Ever heard the saying "The Grass is always greener on the other side"? Ignoring the philosophical facet, let's focus on the literal aspect of it today.
Maintaining a patch of grass is tough. It requires the right amount of water, herbicides, the right weeds and a lot of attention. But given that our attention spans have become lesser than a YouTube commercial, who has the time to invest in seeding, weeding and mowing anymore? That is when "Artificial Turf" came into the picture.
In lay man's words, artificial turf means fake grass. This duplicate grass is made of synthetic fibers that resemble natural grass. First introduced in 1969, artificial turf has gained much popularity over the years. It iss constantly used in stadiums and sports complexes where maintenance is difficult. However, that trend has slowly seeped into the residential home décor sector as well.
According to the Wall Street Journal, sales of artificial turf for residential décor have gone up by 30 percent a year since 2008. Around six companies manufacture artificial turf in the U.S. and all of them have reported a significant growth in sales. Artificial turf has also evolved over the years. Thinner blades, low luster yarns and softer texture have replaced the initial immensely plastic looking grass used earlier.
But installing artificial turf has its advantages and disadvantages. While it may be low to nil maintenance, it could get expensive depending upon the quality of turf you would want to install. Plus it could also get hotter in the summers, since they are synthetic. Friction between the skin and the grass can cause abrasions. Plus, the turf system may also require periodic disinfection. According to a study, despite being artificial the pathogen growth still exists.
So how exactly can you install artificial turf in your house? Check out a DIY video of how to lay artificial turf below:
