Artificial grass, also known a synthetic grass and artificial turf, is a man-made product designed to look like real grass. It was originally created in the 1960s by David Chaney. It was first noticed by the American public in 1965 when Astroturf, one of the first brand names of artificial grass, was put down in the new Astrodome in Texas.
Astroturf as well as other brands of artificial grass became widely used in the 1970s in indoor and outdoor areas, chiefly for use in football. The benefits of having artificial grass put down for use in outdoor football stadiums quickly made it a popular choice as the need to work so hard to maintain the look of the grass was all but gone. For stadiums where the field was used for other things besides football, using synthetic grass kept the field looking nice all year round with little need for any kind of maintenance.
Artificial grass use began spreading to places like England and Europe in the 1980. But the football clubs that installed the artificial grass, within a short period of time, removed it and went back to real grass because of the way the ball bounced off the surface and how easily it was for the players to fall and become injured. By 1988, England banned the use of the grass. In the 1990s, American clubs began replacing artificial grass with real grass again, too. However, with substantial design, manufacturing, and installation improvements the latest generation of artificial grasses has led to a reemergence of the artificial grass industry! In fact third generation artificial grasses, when properly installed and infilled, provide BETTER fall test ratings than natural grass and are in fact less likely to produce head, neck, and joint impact injuries – to say nothing of the fact they look very much like natural grass!
Early turf was made from different materials than it is today and was a much harder playing surface than today’s artificial grass. Fans on the whole disapproved of artificial grass, and players tended to have more joint injuries than when playing on the much softer real grass fields.
Today’s artificial grass is fairly difficult to distinguish from natural grass, unlike the decidedly fake appearance of early synthetic turf, and is widely considered safe to play on.
Today’s artificial grass is typically “infilled” with sand and rubber grains to give it the ability to absorb shocks more like a real dirt and grass surface. This infill also holds the blades of grass upright. Some versions are made on a base of a foamy material with fibers shaped like springs that keep the very short blades of grass upright. This type usually has rubber granules used as infill without sand.
For the last 15 years or so, artificial grass has become popular in commercial and residential applications rather than being limited to sports’ stadiums. For draught-ridden areas, businesses and homes using artificial grass don’t need to worry about water rationing as there’s no need to water the surface. Aside from occasional disinfecting, artificial grass is a worry-free solution to having a beautiful yard or commercial plot all year round.
Panjia, Inc. installs artificial grass simply because we believe in the value proposition associated with artificial grass. Panjia is a professional landscape company, and has installed its share of natural grass…. while we still like natural grass, the benefits that come along with an artificial grass installation outweigh any other turf available.
The most common reason artificial grass is chosen for residential lawns, sportting fields, putting greens and playgrounds are the maintenance requirements involved. Compared to natural sod, there is virtually zero maintenance. Watering, mowing, fertilizing, aerating, seeding and weed pulling will never have to be done again. The useable life expectancy of most artificial grass products is 20 to 25 years, during that period you will never have to pay for, or perform, those maintenance hassles again, saving you time and money.
Initially, when you purchase an artificial grass installation you can expect to pay approximately three times the amount of what a natural grass installation with irrigation would cost. While the initial sticker shock might make you think twice about installing artificial grass, you must consider the long term costs. An average artificial grass installation will repay itself in about three years. After that period, you will be keeping the money normally spent on maintaining your grass in your pocket. In fact, a recent cost analysis of a 1,000 square foot lawn area shows that over a 12 year period a home owner would save $19,440 in maintenance and watering costs. This analysis assumes the use of a gardener, periodic fertilizing, and anticipated sprinkler repairs. The estimated savings of $19,440 is a large number and is well worth the initial investment.
Other reasons Panjia believes in artificial grass is because it is good for the environment. California is in a water crisis, with no real signs of relief. Water reservoirs are at just 65% of average volume, precipitation is still well below what is considered a decent amount, snow pack is minimal and diversion restrictions to preserve the Delta Smelt fish are reducing the water distribution through the Delta west of San Joaquin by 20 to 30%.
Our water crisis has triggered unprecedented watering restrictions, contributed to rate hikes in most counties, and has prompted discussion of water rationing. Now is the time to conserve water and installing an artificial grass will do just that. (Source: Dember 2009 California Dought Report)
Most water authorities are offering rebates for installing water efficient landscapes. This includes artificial grass. Every authority is different; however, we have seen rebates up of to $1.00 a square foot, which is a savings of over 10% of the average installed price. Rebates, combined with long term savings, zero maintenance, and a realistic looking and feeling lawn are solid reasons to choose artificial grass for your lawn.