Myth Busting: Common Myths About Artificial Turf and Why They’re Wrong

Dallas is no stranger to wildly varying temperatures throughout the course of the year. With maximum average daily highs of 95°F and minimum average daily lows of 34°F, Dallas business owners and commercial property management often find it difficult to keep grass on their property looking lush and healthy. If you are experiencing this problem often, you may be interested in making the switch from natural grass to artificial turf.

You may have heard stories about how artificial turf has been a fantastic choice for many commercial properties around Dallas. However, you may have also heard several myths surround artificial turf and why you should avoid it. The truth is that artificial turf has undergone many changes thanks to technological advances in the industry. As such, many of the myths you’ve heard are grossly outdated and irrelevant.

Of course, saying that a myth is wrong might not be enough to convince some people to make the switch. With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the most prevalent myths surrounding artificial turf and why they’re wrong:

It Doesn’t Look Real

In its earliest form, artificial turf (back when it was used in the Houston Astrodome) would never be able to convince anyone that it was real grass. Keep in mind, however, that the artificial turf known as “AstroTurf” was one of the earliest products available. Things have changed in a hurry since then.

Today, synthetic grass boasts vivid colors, shapes, and textures that make it nearly impossible to differentiate from natural grass. In fact, many people mistake artificial turf for the real thing often enough to make it a fine investment for your commercial property.

It’s Isn’t an Eco-Friendly Option

Just because artificial turf is made of synthetic materials, some people begin to claim that the product isn’t an eco-friendly choice. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Many artificial turf products were made from recycled plastics. As you can imagine, this has helped prevent a significant amount of plastic from being sent to our landfills.

Additionally, old artificial grass products can easily be recycled to create brand new artificial turf for a different application. This cuts the need to manufacture extra plastic, which can be a harmful process in itself. Artificial turf also does not attract garden pests, so you should be able to cut down on the use of harmful pesticides that may contaminate ground water or city water lines.

It’s Too Fragile for Frequent Use

Many of the commercial applications for artificial turf involve people stepping on the synthetic blades of grass. If you think about that for a second, it wouldn’t make much sense to install artificial turf if it couldn’t withstand the weight of dozens of people and pets.

Thanks to a much-improved manufacturing process, artificial turf has become an incredibly durable product. Although you may need to straighten out the synthetic grass every few months with a special comb, artificial turf can easily spring back to its original shape even under heavy loads. This makes it a perfect choice for playgrounds, golf courses, and other commercial applications.

It Still Requires a Lot of Maintenance

Yes, artificial turf still requires maintenance—but not as much maintenance as you might expect. Maintaining artificial turf is definitely still much easier than maintaining natural grass since you need not mow or add mulch to artificial turf.

Watering artificial turf is solely done to wash away organic debris, which helps you save a few thousand dollars on your water bill. This also frees up your maintenance staff to work on and accomplish other important tasks that require their attention.

Sources:

7 Ways To Maintain Your Artificial Lawn, SyntheticTurfCouncil.org
Artificial Grass Versus a Live Lawn, Gardenista.com