When it comes to installing artificial grass, few report its drawbacks. The main ones are described below.
1. Cost
Artificial grass – synthetic lawns are expensive to install, regardless of how good a deal you get. Costs to consider include:
- Grass removal.
- Ground preparation.
- Buying the artificial grass and
- Labour costs of installing it.
Consider how willing you are to risk this investment by thinking about the following questions:
- How long will these products last?
- What will happen to the chemicals in this product if the components begin to break down in my landscape?
- How much hotter will my landscape get?
- Will it make my house hotter in the summer and increase my energy bills?
- How will the summer temperatures affect any plant materials that are nearby
2. It’s not environmentally friendly
Many of us are drawn to artificial turf because we care about the environment,
- We want to save water.
- We want to save time.
- We’re tired of the grueling tasks of mowing and weeding, as well as applying fertilizers and pesticides when they’re needed.
However, if your priority is caring for the environment, artificial turf is not going to be the best option. It’s made of plastic and difficult to recycle and reuse. In fact, while manufacturers promise recyclability,
- It is likely to end up in a landfill.
- When components break down, it’s possible for the chemicals or plastic materials to escape into the rest of the environment.
- Time and heat break artificial turf into micro-plastics and flies away.
- Instead of increasing the life of your soil, it compacts soil and creates an inhabitable environment for the living organisms in your soil, rendering it unable to grow plant materials until that soil has been brought back to life.
3. It doesn’t sweat plants don’t actually sweat – they transpire
Artificial turf does neither. This is a big deal if you’re expecting the turf to not just look the part but also act the part of passively cooling the environment. Plants have pores on their leaves that take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen (air we breathe) and water molecules. These water molecules almost immediately evaporate, cooling the environment. This cooling effect is not just great for us humans and our energy bills; it’s also appreciated by other plants. The more plants you have, the cooler the environment. Unfortunately, artificial grass can’t provide that powerful cooling effect.
4. Seriously it’s not a plant
See, it really comes down to why we grow plants in the urban environment. Plant materials provide so much more than just aesthetic value.
- They help improve water and air quality.
- Reduce temperatures.
- Reduce storm water runoff.
- Provide habitats for animals, insects, bees, and birds.
With our increasingly built urban environment, less and less of our land is porous, allowing rainwater (and, sadly, irrigation runoff) to infiltrate into our soil, which acts as a natural filter. This means our landscapes need to act more like sponges, allowing water to move slowly over the soil and spread its benefits. Contouring the landscape helps water sink into the soil and adding plant materials and mulch increases the absorbency of our soil. Artificial turf is an investment in fancy outdoor carpeting, but it is not an investment in a lively, beneficial landscape that keeps our cities cool, provides a natural habitat for wildlife, and gives back to the environment that sustains us.
5. Weed growth
Benefit of installing artificial grass is not having to worry so much about weeds. However, some tougher weeds can still grow underneath your turf. Forgetting to install a weed membrane could mean that weeds are still a problem with your artificial grass.
6. Surface Heat
Artificial grass holds a lot more heat than natural grass. Because of this, and because it doesn’t have a cooling effect like real grass does, the air around artificial grass can feel hotter. Not only this, but when you are walking bare foot on artificial grass, it will feel hot to the touch!
Surface temperatures of artificial grass are about 20-50°F higher than natural grass and typically reach the same temperature as asphalt pavement.
7. You will still need to maintain and to clean it
Whilst artificial grass does have significantly less maintenance than a real lawn, you will still need to care for it, especially if you want it to stay looking perfect for many years to come. Keeping your lawn free of contamination is also of huge importance, as foreign matters won’t necessarily wash off naturally.
It just like any other rug, it will collect bits and pieces of pet and bird droppings and liquids from humans (saliva, blood, or sweat). Unlike natural plant materials, which lose parts and regrow them, the blades and the bedding of artificial turf remain the same. You’ll need to rake it to fluff up and straighten the fibers. And you’ll need to hose it down with water. In fact, for most professional and recreational spots use, the Synthetic Turf Council suggests the installation of a manual or automatic irrigation system with artificial turf to improve field sanitation and to make it more comfortable for players in warmer climates.
8. It is not as soft as you think
There are a lot of artificial grass varieties, and each type is designed for a specific use, with qualities that reflect that use. It can hurt if you fall while playing sports or running around with a dog, especially if the chosen grass doesn’t match up to the right requirements. Skin abrasions are possible, and this problem with artificial grass is important to consider when installing at schools or in playgrounds.
If there’s concrete under the artificial turf, it’ll obviously make it worse. But even a sand base can be hard because it becomes compacted without roots and added moisture.
9. Drainage issues
Drainage problems are some of the worst issues when it comes to installation of artificial grass. A poor draining lawn will collect water in all the wrong places and lead to puddles. If not sorted early, you are looking at a future issue that will cost you a lot of money.
10. Lifting edges
If the artificial grass is not installed properly, or the edging detail is not secured, a problem can occur where the edges of the grass start to lift. Not only will this ruin the appearance of your lawn, but it will also create a trip hazard.
11. It’s actually a plastic rug, it looks perfect … at first
That’s because it’s made of plastic and recycled rubber from tires. You’re essentially laying down an outdoor carpet, albeit one that has been meticulously designed to look like a natural plant material. Typically, polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, or a hybrid of these different materials is used to make the “blades” of grass. The blades sit on layers developed through primary and secondary padding material, which receives an acrylic coating before being coated by other chemicals, such as polyurethane or latex. The spaces between each blade are filled with some kind of infill material, most often sand and crumb rubber, usually made from recycled tires.
12. Visible joint lines
Aesthetics is one of the reasons why people choose fake grass in the first place. A line on a joint that runs all across the turf is the last thing you would want to see. Joint lines are caused by light bouncing off the grass blades that are pushed together. Trying to fix this error at a later stage is often very costly.
13. It will need to be replaced
Eventually, you will need to replace the artificial turf. Its life expectancy is still unknown. Some companies claim a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, while critics are estimating closer to 8 years. Any estimates (and cost recovery estimates) will need to take that into consideration the incredible ability of sun to destroy rubber and plastics.
Proper maintenance of artificial turf can help maximize the appearance and longevity of that product. Routine maintenance includes keeping the product clean, ensuring that the infill material is kept at proper levels, and brushing the surface to keep grass fibers upright and infill even.
This post has used info available in the websites:
PlaySmart UK
Landscape Wisely
Lawns in Spain
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