Synthetic Turf Woes and How to Avoid them

Synthetic turf is nothing short of a blessing for those millions of home owners who are tired of replacing their lawn grass every fortnight. Artificial turf, however, comes with a set of its own problems. The encouraging fact is that you can easily avoid the pitfalls by sticking to installation instructions as laid out in the user manual. The lines below will give you an idea on how to proceed with this matter.

Watering
Synthetic turf is made of artificial fibers that emulate the properties of natural grass. The fibers are made of nylon and other synthetic materials that are woven in such a manner that they resemble natural grass. Synthetic turf, while an excellent alternative to natural grass, does come with some problems of its own. Being an artificial turf, the fibers may disintegrate if you do not hose them down.

This problem usually appears immediately after the installation. People think that fake grass does not need any watering or care and leave it as it is. This leads to drying of the fibers with some disintegration as hosing down is required to keep the grass in place.

Drainage Space
Another problem associated with synthetic turf is that you need to provide ample drainage space. The space is required to drain out the water as otherwise it tends to stick to the fake turf and cause disintegration. You may also feel a stinky smell if the water has not been drained properly. Most artificial turf varieties come with a complete installation package that has drainage pipes and outlets. You need to first install this pipe work before starting the installation of fake grass.

Gravel
Synthetic grass often needs a layer of gravel to be present at the bottom. This layer is necessary so as to provide a smooth platform for the fake grass to take hold. Gravel absorbs water and keeps the synthetic turf in place. People often refrain from adding the prescribed level of gravel and then complain about raised surfaces in the lawn. The raised surfaces appear as a result of insufficient amount of gravel. If left untreated, this creates a very bad impression and may also result in deterioration of the healthy areas.

Solution
There is a simple solution for all problems associated with synthetic turf. Artificial turf needs to be installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions. That is the only thing you need to be careful about. Another important thing to remember is to water the artificial lawn at least once a week. This will vary though depending on the type of fake grass installed in your lawn. You will need to hose down the lawn frequently after the installation and you can later increase this period.

Artificial turf will not wilt in the same way as its natural counterpart. With little care, you can ensure that the fake lawn will stay green and healthy for many months and years. This goes a long way in enhancing the visual profile of your home lawn or office garden.