Spring is in the air, and summer is just around the corner. For many people, lawn care season is in full swing. That means aerating, watering, landscaping, and mowing. Countless hours of work every year go into keeping a perfectly green and well-manicured lawn. It’s a lot of hassle, honestly.
That’s why more and more people are looking to find an alternative way to keep their lawn and their home looking nice.
One of the most popular choices for lawn alternatives is the best artificial grass. Sometimes called “astroturf” artificial grass was originally created for expensive indoor sports stadiums.
There needed to be an easily maintained way to keep the sports field evergreen. Artificial grass, laid on top of rubber turf, was the solution. Nowadays, artificial grass is so affordable and accessible than it’s replaced the lawns of family homes all across the world.
There are lots to learn about artificial grass before taking the plunge. One of the first things people wonder: is artificial grass slippery?
Backyards pools are a middle-class staple, but they don’t really agree with beautiful, green lawns. The grass is incredibly slippery when wet, so when someone is installing a pool, they usually want to clear out as much grass as possible.
Does that mean you can’t have a gorgeous lawn alongside your dream-life pool? Well, let’s take a look at the facts of artificial grass to find out.
Is Artificial Grass Slippery?
Compared to regular grass, artificial grass is much less slippery and much more stable. That’s because it is synthetic, and it was originally designed for use in sports. Whereas regular grass grows directly out of the ground, which can be pockmarked with holes or crumbling into bits, artificial grass has no such problems.
The grass itself is made from semi-sturdy plastic, but the plastic blades aren’t just shoved into the ground. Instead, they are fused onto a solid sheet of turf, which is usual made from bits of rubber that have compressed together.
All of this means that artificial grass is more reliable than natural grass. Anyone can run across it without fear of tripping, knocking something loose, or otherwise damaging themselves. That doesn’t directly address the pool concern, though. Is artificial grass slippery when it gets wet?
Ideal for the Pool Area
Artificial grass is perfect for your pool area. Pools don’t agree with natural lawns. First, wet grass is incredibly slipping, and kids running through it can easily injure themselves. Second, excessive exposure to water can ruin your grass and lawn.
The water can pool up, creating minor sinkholes, and too much water can eventually kill your grass, leaving you with a dirt mess for a backyard instead of a perfect lawn.
Artificial grass doesn’t have any of these problems. For one thing, artificial grass is designed to be water-resistant. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to let your artificial lawn get wet from the rain.
Along with that, manufacturers are now specially designing artificial grasses that are made to be put in around pools. The chemical composition of those special grasses is slip-resistant, so you can water the lawn all day and then run laps in the backyard at night, no problem.
Is Artificial Turf Slippery When Wet?
That’s all well and good for the artificial grass, but what about the turf that serves as its base?
Well, the good news is that much like artificial grass for putting greens, artificial turf is designed with the knowledge that it will get wet. If it wasn’t, your turf would fall apart every time there was inclement weather, but artificial turf is designed to last for over ten years.
It is made of rubber that has been compressed together into long turf sheets. The turf’s fibers allow water to slide right through, quickly followed by open air. All the airflow helps the turf to dry out almost as soon as it gets wet. Because of this, many people let artificial turf run right up to the edge of their pool while the grass stops a few feet back.
Of course, when planning to replace your lawn with artificial grass you have lots of questions and concerns. Water safety doesn’t need to be one of those. Artificial grass and turf alike aren’t just designed to resist the damaging effects of water, they are the perfect complement to a pool area.