Do you have problems with mice, rats, raccoons, skunks, opossums, or other rodents and wild animals that like to visit your yard and home in the middle of the night? Many of these animals are scavengers looking for food, water, and shelter.
 Are you considering artificial grass installation, but are not sure whether ants, fleas, ticks, and other such bugs and pests will continue to be a problem? With natural grass, you spend hours planting grass seed, fertilizing, and watering to maintain a lush green yard.
 Synthetic grass has come a long way from when it was first developed back in the 1960s. There have been several scientific and technological advances made that are used today to produce high-quality, durable, and soft synthetic lawns for a variety of purposes.
 There are several benefits of getting a synthetic lawn installed for your home. It is a great covering that provides flexibility to suit your landscaping needs, such as pet grass for homes with pets or playground grass for homes with children.
Depending on how old you are, you may not remember a time before synthetic lawns. If you are older, you may remember back to the first use of artificial grass at the Houston Astrodome. Synthetic grass has come a long way, since it was first developed, to become the soft, lush, and beautiful-looking lawns we enjoy today. Artificial Grass the First Generation Back in the 1950s, The Ford Foundation was looking for a solution to provide an artificial grass solution for schools in major cities to encourage more physical fitness. Together with Chemstrand and Monsanto Industries, they were able to develop a nylon-based “Chemgrass.” Essentially, the first generation of synthetic grass was nylon carpeting that was colored green. It did not look like natural grass. Yet, it was useful for locations where natural grass could not easily be grown or maintained. The “Chemgrass” was first used at Moses Brown School in Providence, RI. Other schools tried out the new “Chemgrass,” as well, and the use of artificial grass started to gain exposure. In the mid-1960s, after the construction of the Houston Astrodome, it was discovered that using traditional grass was not possible, in part to the covered dome. Natural grass did not get sufficient sunlight and quickly died, leaving dry patches and dirt for the playing field. Initially, to make it appear like there was grass, the dirt was painted green. However, this did not last long. Eventually, “Chemgrass” was installed to give the stadium a grass-like appearance. Since the Astrodome was the first sports arena to use this new synthetic grass, the name was changed from “Chemgrass” to Astroturf after the Astrodome. In the late-1960s, other sports arenas had started to install Astroturf, as it was easier to maintain than natural grass. As time progressed into the 1970s, more and more sports stadiums were making the switch to Astroturf.  Artificial Grass the Second Generation In the 1970s, experiments with polypropylene tested whether this plastic could be used for synthetic grass. Eventually, the first polypropylene synthetic lawns started to appear in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Polypropylene was a more affordable solution to the nylon-based Astroturf. It used sand fill around the synthetic grass, which made the blades appear more natural. The artificial grass was also softer and provided better footing when used for sporting purposes. Polypropylene synthetic grass still looks fake and not as real as most hoped. Even though, it offered more flexibility because the plastic grass could be made into other colors besides green. Additionally, the new synthetic grass provided better-simulated ball-bouncing than the first generation. This allowed the grass to be adopted for use in other sports besides football, including field hockey, lacrosse, and tennis. Artificial Grass the Third Generation As we moved into the 1990s, another plastic called polyethylene was being experimented with as a viable and more realistic artificial grass solution. Polyethylene has been around since the 1930s and was already being used for a variety of plastic products. One of the benefits of polyethylene was that the fibers used to make the grass were longer. The plastic could be spun into an almost yarn-like fiber and then secured to the backing. The grass blades were spaced farther apart and secured using a yarn made from dead grass fibers. Due to this change, it made the grass blades feel softer and more natural to walk on. Polyethylene artificial grass also looked more like natural grass. Another benefit was the plastic absorbed color better and resisted UV-fading. Another major change was in the type of infill used with the third generation of synthetic grass. Initially, sand was still used. Yet, sand was not ideal for football and other sports. To remedy this problem, rubber granules were developed for the infill. These were mixed with the sand, initially, and provided a better surface that felt even softer. Eventually, granular rubber has become the only infill used since it could be made from recycled rubber materials like old tires. By switching and using only granular rubber for the infill, artificial grass became even softer. Thanks to the advances made during the third generation, it has allowed synthetic grass to be adapted for a wider range of purposes. It is being used for football fields, soccer fields, golf greens, playgrounds, and other sports and public areas. Even homeowners who want a lush-looking yard without the hassles of yard mowing and maintenance are switching to synthetic lawn solutions. Anyone can have a rich, green, and beautiful-looking yard year-round that will be the envy of the neighborhood.  How to Find the Best Artificial Turf Companies Artificial grass has improved over the years and offers the most realistic, natural grass look and feel today. It can be difficult to tell the difference between a synthetic lawn and a natural lawn. However, when you are looking for the best artificial turf companies, you do need to ask the right questions, including:
What Is the Process Used for Synthetic Lawn Installation? The general synthetic lawn installation process involves several steps as follows:
Keep in mind, this is just a general overview of the synthetic grass installation process. The exact process used could include additional steps and vary, based on the type of artificial lawn product selected.  At ForeverLawn Bellevue, we offer a wide range of solutions for a beautiful, stunning, soft, and lush yard that stays green year-round, as well as special-purpose synthetic grass products like our K9Grass®, GolfGreens™, SportsGrass®, SplashGrass, and Playground Grass products.
For further information about the different types of synthetic lawn products available for your Seattle-area home or business, please feel free to contact ForeverLawn Bellevue at 800-915-8873 today! We would be happy to discuss different synthetic lawn concepts and help you develop the perfect synthetic grass solution for your Seattle-area home or business.  If you are serious about playing golf, you need practice, time, and the resources to play. Installing an artificial golf green on your property can be the perfect solution to addressing all of these. A professional backyard putting green can include low-maintenance artificial grass, along with a fringe for practicing putting and chip shots, a tee box for longer swings, and even benches to accommodate your guests.
 ForeverLawn Bellevue supplies an artificial golf green product that can suit the needs of novice and professional golfers. Our artificial grass includes Tournament Green and Leisure Green, which requires less maintenance. What is the difference between using artificial grass versus practicing golfing on your natural grass lawn? In our golfer’s guide to artificial grass, we’ll start with the advantages of artificial grass as a backyard putting green.
 Having a backyard with a pool can make for many fun summer days. If you already have a pool or soon will, another aspect to consider will be the area which surrounds it. It’s essential that the area around your pool is beautiful but also durable and as safe as possible. Artificial grass offers a solution that meets all three criteria, and there are many ways to implement it.
 Who doesn’t love the look and feel of luscious green grass? With the growing popularity of artificial grass, people are finding that this product works great indoors just as well as it works outdoors. Artificial grass is versatile and is a hassle and mess-free solution, and it can be a great accent inside any home.
 A dog’s day isn’t complete until he has the opportunity to romp and run around in the grass, but, as the owner of a four-legged friend, you know just how much damage your dog can do to traditional grass. By making the switch to artificial grass, you can reduce your lawn maintenance needs while offering your dog a lawn that he is sure to love.
|