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How is Artificial Turf Made? Our Formula Revealed. Really.

By Courts & Greens - January 15th, 2020 in Service, Main Service, Turf

artificial turf

How Artificial Turf Is Made | By Courts and Greens

Artificial turf has become a popular choice in transforming just about any space. Whether you have a large, open space in front of your property or a small backyard, you can install artificial grass and convert these areas into a luscious green haven in no time. In fact, artificial turf is increasingly preferred over real grass.

Back in time, the use of artificial grass was mainly for sports arenas, stadiums, and sports fields. But, today, it’s widely used in homes, outside office buildings, kids’ playgrounds, and a plethora of other applications. Artificial turf is well-admired due to its maintenance-free design that requires little to no water. So if your yard is always in the shade or the terrain makes it difficult to grow real grass, then artificial grass might just be your ideal solution.

Are you curious about artificial grass? Below, we’ll break it down for you.

Artificial Grass Concept, Its Origins, and Its Evolution

Artificial grass was first introduced in the 1960s. Back then, the manufacturing process was similar to the process used to make carpets. Over the years, technological advancements and innovations have revolutionized the process of manufacturing artificial grass.

Today, we use high-quality materials and superior technology to make artificial turf that looks and feels just like the “real” grass. The turf is UV resistant and chemical-free. And it also helps save water and money while keeping your lawn green all year round.

Now, let’s take a look at what artificial grass is actually made from.

What Is Artificial Turf Made Of?

Since your feet, paws, and claws frequently run over the turf, it faces constant abrasion. Although artificial turf can withstand high temperatures and exposure to UV rays, the quality of the artificial grass is paramount for efficient performance.

For this reason, our design focuses on high durability and comes with a 16-year warranty.

Our artificial turf comprises of grass blades, a thatch layer, the primary turf backing, secondary backing  We use the following three synthetic materials to manufacture artificial grass;

  1. Yarn/Blade is Polyethylene C8 grade
  2. Thatch is polypropylene  C8 grade
  3. Primary Backing is Doble Polypropylene cloth
  4. Secondary backing is Urethane

Grass Blades

We use polyethylene or nylon to make the grass blades. Since polyethylene is gentle on the skin and durable, it is often preferred for grass blades. Remember, polyethylene is the plastic used to make poly bags, bottles, etc.

Polyethylene is usually available in solid form. We melt it and mix with colors to give it the characteristic lush green color of grass. We also add other special agents to make it UV resistant so that it doesn’t discolor when exposed to the elements. Our PE is C8 grade

Alternatively, we extrude thin nylon sheets using molds to make long fine fibers in any shape or size. The high-quality nylon grass blades are very close to the “real” thing.

Thatch Layer

Polypropylene is long-lasting and very resilient. But, since it is harsher, we prefer to use it to make the thatch layer. The thatch layer provides support and cushioning to the artificial turf.

Turf Backing

We use polypropylene and urethane to make the turf backing. And then we add the grass blades onto the turf with the help of a tufting machine. Turfing secures the grass blades and thatch together.

Cushioning

When cushioning is required it is usually made from a polyester foam or rubber base. And the base may be made from recycled plastic or rubber. We use high-quality materials for the top fabric panels and threads. This reinforces the quality and durability of the artificial turf.

Now that you know what goes into making your artificial turf, it’s time to understand how artificial grass is made. We know the details of the manufacturing process may be a little overwhelming for the regular readers, but we’ll try to keep it simple for you.

How Artificial Grass Is Made

We already know that tufting the artificial grass makes use of the same techniques used to make carpets. The fundamental difference is in the raw materials used. While we use threads to make carpets, artificial grass requires polyethylene or nylon fibers.

We can make the grass in different shapes and sizes. You can use the mold of your choices based on whether you want long fine oval fibers or short narrow rounded fibers.

Yes, we can customize your artificial turf based on your design, purpose, and choice! It’s that simple and convenient.

Don’t believe us? Here is our detailed manufacturing process.

We begin by feeding all the raw materials used to make the grass blades into the hopper.

Then, we add dyes that give the grass blades their characteristic green color. And we also add other special agents to make the artificial grass UV resistant so that it doesn’t discolor under prolonged exposure to the sun.

Once the batch is thoroughly mixed, we transfer it to a steel mixer, where it’s blended until it turns into a liquid with a thick consistency.

An extruder converts this thick liquid into long thin strands.

Place these strands on a carding machine that spins them into a loose rope. We pull and straighten these ropes to make yarns on large spools. Heat the yarn to give it a twisted shape.

Place the yarn on a reel in the tufting machine. A tube then feeds the yarn to the tufting needle as it pierces the artificial turf backing in loops similar to a stitching pattern. Repeat this process until all the backing is covered in rows of stitches, at which point, we can deem the artificial grass carpet is ready.

Spread a urethane coating on the underside of this artificial grass carpet. We coat another backing with  polypropylene And then roll and seal the grass carpet and this backing together. Place the artificial lawn under heat lamps to cure the latex.

Finally, we feed the artificial grass carpet to a machine that trims any extra length of grass fibers. Roll the carpet and it’s ready for installation in your backyard.

Artificial Grass Installation

And now that you know how artificial grass is made, it’s time to give your property a makeover with Courts and Greens. We offer artificial turf installation for commercial and residential properties. If you have any more questions on artificial grass, check out our all-inclusive synthetic turf guide.

Call Courts and Greens Today To Get Your Free Consultation

At Courts and Greens, we help you plan, finance, and build the lawn of your dreams! Furthermore, we provide customized solutions to fit your needs and achieve your vision. Call us today at (661) 585-4602 to avail your free consultation!