Line Markers

Transfer wheel and belt driven line markers

Transfer wheel line markers (sometimes known as wheel to wheel) and belt-driven line markers contain a reservoir of paint through which either a wheel or belt rotates.

This then transfers the paint either directly on to the turf as is the case with belt-driven machines or onto a second and ultimately third wheel as pictured below which "transfers" the paint onto the grass plant.  

Pros

• Fairly bomb proof not much to go wrong

• Highly accurate

Cons

• Only coat one side of the grass leaf meaning that often lines need to be double marked

• Paint will not transfer effectively if the line is worn or if the grass is wet at the time of application

• Not the most economical of machines where paint usage is concerned

• You will need another set of marking wheels or even a dedicated machine if you want to mark at different widths or cater for multiple sports

Spray line markers 

Spray line markers provide an effective, economical solution to obtaining bright, long lasting lines.

They come in all shapes and sizes but all generally have guide paddles or discs at either a fixed or adjustable spacing to direct the paint to provide a line at a given width.

There are lots of different spray nozzles across the models available claiming to provide various benefits but the clear plus is only needing to mark in one direction due to the direct application of the paint to the given surface.

Pros

• Adjustable paddles and discs mean that line width can vary to suit the width of the goal posts in use and offers flexibility for use across other sports too

• Most spray line markers have recommended paints that can be used with them, ready mix paints have the benefit of not needing to be diluted with water resulting in less mess and more consistent lines

• Some high pressure markers utilise technology that can use a lot less paint to mark a full size pitch as little as 2 litres per pitch

• Nozzles can be swapped to vary the amount of paint applied for instance a nozzle applying more paint might be desirable for an initial mark from scratch versus an overmark

• As the marker is spraying the paint directly onto the surface they will mark bare or worn lines effectively and do a decent job even if the grass is wet on application

Cons

• There is more to go wrong than a wheel transfer or belt driven marker, with nozzles, lines and pumps susceptible to blockage aswell as batteries that can be subject to the usual failures or forgetting to charge after use as common examples

• Most of the above can be avoided through a post use routine that includes flushing the machine through with water or a purpose made cleaning fluid and removing and cleaning nozzles immediately after use. Batteries should be stored and charged strictly in accordance with the manufacturers instructions

• Spray line markers and dedicated ready mix paints are typically more expensive than the alternatives

Also note that:

Other forms of line marking equipment such as laser guided with reflectors or GPS guided machines are available to use if you have a higher budget and numerous pitches that make stringing out unsustainable or you may come across them if you have contractors or local authorities mark out your pitches.