How Synthetic Grass An Increasingly Popular Alternative For The Yard

As severe drought in Australia has turned many lush, green gardens and grounds into lifeless patches of brown dust, more and more Australian homeowners are turning to artificial grass as a possible solution. Likewise, an increasing number of home, landscape and sports and commercial facility builders are actively researching and promoting synthetic surfaces, driving up demand for artificial grass in Australia. significantly.

Installing synthetic grass has many advantages over natural grass, here are some:

Advantages of synthetic grass over natural grass

Irrigation

most of the country, grass conservation is now at a critical point, and many homeowners find that they are simply not allowed to water their lawns. While rainwater tanks can certainly alleviate the problem in the short term, they only really work if there's enough rainfall to fill them up. Gray water systems can also solve part of the problem, but the reality is that the chemicals and soaps in gray water collected by some of these systems, if not handled properly, can damage a lawn. Finally, for commercial applications including soccer fields, golf courses, retirement communities, housing developments and sports facilities, the cost and effort of transporting water via pipelines or trucks can be very expensive (and, as we saw in the newsletter, it is possible to infuriate the townspeople by using this precious resource for unimportant purposes). On the other hand,

Synthetic grass does not need watering, helping Australians save water. Synthetic grass stays green, lush and soft regardless of changes in weather, temperature or other environmental conditions, making it an affordable and viable alternative for home applications. and professional.

Maintenance

Australia's hot, dry climate makes natural grass very difficult (and expensive) to maintain. Homeowners, councils and property management companies spend large sums of money on water, fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, mowing and general labor to keep their natural grass in good condition. .

Synthetic grass, however, does not require any of these expensive items. Synthetic lawn maintenance is as simple as raking the leaves as needed and covering them with sand or rubber from time to time. Additionally, many artificial turf manufacturers will apply a special UV coating to protect the lawn from the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays, ensuring that the synthetic grass won't discolor or weaken with age. .

Environment

As mentioned above, maintaining a natural lawn requires the regular use of fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides. Besides the potential hazard of coming into contact with children, pets and native animals in the vicinity, these products are always moving through soil, groundwater and eventually into lakes, streams or even oceans. positive.
It can have significant long-term effects on plants, animals, the air we breathe and the food we eat. On the other hand,

Synthetic Grass requires no chemicals or pesticides for maintenance and provides a safe and healthy environment for families and the public.

Safety

Natural lawns and sports fields are rarely perfectly flat. With regular use, turf will develop dents, mounds, bumps, holes and other inconsistencies that can cause tripping, ankle sprains or other serious injuries.

However, properly installed synthetic turf is usually applied on flat ground (usually dug and raked), with one or two compacted substrates and a base and foam padding. The lawn is then filled with a mixture of rolled sand or crushed rubber, then raked or brushed to ensure an even, flat, and soft surface. When done properly, artificial grass or sports fields are much safer than natural grass, which is why more and more major sports organizations and schools in the United States and in Australia are replacing their natural turf and grass surfaces with synthetic surfaces.

Appearance

Technology has dramatically improved artificial turf over the past decade. Gone are the days of neon green Astroturf rugs or knee-burning vinyl rugs. Today, synthetic turf comes in a wide variety of fibers, colors and weaves, and is manufactured to accurately replicate the look and feel of natural rye grass, Bermuda, bluegrass, centipedes or barely any natural grass is available. The new generation artificial grass is also incredibly soft to the touch, a welcome addition for children and pets.

Cost

It is often assumed that natural grass is much cheaper than synthetic grass - because grass seeds or grafted grass are relatively inexpensive. So, at $50 to $100 per square meter (installed), the initial large investment to buy and install artificial grass can seem expensive.
But in reality, the long-term cost is actually lower than natural grass. When you factor in the cost of grass seed, water, fertilizer, lawn fertilizer and pesticides over 5-10 years, and the labor and time involved in mowing, trimming, aerating, backfilling, Covering and maintaining a natural lawn, you will clearly see that a synthetic lawn can pay for itself for several years, depending on the area and the cost quoted.

However, for the average homeowner, the most common benefit of owning a synthetic turf field is "time". Less time on lawn maintenance means more time enjoying it. More time to play cricket with the kids. More time for football in the yard. Or simply "more time in the garden".