Artificial Grass Brushy, Oklahoma. Synthetic Turf.

In the past decade, the use of "new generation" artificial turf has become quite common throughout the United States. Synthetic grass applications that not related to sport fields are getting really popular in western states such as California, Arizona and Nevada. Such states are areas where outdoor water use is restricted or low maintenance is desired. Common applications include veterinary clinics, animal shelters, golf practice ranges, school yards, residential lawns, and low water use landscapes.

The market of residential lawns has been growing at an average annual rate of thirty five percent even during the economy downturns. As market grows, prices are coming down dramatically which in turn to fuel further market growth! Alvin Balahadia used to work for an artificial grass installation company in San Jose, California, he remembers how the selling of synthetic grass for residential lawn applications fifteen years ago: You walked in a house as a salesman, the first question to the homeowners was: "Do you know the artificial grass is a luxury thing, only the top ten percent of the household can afford it?" This might sound humiliating but true. Fifteen years ago, the turn key price for installing artificial grass in San Francisco Bay Area was between $22.00 and $26.00 per square foot, while today's price range is between $8.00 and $14.00 per square foot. Such price range is still much higher than natural grass. "The normal life expectancy of artificial grass is about 15 years. If you can get your investment back within first five years by saving money on water and maintenance, then you enjoy the beautiful lawn for the next 10 years without any water bills and the hassles of mowing and trimming, will you do it? I know I will." Said Alvin Balahadia :"It is a great investment on your house as houses with synthetic grass lawns are considered with upgraded premium options here in San Francisco Bay Area and other dry states like Arizona and Nevada."

On average, a household in San Francisco Bay Area can save between $600.00 and $1,200.00 annually on water bill along if they get rid of the natural grass lawns.

More than eighty percent of those who are interested in artificial grass are dog owners! Why? Most dogs will have a place in the yard which they decide to use when they relieve themselves, that'll destroy the nature grass and creating hideous appearing brown spots there is virtually no actual solutions for this issue. Artificial turf in general, empties well and pet wrecks can be cleaned up easily. Leading artificial grass makers like Global Syn-Turf,Inc., has developed petgrass with unique features such as a knitted flow-through backing, lasting blades and antimicrobial protection. Such premium products have become the ideal surfacing choice for vet clinics, and pet facilities, dog parks and kennels, dog boarding, both indoors and out. Most of the professional petgrass installers will propose to use organic and environmentally safe Zeofill on to the artificial grass as the dogs waste neutralizer which will minimize the dog odor naturally. Such products are offered through such artificial grass companies as Global Syn-Turf, Inc..

To keep your pet's area clean and odor-free, a properly installed under-drain system is really critical. A base system that is proper should be about 3-4 inches: 2 - 2 1/2 inches of drain rock, compact to 90% and 1 - 11/2 inches of either class II road base or decomposed granite compact to 90%.

Such foundation surface should be as level as possible with a minimal grade for drainage that is optimal. "We all adore our dogs, supply them with the greatest: low care and long lasting artificial grass!" David Maronic, Vice President of Global Syn-Turf, Inc. made the comments at a home show in Orange County, California.

In recent years, a lot of pro golfers have adapted artificial putting greens in their own back yards. Bernhard Langer, the two time master champions, is one of the newest golf celebrities to have synthetic grass and putting greens installed. "I never imagine that I could have the manicure look of golf green here right in my own back yard!" Bernhard Langer's back yard is featuring the best synthetic grass and putting greens by Global Syn-Turf, Inc., he made these comments during an interview in Palm Beach, Florida.

A backyard putting green constructed of artificial turf costs an average of $14 per square foot. Contrast that with an average of $8-$12 per square foot for a regular artificial turf lawn, and a backyard putting green looks like a very good deal indeed given the use youll get out of it.

When designed with creativity and a spirit of fun, a backyard putting green can be a popular gathering spot for friends and family to enjoy one anothers company and the pleasures of the outdoors for years to come. Many people, especially the pros will consider the performance of artificial putting greens: "Does it perform the same or similar as real grass greens?" The answer is absolutely! These are two major types of artificial putting greens on the market, the fully in filled slitfilm type will receive chip shorts and putting speed just like real greens and the non directional monofilament putting greens while installed and infilled properly will achieve a speed range of 12-15 ft.

Community parks and playgrounds made of synthetic grass provide accessible, versatile play surfaces for its youth and people of all ages and abilities. Many public spaces are turning to synthetic grass for appealing water-saving landscape solutions that reduce operating and maintenance expenditures. Applications for recreational synthetic grass include: parklands and playgrounds, municipalities, highway medians, airport grounds, closed landfills, golf courses, tennis courts, and more. Endorsed for use with canines by the American Kennel Club, artificial grass can also be successfully used, when combined with a regular grooming routine, for public and private dog parks. Grooming would include normal "pet owner duties" including removing debris and refreshing the surfaces, with cleaning agents, from time to time.

New York Citys Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) has become increasingly reliant on synthetic turf as a replacement for asphalt and natural grass athletic fields across the city. Through the installation of the new generation of synthetic turf, DPR seeks to increase community access to fields as well as to solve the maintenance challenges of grass and the aesthetic and safety problems associated with asphalt. This surface offers all-weather playability and lower maintenance costs than grass. Since 1997, the NYC Department of Parks has been installing artificial turf extensively throughout the parks system. As of 2007, 118 artificial turf installations were completed and an additional 91 under construction!

Synthetic turf is more durable than natural turf and can be used without the rest periods that natural turf requires to keep the turf healthy. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYCDPR) estimates that on an annual basis, permitted use (hours per year) for synthetic turf athletic fields is 28 percent higher than for natural grass fields. The maintenance costs of synthetic turf will vary depending on the field's use and design, but are typically estimated to be lower than the maintenance costs of natural turf. Natural turf requires regular mowing, fertilizer application, pest control and possibly watering. Synthetic turf requires replacing infill materials, repairing seams and removing weeds and moss. Specialized equipment, which may or may not be included in the field's purchase price, is required for these activities.

When it comes to the artificial grass fields installations, most of installers have been using crumb rubber along with silica sands as the main infills. The blades of sport field synthetic grass products are at least 2-1/4" tall which provide enough room for infills. The purpose of having infills in sport fields is to provide enough cushioning for the fields thus to reduce the risks of body injuries. Crumb rubber and sand mix can serve such purpose very well. Crumb rubber is produced by grinding used tires. Steel and fiber tire components are removed during the process and the rubber pellets are sorted by size. Pellet sizes ranging from about one-sixteenth to one-quarter inch in diameter are used on synthetic turf. Crumb rubber is typically applied at a rate of two to three pounds per square foot of field surface. Studies have been conducted by the California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to assess the potential for ingestion exposure to the chemicals in crumb rubber by children playing on synthetic turf. Both studies concluded that health risks to children resulting from the ingestion of crumb rubber are low.

However, there are still a lot people don't like the idea to use the crumb rubber in synthetic grass sport fields, it can get real hot to levels of discomfort, plus the rubber will get on people's body and travel on and off the field. Many parents have complained that their kids were covered with black rubbers after playing on the fields. Again, even though the available information on crumb rubber and crumb rubber infilled turf fields indicates that ingestion, dermal or inhalation exposures to chemicals in or released from crumb rubber do not pose a significant public health concern, leading synthetic grass companies such as Global Syn-Turf, Inc. has been working on new technologies and systems to get rid of the rubbers and take the synthetic grass sport fields applications to a new "All Green" level.

Most requires infills which to be installed onto the grass to help the blades of grass stand up and also hold the turf down. The grass backing is also protected by it from uv rays which may cause damage and void guarantees. Some artificial grass infill alternatives are ZeoFill, Green sand, Copper slag, Silica Sand and Rubber. Among all, ZeoFill is the #1 choice for synthetic turf infill for pet owners and playgrounds. Dog owners with artificial grass lawns have been struggled with pee smells for years.. A lot of people are trying to water down their turf one time a week to remove the odor but never worked properly because water from a hose doesn't have sufficient power to push bacteria deep into the earth. ZeoFill is made from a natural resource in the earth which is a negatively charged honey combed molecular structure that prevents the ammonia from forming a gas and absorbs the urine. ZeoFill pulls any gases towards itself and hold it until sodium ion (Na ) in rain water discharges the magnetivity and the force of significant rainfall will flush out the bacteria, driving it through the turf into the ground making your turf virtually new again. However, ZeoFill will not remove bad bacteria. To remove awful bacteria, Global Syn-Turf, Inc. recommends nits quite own Synthetic Grass Pet Odor Neutralizer, this enzyme products are not only going to neutralize the pet scent, but also remove poor bacteria and clean the turf, using this along with Zeofill will achieve the best possible results on pet's scent control!

To maximize the Benefits of ZeoFill, always install it on top of turf not under turf: When your dog urinates on the turf, the pee will immediately be consumed by the ZeoFill granules preventing ammonia bacteria particles from traveling through the turf. The ZeoFill granule will hold the ammonia water until it's cleaned with an enzyme solution or heavy rainwater flushes out the ZeoFill. The ZeoFill granules will be trapped inside the turf system and has a 5 year warranty on deterioration.

As synthetic grass getting popular in the last decade, an increasing number of people consider to replace their natural grass with synthetic grass. Questions rise: "What are the pros of artificial grass?" Let look at the "No More List".

Forget about watering, say "good bye" to high water bills.

Forget about mowing, either you are idle or you would like to spend additional time with your kids and family, throw away your lawn mower, relax and have a good time.

Forget about substances, compounds such as fertilizers for natural lawn will eventually wind up in our earth and underground water, current great health dangers to human life.

Forget about air pollution, as stated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a new gasoline powered lawn mower creates volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emissions air pollution in in in one hour of operation as 11 new cars each being driven for one hour.

No neighbor lawn envy...

No more sound that is unnecessary

No pet urine spots

No moles or gophers

Certainly, both economy and environmental problems work in synthetic turf's favor.. Though still higher priced than real grass install and to purchase - it can cost up to several times as much for a typical yard or roughly $6,000 to $8,000 - but the lifetime savings add up. In drought-prone regions, municipalities like LA County have provided tax rebates for residents who remove areas of natural lawn.