Astro turf and artificial grass have not been around forever, and in fact, they only came about in the 1960s. Ever since then, these types of synthetic grass have become very popular all over the world. After all, artificial grass and sports turf don’t grow like real grass, which automatically makes them very convenient to deal with.
But what exactly is the difference between Astro turf and artificial grass? Is one better than the other? Which is better for your home or for a sports stadium?
Keep reading and learn more about the difference between these two synthetic lawn types.
A Brief History of Synthetic Turf
Before you start learning about the differences between artificial grass and Astro turf, you should first understand the origins of synthetic artificial turf in general. As mentioned before, people started to use fake turf in the 1960s. However, people first started to recommend the use of fake grass as early as the 1950s.
This was an especially popular idea among schools with prominent sports teams. Real grass in sports fields was hard to maintain since it would need to be cut often. Besides that, playing on real grass would often result in the grass being torn up.
This, of course, would result in an uneven playing field that would be inefficient to play on. More than that, it would take a lot of work to correct the damage done to the soil. Often, new patches of grass would have to be installed to even out the playing field again.
As you can imagine, this not only took a lot of work to maintain but it was also quite costly. This is why fake grass was such an attractive option.
Throughout the 1960s, various companies started to develop different versions of what would become known as Astro turf or sports turf. The companies tried many different versions to create a type of fake grass that was much more efficient than real grass.
Sports turf would need to be durable to not be torn up during sports matches, and it would also need to have as much traction as real grass, if not more. The very first use of Astro turf in sports was in the Houston Astrodome for Major League Baseball in 1966. While this was certainly an important first step for artificial sports turf, it had a rocky start.
The Details
While the turf looked very nice out on the field and while it had very good traction, it wasn’t exactly comfortable for the players to play on. In particular, if a player happened to fall or slide across the fake grass, the player would often end up burned from the harshness of the artificial grass.
Besides that, if a ball happened to bounce off of the fake grass, it would often bounce away in an unpredictable way.
Many people even ended up injured due to the harshness of Astro turf. Of course, something had to be done to fix this.
After a few tweaks, sports turf became much softer and more agreeable for players to play on and the traction of the turf was not compromised in the process. As a result, fewer and fewer people got injured from the fake grass, and Astro turf became extremely popular in all sorts of sports arenas in the subsequent years.
Today, you can find Astro turf in a huge variety of sports arenas all over the world. Its effectiveness has also made its way into the residential sphere. After all, the fact that fake grass always looks nice and never grows is certainly an attractive prospect for many people who are tired of mowing and caring for their lawns.
Fake grass used for homes and businesses is often referred to as artificial grass rather than Astro turf. The term Astro turf is used almost exclusively to refer to the fake grass used in sports environments.
But what exactly makes these types of fake grass any different from each other?
What You Need to Know About Astro Turf
As mentioned before, a lot of work and research went into the development of Astro turf. Its main function was to replace the grass inside sports arenas so that players would have a more efficient and durable surface to play on. For that reason, Astro turf was never designed to look particularly nice up close, but rather to have plenty of durability and traction.
This is the main reason why Astro turf is almost never used for residential or commercial settings. When you look at Astro turf up close, you can certainly tell that it is fake. It is nowhere near as soft and natural-looking as real grass.
The main reason why it looks so fake has to do with the colour. Astro turf is generally one colour throughout the entire strip of turf. This is not like real grass, which often has different shades of green and even some specks of brown and yellow that make it look so natural and realistic.
Of course, not many people would like the idea of having grass that looks so obviously fake in their yards. Astro turf is also very short compared to artificial grass. Each blade of Astro turf “grass” needs to be short enough that the turf won’t hinder the performance of those who are running across the field or slow the roll of a ball moving across the turf.
The main benefit of Astro turf is that it is extremely durable. After all, it has to tolerate whole teams of people running across it with cleats. It also has to tolerate people sliding across the field, falling onto the ground, and so on.
The Benefits of Astro Turf
If Astro turf wasn’t as durable as it is, it would end up torn up and ruined like real grass. While there are different types of Astro turf to choose from, most of them look and function more or less the same way. For that reason, Astro turf is almost always reserved for sports fields rather than commercial or residential settings.
If you are in need of sports turf, then you should certainly give Multiturf turf a try. This kind of turf is very high-quality compared to other types of sports turf you might find on the market. This company has also been dealing with and installing turf for more than 12 years.
This is not to mention that their installations are always speedy and efficient, so you won’t be waiting around for your new turf to be installed. Another benefit is that turf from Multiturf is very soft and durable, so it will be able to withstand even the most aggressive of sports for many years to come.
But how does Astro turf compare to artificial grass, you might ask?
What You Need To Know About Artificial Grass
The first thing you should know about artificial grass is that it immediately looks very life-like. Some types of artificial grass are even difficult to tell apart from real grass. You will often see artificial grass used for homes, offices, and other commercial settings.
Businesses often love to use artificial grass because it is realistic but also very convenient to have around. After all, it costs money to have real grass mowed every time it grows too high. It also costs money to remove weeds and fill in brown spots on the lawn.
Even though real grass is expensive, going without any grass at all will only make a business’s curb appeal quite unattractive. This is why artificial grass is the perfect alternative. A business can enjoy the appearance of real grass without having to mow it, pull out weeds, or plant new seeds of grass to fill in ugly brown spots.
The reason why artificial grass looks so much more realistic compared to Astro turf is that it uses a variety of colours instead of just one solid shade of green. Artificial grass also comes in a variety of different shades, so you can choose the right shade of green to match what you think would look best for your property.
Artificial grass is also very popular for homeowners. Again, the big appeal is that artificial grass looks as good as real grass but you don’t have to mow or water it to keep it looking nice.
Besides the different shades used to make the grass more realistic, another factor that makes it different from Astro turf is the length.
What to Know
Artificial grass is generally a bit longer than Astro turf. This is important because the slightly increased length makes the artificial grass look far more natural and realistic. This is in contrast to Astro turf, which needs to be very short to accommodate a rolling ball or many people running across the field.
And, of course, artificial grass isn’t designed to be as durable and gripping as Astro turf. It is designed to be decorative, much like real grass, rather than serve any particular purpose. You will also find that artificial grass is physically softer than Astro turf.
The blades of Astro turf “grass” are often a bit prickly and firm to the touch. Again, this is because Astro turf needs to be durable and have plenty of traction. On the other hand, every blade of artificial grass is quite soft and delicate, much like real grass.
At the same time, artificial grass is still quite durable. While it might not be able to withstand a team in cleats running across, it should still be able to withstand the test of time without much of a problem. If you’re interested in installing artificial grass for your home or business, Multiturf can help you out yet again.
This company provides not only high-quality Astro turf but artificial grass as well. They can install artificial grass in a short period of time so you can sit back and enjoy the fresh new look that your new artificial grass has to offer to your property.
Artificial Grass and Astro Turf Installation and Maintenance
Installing fake grass or turf does not require much effort on your part. All you need to do is explain to the installers what you want and where you want the grass or turf to go. The cost of the fake grass will vary depending on what kind you get.
Of course, the more realistic or high-quality the grass is, the more expensive it will be. This is true for both artificial grass and Astro turf. If you opt for a cheap option, it may not be as realistic or as durable.
Once your fake grass is installed, you won’t need to worry about it growing too tall or dying. It is relatively low-maintenance, but there is a bit of maintenance that you will need to do every once in a while. In particular, you will need clean and preen your fake grass on occasion.
This is especially true if you have pets. All you need to do is get a hose and clean off the grass. To make sure that the blades of grass stay upright and look fresh, you can also brush them gently with a rake.
All About Artificial Grass and Astro Turf
Artificial grass and Astro turf are both very important options for residential, commercial, and sports settings. Astro turf is very durable and perfect for sports arenas, but because it is not realistic, it is not best for residential or commercial use. Artificial grass, on the other hand, is very soft and realistic and perfect for your home or business.