Artificial turfs are a time saver if you are looking for a green landscape outside your house or even inside your home on the balcony. The first and the most beneficial aspect of artificial turf is its low maintenance requirement.
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A natural grass lawn has to be maintained from time to time, and at the same time, there is the possibility of grasshoppers and insects breeding and moving around the house. On the other hand, artificial grass provides the same aesthetics and zero or less maintenance headache. However, there are so many types of artificial turf available in the market, so there has to have confusion around it.
This article will throw some light on the kinds of artificial turf available in the market, the purposes for buying artificial turf, and the things one should look for before buying artificial turf for one’s home, office, or business.
The pile height is the average height of blades of artificial turfs. The most optimal size should be around 25-30 mm. For a natural-looking lawn, 30-38 mm should do the job. If you are planning for something longer than this, it is not recommended as the longer the blades get, they will lie flat under their weight. The longest you can go for is 30 to 38 mm to stand upright.
The pile density is an important parameter to discuss. The higher the pile density, the grasses will look lusher. The pile density that should be optimum depends on the usage. The pile density should be somewhere between 16,500 and 18,000 stitches per meter for heavy use or heavy human interaction. On the other hand, if your artificial turf is more for ornamental purposes with less human interaction, the pile density between 13,000 to 16,000 should suffice as it is more cost-effective.
There are three different materials used to make artificial turfs: polypropylene, polyethylene, and nylon. A more detailed look at each kind of material has been discussed below.
Polypropylene artificial turf is the least expensive among the turfs. If a budget-friendly, good-looking artificial turf is what you want, polypropylene turf should be the right choice. It is undoubtedly used in most homes and businesses. However, as the price is not much, it also comes with disadvantages.
Polypropylene has a shallow melting point, cannot withstand high temperatures, and is comparatively more susceptible to damage. Therefore, you can avoid using it in large applications or places where the movement and human interaction are more. On the other hand, you can certainly use it in small spaces or spaces where there is very little human interaction in your office or home.
The polyethylene artificial turf looks more natural and softer than the turfs made up of polypropylene. It is tough to distinguish between polyethylene artificial turfs and natural grass. The benefits and advantages of a polyethylene grass turf over a polypropylene grass turf are that the former is more durable and long-lasting.
It looks more natural, and the downside is its price. If your budget allows it or you can spend a little more, it is better to choose polyethylene than polypropylene. Indoor and outdoor play zones, landscape edging, and whole lawns can benefit from artificial polyethylene turf.
Nylon stands for durability. If durability is on the top-most priority list, look no further than nylon artificial turfs. The nylon artificial turfs are the most durable ones. In addition, it has a high melting point, so it is generally used on outdoor lawns.
At the same time, it is not in large applications because of its high cost and its stiffness. The better way is to integrate different types of turf; for example, you can use the polyethylene turf and the nylon turf for extra stability. However, if it is for outdoor use, you have to go for a polyethylene artificial turf or nylon artificial turf.
Whether for ornamental purposes or just a show-type lawn, artificial turfs are more for aesthetics. It has to have little human interaction to use polypropylene artificial turfs for aesthetic goals.
In such cases, it needs a heavy usage-based artificial turf to use polyethylene turf. It also requires high maintenance for its heavy usage.
The pet-friendly lawn needs turfs that are easily cleanable as it is going to need to handle urination and excrement.
These types of lawns are primarily used for garden parties where they are not used regularly and heavily, but on some day or other, it is heavily used. Therefore, the turfs have to be easily cleanable as you will get a lot of stains and spillages.
One has to ask, is it polypropylene, polyethylene, or nylon. The use cases are discussed above; based on that, one can make a decision.
Before purchasing any artificial turf, check whether it is fire resistant as in case a fire breaks out, you do not want it to spread through the turf. Ask the manufacturer to provide some accreditation or test results related to fire resistance.
It would help if you looked for turfs with a high warranty period. However, it is also vital to balance your budget and your need.
The backing or the materials used for backing should be highly durable. You can check its adhesiveness simply by trying to pull the upper layer from the backing.
The thickness also depends on your usage, and Turfs for heavy use have to be thicker.
Look for good test results and accreditation provided by the manufacturer. If it is not offered, feel free to ask about the manufacturer.
If the turf is made in China, the quality will be lesser. China is a big player in the artificial turf industry.
One needs to consider these few things before buying an artificial grass turf. Then, the proper perspective about Artificial turf, its usage, market, and price ranges are provided.
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