Pitch Marking Glossary | Terms & Definitions
A reference guide to pitch marking terminology — covering paints, nozzles, machines and application methods. Useful for anyone new to pitch marking or looking to understand product specifications.
A
Atomising nozzle — A nozzle that breaks liquid paint into an ultra-fine mist, allowing very small volumes of paint to cover a large area. Used with Ecoline+ on Pitchmark Eco spray markers. Produces the finest, most professional lines available.
B
Bag-in-box — A packaging format used for Edge paint where a sealed bag of paint sits inside a cardboard box. Reduces packaging waste compared to rigid plastic containers.
Biodegradable — All Pitchmark paints are water-based and biodegradable, meaning they break down naturally without harming the soil or grass.
C
Concentrate paint — A paint that must be diluted with water before use. Pitchmark concentrates include Elements 4:1, Clubline, Lumen and Extreme. The dilution ratio determines how many pitches can be marked per container.
Coverage — How many pitches a 10L container of paint can mark. Ranges from 3 pitches (ready-to-use) to 6 pitches (Extreme, Ecoline+).
D
Dilution ratio — The proportion of paint to water when mixing a concentrate. For example, Clubline White mixes at 2.5L paint to 4L water per pitch. A higher dilution (more water) produces fewer pitches per container and lighter lines.
F
Flat fan nozzle — A nozzle that produces a flat, fan-shaped spray pattern ideal for marking straight lines. Used with concentrate paints on spray line markers. Available in Green (F110-015, standard flow) and Yellow (F110-020, higher flow for Extreme).
F110-015 — Green flat fan nozzle, standard flow. Recommended for Clubline, Lumen, Clubline Blue and Elements 4:1.
F110-020 — Yellow flat fan nozzle, higher flow rate. Recommended for Extreme White due to its higher concentration.
H
Hollow cone nozzle — A nozzle that produces a hollow cone-shaped spray pattern. Used with ready-to-use paints like Edge on spray and robotic line markers. Not compatible with concentrate paints.
HDPE container — High-density polyethylene container. The packaging used for Ecoline+ — robust, recyclable and suitable for liquid storage.
L
Line covering paint — A green paint used to cover existing white pitch lines when switching sports or correcting marking mistakes. See Line-Out.
Low volume paint — A paint that uses very little volume per pitch due to efficient application technology. Ecoline+ uses just 1.5L per full-size pitch via atomising technology.
M
Misting nozzle — See atomising nozzle. Used with Ecoline+ on Pitchmark Eco markers.
P
Pedestrian spray marker — A manually operated spray line marking machine pushed by a groundsperson. Pitchmark makes three models: Eco Lite, Fusion and Hybrid.
Pitch marking paint — White (or coloured) paint applied to natural grass to mark out the lines of a sports pitch. All Pitchmark paints are water-based and biodegradable.
R
Ready-to-use (RTU) paint — A paint that requires no mixing with water. Used directly from the container. Pitchmark RTU paints include Direct, Edge and Ecoline+.
Robotic line marker — An autonomous GPS-guided machine that marks pitch lines without manual operation. Examples include Turf Tank, Tiny Robot and FJ Dynamics. Requires Edge paint from Pitchmark.
S
SSG (Small-Sided Games) — Smaller format football games played on reduced-size pitches within or alongside full-size pitches. FAI SSG guidelines recommend blue lines to distinguish SSG markings from the main white pitch lines.
Stainless steel nozzle — A durable nozzle designed for use with ready-to-use paints (Edge, Direct, Ecoline+). More resistant to wear than plastic nozzles. Not compatible with standard concentrate paints.
Sports changeover — Switching a pitch from one sport to another by covering existing white lines with green Line-Out paint and marking new lines for the next sport.
T
TiO₂ (Titanium Dioxide) — The key pigment in white pitch marking paint that provides brightness and opacity. A higher TiO₂ content produces brighter, more visible lines. Extreme White and Ecoline+ contain a high percentage of TiO₂.
Transfer wheel machine — A traditional line marking machine that applies paint via a roller wheel that transfers paint from a tank onto the grass. Compatible with all Pitchmark concentrate paints and Direct. Does not use nozzles.
Turf Tank — A popular robotic GPS line marking machine. Requires Edge paint for use with Pitchmark products.
W
Water-based paint — Paint that uses water as its primary carrier liquid, as opposed to solvent-based paint. All Pitchmark paints are water-based — safe for grass, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Weather-resistant — A property of pitch marking paint that allows lines to remain visible after rain or heavy dew. All Pitchmark concentrate paints are weather-resistant.