About Artificial Grass Sports Turf Installers | Rhino-Turf
What is Artificial Grass?
Artificial grass is a type of flooring material designed to be installed outside and made to look and feel just like real grass. It is resilient to the weather and is most commonly used in places where growing natural grass is not an option due to location or cost of maintenance. Artificial grass is now regularly replacing natural grass because of its realistic properties and low cost to maintain.
How is artificial grass made?
Artificial grass is made from long strands of synthetic fibres called yarns. These yarns are made from two different types of polymers: polyethylene and polypropylene. Yarns are created by forcing the melted plastic through moulds under high pressure and temperature to create long thin fibres, which will eventually become the blades of the grass. This process is called extrusion.
These yarns are then gathered together to form a tuft and then inserted, using a giant needle, into a backing sheet made from latex to hold the yarns in place. Once the yarns are in place in the backing material they are cut ,at the required height, and the grass blades or piles are complete.
The yarns are then glued into the backing material using a material called latex. The latex is applied so that the piles don’t move or come out of the backing material. Once the latex has dried and the carpet is firm to the touch holes are then created in the backing material which will allow water to drain through if it rains.
Once the grass carpet has been finished it is fully inspected and then rolled up ready for storage or transportation.
Benefits
- 365 Days Usage
- Low Maintenance Costs
- Low Water Requirements
- Consistent Surface
- Hard Wearing
- Fall Safety
- Pet Friendly
- Child Friendly
- Recyclable
Modern Artificial Turf
As of October 2016, artificial pitches are not permitted in the Premier League or Football League but are permitted in the National League and lower divisions. The two most prominent English football clubs to currently use third-generation artificial pitches are Sutton United, whose FIFA 2-Star quality pitch was installed at Gander Green Lane in August 2015, and Maidstone United, whose 2-Star pitch was built along with the new Gallagher Stadium in July 2012.
The 2015 Women’s World Cup took place entirely on artificial surfaces, as the event was played in Canada, where almost all of the country’s stadiums use artificial turf due to climate issues. This plan garnered criticism from players and fans, some believing the artificial surfaces make players more susceptible to injuries.
Rugby also uses artificial surfaces at a professional level. Infill fields are used by English Aviva Premiership teams Saracens F.C., Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors, as well as Pro14 teams Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors. Some fields, including Twickenham Stadium, have incorporated a hybrid field, with grass and synthetic fibers used on the surface. This allows for the field to be much more hard wearing, making it less susceptible to weather conditions and frequent use.
