| With an increasing awareness of the importance of | | | | they allow athletes to slide without getting "carpet |
| water conservation, many people are looking for | | | | burns", and yet still provide the required traction |
| alternatives to natural grass. Water restrictions, upkeep, | | | | underfoot. Often the new synthetic grasses have a |
| and difficulties in growing natural lawn are just some of | | | | thin layer of rubber granules or sand trapped within the |
| the reasons why there is a growing demand for a | | | | base of the fibres to provide a cushioning effect. For |
| synthetic surface that can replace natural grass. | | | | maximum comfort artificial grass can be installed over |
| Synthetic has most of the benefits of natural grass, | | | | an impact-absorbing, rubber soft fall base similar to that |
| yet without any of the mowing, watering, or | | | | used for Olympic running tracks and as under |
| maintenance is proving to be the perfect answer to | | | | surfacing around play equipment. |
| difficult areas in a garden or sports area. | | | | The new synthetic lawn is also being installed at home |
| Synthetic grass, also called astroturf, artificial grass, or | | | | particularly in areas where home owners simply do not |
| fake grass, or soft fall has come a long way from the | | | | have the time or resources to do all that is required to |
| plastic looking grass seen on 1970s TV shows. | | | | achieve a lush natural lawn. In a garden setting, |
| Nowadays synthetic grass is serious business and the | | | | synthetic lawn can be perforated to let rain through |
| new synthetic grasses really do look and feel like real. | | | | and to reduce the impact on nearby trees and plants. It |
| Sure it does not look exactly the same, but it looks real | | | | also has the advantage of being able to taken up and |
| enough to make it very difficult to tell the difference | | | | re-installed in a different area. |
| without closer examination. | | | | Artificial grass can be installed directly over a number |
| Traditionally the main type of outdoor artificial has been | | | | of bases depending on application. These include dirt, |
| a short pile, carpet-like product that requires a sand infill | | | | compacted road base, wetpour rubber, or concrete. It |
| to make it durable. This is often seen on tennis courts | | | | can be fixed in place by nailing it to a surrounding |
| or in playgrounds at kindergartens. Whilst the short pile | | | | timber border, or by pegging it to the ground. Often the |
| grass remains popular for its durability and value for | | | | weight of sand and rubber infill may be enough to hold |
| money, the new long pile grass is in demand for its | | | | it securely in place. |
| grass like characteristics and close resemblance to | | | | Good quality synthetic grass is expensive and that |
| real lawn. It can be up to 40mm (almost 2 inches) in | | | | remains a hindrance to its growth. Yet in many |
| height and is made from polyethylene fibres which are | | | | instances the expense is outweighed by the |
| woven into a rubber backing, to produce a very strong | | | | advantages. There is no doubt that the demand for |
| and durable product. | | | | synthetic grass will continue to grow. |
| An increasing number of synthetic grasses have even | | | | Next time you walk past a lush green lawn that |
| been approved by FIFA for use in the surfacing of | | | | appears to be too good to be real, take a second look. |
| football fields. Since the long pile grasses are softer | | | | It may well be that its not. |