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13 August 2018

Essential Facts About Florida Synthetic Turf

By Carolyn Kennedy


During the early stages of technology, no one thought grass would ever be replaced. Currently, synthetic or artificial turf is being used to replace grass. Artificial turf is man-made and has been designed such that it appears like natural grass. It is usually made from natural materials which are not toxic. Here are facts regarding Florida Synthetic Turf.

The year 1965 is when artificial grass first emerged. It was used in indoor areas only at that time. They had already gained application in outdoor stadiums by 1970s. Canada and USA are the countries where the product was used in large numbers, being installed in baseball and gridiron football fields. With improvement in technology, evolution of artificial turf has occurred a lot. As their look and use grows, they are becoming much better.

As a matter of fact, the current generation of synthetic grass closely resembles natural grass. This means that they can be set up and used for a whole year on a field used for athletics without the need for replacement. The surface of these products is durable and can withstand any weather condition or use. There are a number of reasons why most people are switching to artificial grass.

Low maintenance is one of the major causes for the shift. For example, mowing and watering are not necessary when it comes to artificial grass. Applying fertilizer and weeding are also not necessary. Mowing, fertilizing, watering, and weeding among other activities usually raise the maintenance cost of natural grass. With synthetics one needs not to panic. Some people are usually attracted by the beauty of these products.

Grass does not come in styles but turfs do. Also, they can be designed to resemble the look of locally prevalent grass types or exotic types. Typical synthetic turfs are composed of about eight layers complete with drainage pipes incorporated. Each of the layers has a specific function. Also, a granular filler is added for the purposes of resiliency, uniformity, and stability. The fake grass comes on top of the multi-layered backing system.

It is easier to distinguish a school field covered with natural grass from one covered with fake grass. Natural grass usually leaves grass stains on school games kits. On the other hand, fake grass leaves pieces of rubber stuck under the shoes of the kids. The pieces of rubber come from the infill layer.

The infill layer usually follows the turf fiber layer. It is then followed by a backing layer which is made up of weep holes, drainage stone, energy pad, levelling layer and geotextile. Some turfs however may not have all these layers. Materials that can be used for infill purposes include coated infill, crumb rubber, organic infill, sand, and ethylene propylene diene monomer, and silica sand.

Lastly, concerns among various stakeholders in different sectors have been raised due to the concept of using crumb rubber as infill. Adverse effects that crumb rubber causes on public health and the environment are the cause for concern among stakeholders. The infill contains chemicals that can cause medical conditions like cancer. Also, the worn out rubber may tear and infiltrate into the soil.




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