wickets being brought back with controlled sweeping and collection. Several passes may be needed, and removed infill may need replacing afterwards.
Typical restoration sequence
Use a powered sweeper over the complete surface, often from more than one direction, to remove moss, mud and loose organic material.
A De-Moss or suitably specified sweeper can work more deeply into contaminated pile and loosen material a light maintenance brush leaves behind.
Sweep and collect the remaining material, including along fences and edges where contamination tends to accumulate.
Brush the pitch, inspect infill levels and top up sand or rubber crumb where the cleaning process has removed material.
Kersten has used a weedbrush carefully on severely embedded moss and mud, but it is aggressive and can damage the surface if set too low or used too heavily. Check the carpet construction and installer guidance before considering it.
Match the machine to the site
From a fenced tennis court to a full-size sports complex.
The maintenance principle stays the same; the carrier changes with gate access, area, operator time and the other jobs the machine needs to perform.
Pedestrian equipment
Excellent for tennis, cricket, 5-a-side, school sites and restricted gate access. Fine control also suits targeted remedial work.
Explore pedestrian carriers →
Ride-on mounted
Turn an existing mower or amenity carrier into a front-sweeping platform where the site already has a suitable machine.
Find mounted sweepers →
Compact tractor systems
Higher output for larger facilities, contractors and multi-pitch sites, with front or rear mounted sweeping options and collector configurations.
Front linkage & PTO systems →Kersten artificial-surface guidance & case studies
See the maintenance principles working on real surfaces.
These articles cover preventative maintenance as well as neglected pitches where moss, mud and organic contamination have already become established.
Artificial Grass Maintenance
Why detritus, infill migration and compaction matter — and how brushing and sweeping form a preventative regime.
Read the article →Maintaining synthetic sports surfaces with Kersten sweepers
How routine debris removal protects drainage, playability and the investment in the surface.
Read the article →
Moss on an artificial hockey pitch
A K1500 sweeper and collector used to clear contamination and show the value of regular sweeping.
Read the case study →
How to renovate an artificial cricket wicket
A badly neglected, moss-bound practice wicket restored with sweeping, careful remedial working and collection.
Read the case study →How to remove moss from a tennis court
See the De-Moss 90 and K2100 tackle an ingrained artificial court suffering from poor drainage and moss.
Read the case study →Artificial Sports Turf Pitch Care
Guidance covering 2G, 3G and unfilled systems, brushing frequency, infill migration and powered sweeping.
Read the pitch-care guide →Artificial surface FAQs
Questions we are commonly asked.
Can the same equipment maintain sand-filled and rubber-crumb surfaces?
Yes, but the setup and intensity should suit the surface. Static and reciprocating brushes can redistribute loose infill, while a correctly adjusted sweeper can loosen compacted areas and remove contamination. Follow the surface manufacturer's guidance for brush pressure and maintenance frequency.
Can Kersten equipment be used on water-based hockey surfaces?
Yes, these low/no-infill systems still need regular removal of organic debris and pile maintenance. Because there is less loose infill to manage, the objective is more about cleanliness, pile condition and drainage than redistributing rubber or sand.
Will a sweeper remove moss from a badly neglected artificial pitch?
Often, yes. Kersten has documented heavily mossed tennis, hockey and cricket surfaces being restored with powered sweepers and De-Moss brushes. Expect controlled repeat passes rather than one aggressive pass, and inspect the surface as you work.
Why not just use the wide brush for everything?
A wide static brush is ideal for frequent redistribution and pile presentation, but it does not collect organic contamination or provide the same powered de-compaction as a sweeper. The tools solve different maintenance problems.
Can a collector remove debris without throwing all the infill away?
Kersten offers collector solutions intended for artificial surfaces, including separation/filter approaches that allow smaller infill material to pass while larger debris is retained. Always match the collector to the sweeper and surface.
How often should an artificial pitch be brushed?
There is no single interval. Usage, infill type, nearby vegetation, weather and surface design all matter. A very heavily used 3G pitch can need attention every few days, while a lightly used sand-filled court may need only periodic brushing. The condition of the surface should drive the schedule.
Not sure which maintenance route fits your pitch?
Tell us the surface type, size, access and current condition.
Whether you are planning a preventative regime or trying to recover a moss-bound surface, we can help match the brush, sweeper, carrier and collector to the job.