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What Does Artificial Grass Look And Feel Like?

What does artificial grass look and feel like http://www.heavenlygreens.com/blog/what-does-artificial-grass-look-and-feel-like @heavenlygreensArtificial grass is designed to look, feel, act and function just like natural grass. The only things it really doesn't do naturally is grow and change color with the seasons. Artificial turf originally was used as ground cover for recreational and sporting events. The first use of the turf on a professional playing surface was at the Houston Astrodome in 1966. As it gained popularity, more and more sporting venues began to install the turf to save money and reduce the amount of maintenance their playing fields required.

The Look of Artificial Grass

Artificial grass looks just like natural grass. It reacts the same when it is walked on and has the same basic texture as real grass. Blades of different heights are varied throughout, giving the turf the look of grass that is in varying stages of growth. A rubberized filler is used often used to lightly cover the mesh, fabric foundation and prevent the blades from laying over as foot traffic increases. Sand and other filler materials are used as well.

Blades are formed by putting thin nylon/polypropylene sheets through molds. The blades are drawn through the mold producing strands that are cross cut or have an oval shape. This causes them to closely resemble natural grass. While the shapes may not be exact, they are similar enough to be taken for natural grass at a distance.

Artificial grass does not lose its color as the seasons change. While natural grass may darken or turn brown as precipitation lessens and temperatures go to extremes, artificial turf will retain its regular color. It will not fade due to excessive amounts of sunlight or die off in patches when exposed to excessive amounts of water.

The Feel of Artificial Grass

Artificial grass not only looks like natural grass, but has the same feel as well. While it may feel slightly different to the touch, it is extremely difficult to tell which is artificial and which real if you are walking or running across it. The blades of artificial grass are manufactured to be a consistent height, similar to that of natural grass. A filler is also used that not only keeps the grass upright, but also gives the feel of walking on soil.

Children who play on lawns made of artificial grass often cannot tell the difference. As they run across the lawn, roll on the ground or play, the blades of grass bounce back up, just as natural blades do. Artificial grass has the same basic texture, shape and size as natural grass causing it to feel and react in much the same way. A perfect example of how artificial turf reacts is their use in backyard putting greens. Amateur and pro-golfers alike use artificial turf for their personal practice greens because of how well they mimic the movement and feel of the natural grass at the golf course.

Telling the Difference

In most cases, the only way to tell the difference between artificial turf and natural grass is to look at it as closely as possible. Some types of turf are so authentic, you have to actually get down to ground level and separate the blades of grass to determine if the base is actual soil or the filler and interwoven mesh of artificial turf. Filler is normally made of crumb or recycled rubber, sand or another small granulated substance. Learn about all the alternatives to crumb rubber for your filler

With the more expensive versions of artificial turf, it can be extremely hard to distinguish real from synthetic. It takes a trained eye to notice the small imperfections from a distance. In most cases, it takes more than just a quick walk through and a good look to determine whether or not a lawn is real.

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