Artificial turf — the main types and advantages of use in landscape design (70 photos)
Initially, artificial grass was created as a covering for various sports grounds. For example, for a football field. Its creation made it possible to lay "grass" on indoor areas and operate it for a longer time. After all, it does not need recovery time after use, and also does not need to be trimmed, flavored, etc. As you can see in the photo of the artificial lawn, it looks like a carpet.
Thanks to saving time and money that used to be spent on the maintenance of beautiful and neat grass, designers began to use synthetic lawn in their projects, which led to its popularization. The coating was used to simulate a lawn, for playgrounds, at school stadiums, in animal pens, etc.
The coating is made of plastic, which perfectly tolerates temperature changes, exposure to sunlight, rain, snow and many other troubles. Each company that produces a coating, the grass creates its own unique pattern and texture.
When choosing a coating, you need to decide for what purpose you need it. There are three types in total.
Not falling asleep is the closest to the natural kind of grass. If you do not specifically look for a trick, then it can be quite mistaken for a real lawn. It is used as a decorative element and is not suitable for active sports.
To create the effect of naturalness, the fibers have a very thin and delicate structure. And when actively used, they crumple and deform.
Semi—loose - has a cushioning effect and protects well from injury. It is used to cover children's play areas. The areas between the fibers are filled with a special filler that keeps the pile in the correct position and allows you to actively use the cloth.
Backfill — has a hard pile, which is due to the use of polypropylene for manufacturing. It is used for sports grounds. The filler between the fibers contains rubberized elements. They are responsible for reducing the friction force and help to avoid injury.
Advantages of artificial grass
Initially, artificial turf was developed for sports purposes. And thanks to this, it combines practicality, durability and comfort. She is not afraid of rain, snow, hail, mud or slush. Lawn covering is often used at school stadiums, cottages or playgrounds.
It has no limitation on the duration of operation per day. Natural lawn is not recommended to be actively used for more than 80-90 minutes a day. The rest of the time is needed to restore it. Synthetic coating wins in this regard. It is always available. Whether it's morning, afternoon, evening or night. And also you can borrow as much as you want.
Synthetic coating does not depend on weather conditions. Natural grass gets wet from the rain, forms dirt and the impressions of its operation during this period are unpleasant. And it is also prone to diseases, decomposition and withers in the cold months, requires constant care, whether it is watering or weeding. If you don't want to waste time and energy on complex grass care, then laying an artificial lawn is the best solution.
Thanks to the special structure, synthetic turf creates a soft padding between the hard ground and the person. Protects against severe injuries and bruises, reduces the load on the knee joint.
It is financially more profitable to maintain such coverage. It does not require weeding, fertilizers, constant updating, haircuts. And it also doesn't matter to him what land he is on. It will delight you with a beautiful appearance even on absolutely lifeless land or sand.
Durability is also an undeniable advantage. Such a coating is not erased, does not change shape, retains color. The duration of service starts from 15 years.
You can choose and order an artificial lawn in Leroy Merlin.
Laying
It's easy to lay an artificial lawn for a cottage with your own hands. There are no requirements for the base on which the canvas will be laid. It can be sand, earth or concrete. To increase the service life, an additional springy layer is placed under the grass. Thickness from 2-3 centimeters.
How to lay artificial turf? There are a few simple steps.
Creating a flat plane under the lawn. The canvas is laid only on a flat area, which is free from various debris and bumps.
If you live in an area with long rainy seasons. Then when designing a plot, the area with the location of the grass, do it at a slight slope. This will protect the area from stagnation of water and the coating will dry out faster.
Sealing of the surface. It is important to tamper the leveled surface. This is necessary if the grass is placed on sand or soil.
If the synthetic lawn is not laid on asphalt or concrete, then it is necessary to create trenches for soil drainage. This will help to protect the surface under the coating from decomposition.
We put a sealer on the rammed pad. After that, you can start laying grass. The roll rolls out straight. Each next roll needs to be slightly superimposed on the previous one.
To create the most accurate seam, it is necessary to cut the overlaps with a knife. To give the territory a more finished look, you can install curbs around the perimeter of the lawn.
The joints should be glued immediately after installation. Due to weather and temperature changes, non-taped joints may slightly change their position, which will lead to more sloppy and noticeable seams.
Before sizing, go around the perimeter of the lawn, check the condition of the coating. There should be no bumps, hollows, bumps or swellings on it. To create a reliable fixation, a strong adhesive and a tape with a double-sided adhesive coating are used. The tape is placed under the plane of the lawn and lubricated with glue from above.
Care of the rolled lawn
Before you take care of buying a lawn, you need to learn about the rules of care and operation. They are quite simple and do not require additional financial investments. But following these recommendations will significantly increase the service life of artificial turf.
Basic principles of lawn care:
- the grass needs to be washed and cleaned, if it is heavily soiled, you can use detergent;
- if you actively use the coating for no more than three hours a day, then you should update the sand or soil every six months;
- with more frequent use, sand or earth should be added every two or three months.
Photos of artificial grass
