Synthetic Turf installation problems
Installing synthetic turf has its benefits, and there are many different reasons why a person may want to install this type of turf on their yards, playgrounds, or sports fields. However, depending on the make and installation of the synthetic turf, a person may encounter a few problems. Some of the most commonly encountered problems with synthetic turf are:
Seam Rupture
Seam rupturing occurs when the seams that hold the pieces of synthetic turf together begin to break down and a rupturing in the turf occurs. This creates a dangerous and inconvenient situation that not only ruins the look and function of a synthetic lawn, but adds a risk of injury as well. The ruptured seam will create a lift or uneven area in the turf, creating a situation where people could easily trip and fall on the ruptured seam. The best synthetic turfs will have strong seams with extra rupturing protection.
UV Breakdown
UV rays created by the sun can not only fade the color and harm the look of the grass, but it can also break down the resin that holds the turf together. This turf breakdown can lead to the fibers of the grass coming loose, creating bald patches in a turfed area as well as uneven ground. Great synthetic turf will have UV protectant in the resin used to hold the turf together, as well as the fibers itself to stop from discoloration, in order to avoid this UV breakdown problem.
High Lead Content
Some types of synthetic turf are found to have high levels of lead, which poses a dangerous risk to any person or animal who comes into contact with the synthetic grass. Exposure to lead is dangerous to personal health, and after a person comes into content with high lead content synthetic grass it is recommended that they wash their hands and avoid consuming foods while enjoying time on the turf. It is also recommended that these high lead content types of turf are cleaned often to avoid lead dust being created and put into the air in and around the field. Great synthetic turf will be made with very little to no lead, to avoid the problems associated with lead exposure.
Over Fibrillation
Over fibrillation can cause a synthetic turf area to shed its fibers, causing to break down much faster than intended. This can lead to costly repairs and an artificial lawn or field area that does not withstand the tests of time or hard wear. One of the many benefits of synthetic turf is its durability compared to natural grasses, but over fibrillation will cause synthetic turf to become significantly more fragile. A well-made synthetic turf will not have these problems, as it will be perfectly fibrillated to ensure a maximum life span.
Poor Tuft Bind
A poor tuft bind can cause the fibers in artificial turf to come loose and fall out, leading to bald spots and a breakdown in the turf itself. A person can see when they have a poor tuft bind in their artificial turf when the fibers that create the synthetic grass begin to come loose from their base, and start falling out from the base of the turf itself. The best synthetic turfs will have a strong tuft bind that keeps the fibers in place exactly as they should be for the duration of the turf’s life.
Dimensional Instability
Dimensional instability is what occurs when synthetic turfs begin to expand and contract along with the temperature of an area, and this can create warping in the turf as well as seam rupturing. “Line dancing”, particularly in synthetic turf sports fields, is one way a person can tell that their turf is experiencing dimensional instability, as the lines on the field will show how the turf is beginning to warp. Dimensionally stable backing materials can prevent these problems from occurring, and the best synthetic turfs will have high quality backing to ensure the turf will last through all seasons of the year.
Opting for a higher quality synthetic turf will help a person to avoid these common problems that are often experienced with installed synthetic turfs and grasses, as the materials that make up the turf will often determine the span of their lives. Synthetic turf has many benefits, but these benefits may not be reaped if the turf itself is made poorly. By choosing a high quality synthetic turf, a person can eliminate the problems while still enjoying all the benefits that synthetic turfs have to offer.