As with so many other things, artificial grass has undergone and will continue to undergo incremental improvement to meet the demands of a burgeoning consumer market.
Photo by NIKITA SHIROKOV on Unsplash
Since the early 1960s, artificial grass has been used in a variety of settings, beginning with sports fields and moving on to residential lawns. There have been three distinct generations of artificial grass installed to date:
First Generation:
Developed in the 1960s from polypropylene, the first generation of synthetic grass included tightly coiled fibers and was less expensive and softer than nylon. It was also manufactured using polypropylene.
Second Generation:
The 1970s saw the introduction of the second generation of turf, which had longer strands that approximated the appearance of real grass. Sand infill was used into the installation as well in order to assist in the upright positioning of the blades.
Synthetic Turf As It Is Today
The current generation of synthetic grass, the third, is distinguished by its longer fibers, wider spacing, and softer polyethylene construction than its predecessors. In order to provide the look of actual “dead grass” while also providing additional cushioning, a thatch made of polypropylene, polyethylene, and nylon was included. The development of improved infill solutions has made it feasible for synthetic grass to have a longer lifespan and to maintain a cleaner appearance over the course of the years.
Synthetic grass goods, like most other things, continue to expand along with the growing supply and demand in the business. The development of new products and formulations is necessary to bring high-quality goods to market.
In order to maintain the integrity of the fibers, high-quality artificial grass has to have an equally high-quality backing. The market is flooded with several varieties of artificial grass backing, each of which is designed to serve a certain function. When dealing with synthetic grass, there are two levels of backing involved:
The material that the grass is wrapped through and considered the primary backing. The following are some of the most prevalent kinds of backing that are used:
K29 (the most prevalent),
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Pic D12
After the fiber has been tufted through, the coating is applied, and its purpose is to secure the tuft bind. This happens after the tufts have been inserted and is a result of the high heat treatment given to the backing following tufting.
The following types of coating are the most common:
Hot Melt Polyurethane Used in Latex
Unlike in Europe, where a latex backing is more typical, polyurethane coatings are widespread in the United States.
It’s not always true that the grass is greener…
It might be any number of hues, including but not limited to red, blue, black, tan, or brown. It is standard procedure for the color tone of a grass to be included, in pellet form, with the polyethylene (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene) foundation pellets. This is done in order to create a more realistic appearance. The synthetic turf is made by first fusing the two materials together and then extruding the resultant slurry to create the desired shape.
Many sports teams have employed colored artificial grass for their team logos and playing fields. However, people are also incorporating it into their gardens, playgrounds, and even as ground cover by their pools. Any product or application that you can think of that may benefit from having a vivid quality enhanced by color grass is one that you should consider.
Vista Fiber
Because it is in the form of a ‘V,’ the Vista blade is more solid and resilient, which in turn makes the grass more so.
3D “W” Fiber
The 3D ‘W’ fiber is a strong fiber that can withstand significant pressure and helps the grass to recover its original form after being squeezed. This gives the grass a distinct edge over other kinds of turf in this regard. The blade has a lot of bolsters on it, which not only make it more durable but also make it seem like it has some kind of memory to it, as your Turf Distributor can demonstrate for you. It doesn’t matter how much weight is placed on the surface; the grass will always return to its former condition after being trampled on. This is a constant.
A Tiny Strand of Fiber Shaped Like the Letter “C”
The turf is given a natural appearance by the mini-C-shaped blade, which also contributes to the artificial grass having a softer and more pleasant feel to the touch. This kind of blade may be used in any application, however it is most common in commercial and residential landscaping.
A Tiny Strand of Fiber Shaped Like the Letter “W”
Mini “W” blades are supposed to have increased durability thanks to a number of design features, including their “W”-like shape.