All major sports played on grass depend upon boundary and other lines for their games. Marking a lawn with lines requires knowledge of the proper dimensions of the field and careful preparation of the area you wish to paint. Lay out a lawn for striping in a morning, and with the help of the sun, be ready for a game later that afternoon or evening.
Step 1
Prepare the lawn for striping. Your lawn must be dry so the paint can adhere to it. Use a leaf blower on a damp lawn to blow off excess water droplets. Mow the lawn slightly lower than usual so that when you paint, you will add color to the soil beneath the grass. This extends the longevity of your lines.
Step 2
Use a measuring tape to measure your lines according to your sport's requirements. Mark the beginnings and ends of lines by inserting a straight object such as a wooden stake, golf tee or pencil in the grass as a marker. Tie yarn or string between the markers, making sure the string is taut enough that it doesn't sag out of position.
Step 3
Rent or buy an airless stripe sprayer for the paint application. This is a push machine on wheels that uses pressure to spray paint through the bottom of the machine in a narrow or wide line depending on how you angle the spray nozzle. Use only turf, latex and synthetic turf paint in the machine. Regular paint that is not formulated for use on grass may kill it.
Step 4
Push the sprayer alongside your strings to lay down a light line of paint. The intensity of your line can be controlled by adjusting the pressure control on the sprayer's nozzle. Lower pressure creates a lighter line than high pressure. Allow the paint line to dry. Apply a second coat if you want deeper, longer-lasting color or if you're laying lines for a sport in which heavy traffic may disturb the lines.
Step 5
Remove the stakes and all string from the lawn after the paint has dried. Depending on the condition of your lawn and the weather, this can take anywhere from one hour to several hours.
Tips and Warnings
- Aerosol paint may be used as a last resort, but it can be expensive and may damage your lawn. Check the website for your sport's organization for the official dimensions of your field.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Small stakes, pencils or golf tees
- Yarn or string
- Airless sprayer
- Turf paint
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