Artificial turf is meant to be as lifelike as possible. It is designed to look and feel just as natural as real grass only without the excessive hours of maintenance and the cost of upkeep. Turf used in athletic arenas and fitness facilities is similar to low pile carpet with extremely short blades, but ample padding. While this helps to bring a little bit of the outside indoors, it doesn't feel as natural when used to cover an entire lawn. When you choose to install artificial turf on your lawn, you want it to look and feel as natural as possible.
Always the Right Height
Turf that has a blade length between 2 ½ and 3 inches will offer the most natural feel when compared to true grass. Because artificial turf never has to be mowed or trimmed, the blade height will be consistently uniform in all areas of the lawn, even under heavily shaded trees. Rain will not make it grow and drought conditions will not make it turn brown and die off. Natural grass grows according to the weather, but artificial turf will remain the same length no matter what type of weather you have. It will not dry out and become crunchy. Instead, artificial turf will maintain its beauty all year long, without appearing dry or needing fertilizer treatments to keep it growing. An occasional fluffing of the blades with a flexible-tined rake will keep the blades upright and beautiful.
Just the Right Amount of Cushion
Unless you live on extremely hard packed clay soil, the dirt below your grass will always have a slight give to it. The root bed of a natural grass lawn, combined with the earthworms and other soil dwellers create a network of sorts that keeps the ground from becoming overly hard an unyielding. With artificial turf, the earth below will be adequately prepared before it is installed. Once the turf has been put in place, an infill will be used to help keep the blades upright and provide the lawn with an extremely natural feel. When you walk on a lawn with artificial turf, you will experience much the same give and cushion as you with a natural grass lawn. Crumb rubber and sand/rubber mixtures will not harden over time or collect water, allowing them to maintain their soft, natural cushion for years to come.
No Dips, Valleys or Ridges
Part of the ground preparation for installing artificial turf involves smoothing and leveling out the soil. By tilling, grading and rolling the ground any small dips, valleys or ridges will be smoothed over and removed. The natural roll of the lawn, however, will be left in place as long as it does not create closed valleys that will collect and store water. A natural grass lawn has many little dips and ridges that form over time, either through heavy volumes of foot traffic or by lawn mowers and other pieces of equipment that is used during its maintenance. With artificial turf, heavy foot traffic will now wear away grass blades or create pathways that can eventually turn into shallow ridges. It will keep its natural texture and surface area for as long as it remains in place.
Manufacturers of the best artificial turf use the highest quality materials and workmanship in both its construction and its installation. Installers know just how to prepare the soil to make sure the turf will have the most natural feel possible after it has been put in place. With the bounce of the grass, the cushioned support provided by the infill and proper preparation techniques, your artificial turf will always feel as natural as the grass it was chosen to replace.
