Artificial Grass Information & Blog

The Purchase Green Blog shares our artificial grass information such as artificial grass installation, what is the best artificial grass, where to buy artificial grass, DIY artificial grass projects, events & more!

Astro turf? Artificial Grass? Fake Turf? Which one’s correct?

Astro turf, artificial grass, fake turf; what’s the difference? The term Astro Turf has in some ways become synonymous for artificial grass, specifically for sports field applications. Astro turf is actually the name of an artificial grass brand (sort of how Kleenex is a brand of tissue, but we still often say “pass me a Kleenex”). A lot of times, the term Astro Turf can conjure up images of fake looking, uncomfortable, carpet-burn causing surfaces like this one:

So, for that, and legal reasons, we really don’t use the term. But we know that many still do, so especially if you’re a contractor, some of your customers may use that term and its good to be able to clarify the exact meaning of the word.

Because of technological advancements in yarns, infills, and backing, the artificial grass industry has gone from looking like this:

To looking like this:

What are some of those innovations you may ask?

Cool Yarn:

Cool yarn is the term we use to describe a select number of our grasses that have been engineered such that they remain cooler than other varieties of artificial grass. Specifically, we design our cool yarn grasses to divert UV radiation from the shorter curled fibers where heat can be trapped. In many cases Cool Yarn grasses can produce temperature improvements of 10-20% relative to grasses with the highest heat retention rate.

Non-directional fibers:

Non-directional fibers were first developed for use on professional baseball fields in Japan and are an exceptional solution for high traffic area applications. Because of this, Purchase Green can offer superior performance for almost any application; landscapes, playgrounds, and sports fields.

Anti-static additives:

Grasses which have a tufted carbon fiber are called “anti-static” because the eliminate the static electricity that can build up between rubber and metal playground equipment, keeping kids safe from static shocks!

Suffice it to say, there is so much more to artificial grass than “Astro turf”.

So now, if a neighbor ever says, “Oh so you’ve got Astro turf in your yard“, you can confidently say “Nah, I’ve got Purchase Green in my yard”.

Grass Installs: 10 Gorgeous Lawns, awesome putting greens, and unique inspirations for you to check out.

Today we’re looking back at some artificial grass installs and are totally in awe of the beautiful, functional, and creative uses of artificial grass. Wanted to share some of the coolest; whether for landscapes, putting greens, training centers, or patios.

Purchase Green Murrieta did this sweet front yard using Zoysia.

This project was done by Instagram user @kqueen.dai. If you are looking to do a similar makeover on your patio, we’d recommend a grass with a short pile height: potentially a Playground Pro or a Southwestern Sod Sport.

This cool front yard was done by @am_landscape_construction, working with our San Diego store.

Purchase Green Phoenix coming through with the Vista Sport installation at Arizona State University.

@footballfactoryja posted this great shot of an artificial turf mini-soccer field. If you’re looking to put in a soccer (or any sport) surface, Playscape Pro would be a great choice!

Another Vista Sport Installation. This time on the Glendora Little League field, courtesy of Purchase Green San Dimas.

Great use of some unused space. This is a combo Emerald Putting green and Zoysia grass done by @turfrocks

Awesome front yard done by PG San Dimas using Fescue Supreme.

Great photo taken of backyard installation by @jcastro_nv

@_the_sweet_event had the great idea to use artificial grass as a centerpiece! Grabbing a remnant of Nature’s Sod Platinum will help tie any garden party together.

Let us know how we can help you turn your artificial grass inspirations into reality!

Artificial Grass and the MLS

Artificial Grass and the MLS. Is artificial grass suitable for top-level soccer teams?

We’re pretty big soccer fans here at Purchase Green! While our favorite teams are definitely all the local schools that have PG grass on their fields, we also enjoy supporting our nearby MLS clubs (Shout-out to the LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas, and Colorado Rapids).

Recently, our fellow soccer (football?) fans from across the pond at The Guardian published an article about artificial grass on soccer fields. (Check it out, it’s a good read). The article wonders whether Major League Soccer could ever hope to be considered a top football league while playing most of its games on artificial turf.

The Guardian mentions differences in ball behavior and injury concerns as the main reasons that artificial turf fields will never be considered equal to natural grass surfaces.

Well. As (admittedly) biased artificial grass aficionados, we certainly think that’s rubbish!…Or hogwash? Poppycock? (we’re not up on our British slang).

We just wanted to take the opportunity to remind readers that there’s no data showing that players are more prone to injury on artificial grass surfaces. In fact, the writer of the article even cites a study from 2013 that found players are safer and LESS likely to suffer injury on artificial grass.

We like to remind customers that any injury concerns are simply outdated stigmas that don’t take into account the incredible innovations and technological advancements made in the artificial grass industry.

Anti-static grasses and shock pads have gone a long way towards ensuring player safety on artificial grass surfaces. Anti-static additives ensure that grass does not cause pesky static shocks, while shock pads underneath the grass surface are and added layer of protection and padding. These innovations have made artificial grass safer and more pleasant to play on whether for small children on a playground, the JV soccer team, or your favorite MLS club.

Speaking of innovations; The Guardian mentions how differently a soccer ball plays and behaves on artificial grass.

Luckily, recent innovations, including non-directional fibers, have all but mitigated the differences in ball behavior. Non-directional fibers were first developed for professional baseball fields in Japan and ensures that balls bounce the same way they would on natural grass. They also help mitigate wear patterns, making them a perfect solution for sports fields and playgrounds.

Even the 2018 World Cup matches were played on artificial turf!

We appreciate soccer or football or footy, or however you say it, on any good-looking surface. Come to think of it, we’d take a game of soccer (or literally any sport) on absolutely any field at the moment.

Here’s to hoping we can get back to playing and watching the MLS AND the Premier League sometime soon. And thanks to our friends at The Guardian for inspiring this post!

Introducing New Putting Greens

Being stuck at home, while necessary, can certainly be unpleasant. We’ve felt that it would be considerably more pleasant with a backyard putting green, so we wanted to give you a heads up on the newest putting grasses that we are making available. Our newest grasses utilize advancements in backing and material technology that allow for lighter, more flexible grasses while still maintaining superior product performance and tuft bind. You’ll see less degradation over the course of your grass’s lifetime, and it will be ready to stand up to even heavy use.

Whether it’s a putting green, bocce ball court, or batting cage you’re looking to install: Our newest grasses will be the solution.

Birdie Pro

If you’re a fan of sinking birdies; then boy, do we have the putting green for you. We’re proud to introduce Birdie Pro as one of our newest greens. It stands 14mm (.55in) high and is made from texturized polyethylene. It’s Triple layer primary backing and Green latex secondary backing make it a sturdy and attractive grass that will be perfect for any putting green, bocce ball, or batting cage application.

PG Tour

PG Tour is our first 100% American-made Putting Green. As American as Augusta, Pebble Beach, and apple pie. PG Tour features propriety ArmorLoc and Silverback backing technology that uses chemical properties to bind the yarn, resulting in an 88% higher tuft bind than traditional backing materials. This will help maximize the life and performance of the product and reduce the amount of degradation in the grass.

Your golf game may not have you on par for the PGA tour yet, but you can bring the PG TOUR right to your backyard.

We’re all dreaming about that first day back on the course, but you can make the meantime go by a little quicker (and keep your short game sharp) with either Birdie Pro or PG Tour in your backyard.

Looking to DIY and install yourself? We have all the information you need on our DIY page.

Three NEW Play Series Grasses! | Playscape Launch

The past few weeks have been challenging for all. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to be operational. But more than just being operational, we’re moving forward with launching an entire new line of playground grasses. (We have a feeling that a brand-new playground in the backyard may be just the ticket to cure some of that cabin fever we’re all dealing with).

The Play Series

All the grasses in the Play series feature our non-directional Willow yarn which eliminates traditional wear patterns and any worry about seam direction. When working with a directional yarn, you must be careful to ensure that all the grass is facing the same direction, or you’ll end up with a variance in color between the separate rolls of grass. If you’re dealing with an odd shaped area, this can quickly become a headache. With Playscape’s non-directional yarn, the entire surface will look uniform no matter which way its facing. Whether you’re doing a large playground installation or DIYing your backyard, that’s one less thing to worry about!

Playscape

Playscape Playground Grass

We’re proud to introduce our Playscape grass. Innovative and original, it is a grass designed for 21st century play spaces. By combining both rigid and softer yarns, we’ve created a grass that is durable as well as flexible, meaning it will stand up to years of high traffic play, while also being a comfortable surface for children to run, jump, and even fall on. A newly developed anti-static additive to the grass will keep kids safe from any pesky shocks, even when contacting metal playground equipment. Weighing in with a 55oz face weight, and standing 40mm (1.6in) tall, Playscape offers superior fiber strength and a strong tuft bind which will reduce the amount of degradation that occurs over the product’s life.

Playscape Playground grass

Is this a grass that’s only meant for children? Certainly not! While being a perfect surface for playgrounds and competitive sports fields, we also kept our four-legged friends in mind when designing Playscape. It’s anti-microbial, which will eliminate any odors left by pets, and features a fully permeable, proprietary, acrylic backing. This results in Playscape draining much faster than grasses with traditional SBR or PU backings and allows for it to be completely recycled.

Easy to install? You bet. The non-directional willow yarn makes worrying about seam direction a thing of the past.

Playscape PRO

Playscape Pro Playground Grass

Playscape Pro retains all the technological advancements of Playscape in a heftier package. With a 78oz face weight, Playscape Pro can handle truly anything you throw it at, while still being flexible, totally permeable, and recyclable. You’ll still find all the features that mark a Playscape grass: it’s anti-microbial, anti-static, and includes superior fiber strength with a strong-tuft bind. Playscape Pro is specifically designed for the customer that wants superior performance in a non-directional fiber.

Perennial Green

Perennial Green Grass

Perennial Green is another new member of our Play series that is a tremendous option for your playground needs. Slightly taller than the Playscapes, its non-directional willow fibers stand 60mm (2.4inches) tall. Like the other Playscape grasses, its fully permeable and anti-microbial, making it perfect for use by kids, athletes, and pets!

Playground PRO

Playground Pro Grass

Playground PRO is a mainstay in the Purchase Green stable, and long been the standard bearer for Playground grasses. As always, it is still available in traditional green, as well as brick-red and white coloring.

Please contact your local Purchase Green store for questions about how we’re handling social distancing guidelines and on best practices for ordering, picking up, or having your product delivered.

What We CAN Do | COVID Protocols Update

To our valued customers and associates:

Purchase Green’s highest priority is the health and safety of our team, our customers, and the communities we serve during this difficult time. Purchase Green operates two dozen locations in 5 states under differing health orders and government restrictions. In an effort to ensure the safety of our employees while serving our customers and communities, working in compliance with local restrictions and striving to be good citizens, we are adjusting a few in-store and on-site protocols.

Payment Processing and Receiving Materials

We are processing orders and taking payment either over the phone or via our website. For customers that would like to pay via cash or check – funds can be deposited directly into our bank account at a local Wells Fargo or City National Bank branch. Unfortunately we are not able to take cash or check payments at the store. For specific guidance on cash and check payments, reach out to your local Purchase Green store.

Product can be will-called by appointment and deliveries are available via 3rd party carrier. Select locations will continue to offer local curbside delivery, though this will vary from store to store so as to adhere to local regulations. Please feel free to call your local Purchase Green store for location specific delivery options. At locations where local delivery is still an available option please note our team members will diligently maintain required social distancing and we ask that you work with us to do the same. For will-calls we ask customers to remain in their vehicle to the maximum extent possible and again, help us to maintain appropriate social distancing.

Estimates and Installations

As a result of differing local regulations, specific options will vary by location; although, in general, on-site measurements/estimates can still be scheduled. To the maximum extent possible, we will utilize various digital platforms to remotely capture approximate dimensions for the size and scope of your project and provide an approximate price range on material and labor. If, based upon this information, you would like a precise site measurement and proposal, we will schedule your on-site estimate.

You are not required to be present during our on-site visit; feel free to remain in your home or off-site. We simply ask that you leave necessary access points open for our team members and work with us to diligently maintain appropriate social distancing. We also always have the option to review the measure and proposal with you via video conference. Product samples can be left in designated areas and final proposals will be emailed within 1 business day.

In general, construction work is being completed as scheduled; and where allowed, new construction work continues to be added to our job calendar. To ensure your health & safety along with the health and safety of our team members, we ask that all necessary access points are open and staging areas left clear for tools and material. We ask that every reasonable effort is made to maintain appropriate social distancing. Additionally, if you have a question or comment at any point during the installation process, please feel free to communicate with our job supervisor via phone or email. An in-person chat is also acceptable under the assumption that we continue to exercise good social distancing habits.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of our locations if you have questions on how to proceed with a purchase or appointment. We’re happy to help! And our deepest thanks and appreciation for your understanding during these uncertain times. We’re grateful to continue to be a part of such supportive communities.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and be kind to others. We’ll get through this together.

Silica Sand | What You Should Know

Silica Sand is a form of infill used in many artificial grass installations and is often one of the most inexpensive options on the market. However, it comes with some major tradeoffs. If you’re considering using silica sand infill for your artificial turf project, there are a few things you need to know regarding silica sand’s potential health impacts and overall effectiveness. Let’s get into it.

What is Silica Sand?

Artificial grass almost always needs infill – a sand-like material that goes between the blades, helping the blades stand upright and preventing wrinkling over time. Silica sand is one of the most ubiquitous forms of infill for the simple reason that it’s inexpensive. How much less expensive? Compared to our premium infill, Herofill, selling at $22 per bag, our silica sand sells at just $8.50 per bag. Despite this, silica sand is not always a smart or healthy choice for your artificial grass. Let’s get into the question of health first.

Silica Sand Health Considerations

Silica sand is made out of – yep, you guessed it – silica. Silica, as you might know, is a carcinogen, meaning it has been shown to increase cancer risk in those exposed to it. That’s why products containing it often must display a California Proposition 65 warning label.

Silica Sand Proposition 65

For details on the presence of silica in infill see our Proposition 65 blog post.

In the case of silica sand, it’s only considered hazardous when it is stirred up to form dust and inhaled; something which most often occurs while it’s being installed. To minimize risk while installing silica sand, it’s best to wear a mask and periodically to spray down the sand with water as you go.

Proper Use of Silica Sand Infill

If all that seems pretty bad, you might be asking, “Is there any upside to silica sand?” It turns out it’s actually quite effective and safe in certain applications. Here’s what you should consider before determining whether to choose silica sand for your artificial grass project.

The two most important factors when it comes to silica sand infill is traffic level and traffic type. Silica sand performs best when paired with aesthetic-only applications, or applications with low frequency and intensity of foot traffic. Doing so results in:

Reduced potential for dust formation
Little or no matting from infill compaction

Silica sand is only known to create dust when disturbed. Thus, if your artificial grass won’t get walked on frequently, silica sand might work just fine. We see silica sand used in no-traffic aesthetic-only applications quite often and with great results.

Another benefit of pairing silica sand with aesthetic-only grass is avoiding compaction – a phenomena to which silica sand is particularly prone. Compaction is the compressing of the infill due to weight from above. If infill becomes tightly compressed it will no longer be able to perform its essential duties of supporting the grass blades, resulting in matting. While compaction can be easily reversed by giving your grass a brisk brooming, we think you’ll agree, it’s better to avoid this problem alltogether.

In summary, if your grass will get little or not foot traffic, silica sand might be the infill for you! Otherwise, we recommend checking out our line of non-toxic anti-odor and anti-microbial infills designed to suit a whole host of needs. As always, feel free to direct any questions you might have to our turf experts by giving us a call at 844-TURF-444 or by stopping by your local store!

How to Maintain Artificial Grass

Contents:
1. Preventative Measures for Easy Turf Maintenance
2. How to Get Rid of Weeds
3. How to Remove Pet-related Odors
4. Brushing to Remove Wear Patterns and Matting

Artificial grass is a great solution for those looking to reduce their time and money spent on landscape maintenance, and while turf is even sometimes marketed as “maintenance free”, the truth is that there are actually a few tips to keep in mind if you want your lawn in top condition for years to come.

1. Preventative Measures for Easy Turf Maintenance

Maintaining your artificial lawn is an easy task made even simpler when you’re sure to follow essential preventive measures, such as installing a weed barrier or applying a pre-emergent product before installing sub base to help prevent weed growth, as well as using sufficient amounts of an antifungal and anti-bacterial infill for areas with pets to prevent odor build-up – infills such as Purchase Green’s Mellowfill and Herofill.

2. How to Get Rid of Protruding Weeds

However, if weeds do protrude, we recommend using safe topical solutions that have a pH balance between five and nine, as required for the product warranty. Products such as Natria and BioAdvanced have solutions listed with pH balances between 6 and 8, but we advise reviewing their Safety Data Sheets (SDS) before purchasing. Nevertheless, the hard truth is that, given the right conditions or if your yard is prone to weeds, there’s a possibility that they will still grow. This won’t be the case for most, but for some it will.

3. How to Remove Pet-related Odors

If your yard happens to develop an odor from pet urine, Purchase Green’s Turf Bomb, an enzymatic deodorizer and disinfectant, is a non-toxic and hypo-allergenic topical solution made to remove odor build-up from turf. Turf Bomb comes in two sizes – a 32 oz bottle with a spray nozzle, and a one gallon replacement jug. 32 oz will cover approximately 1,500 square feet, and one gallon covers approximately 6,000 square feet. We recommend using Turf Bomb at least once every two weeks, but depending on the number of pets in the area or their size, you may need to apply Turf Bomb more frequently; and you will only need to spray the affected area, rather than the entire yard. Check out the above-linked product page for pricing, a comprehensive how-to and product FAQs.

4. Brushing to Remove Wear Patterns and Matting

Lastly, the most common maintenance need is brushing, which helps prevent matting patterns from forming over time due to heavy usage. Purchase Green’s Turf Broom has long nylon tines that can reach deep into artificial grass fibers, helping you to “freshen up” your lawn, or even as an installation tool to help apply infill between the grass blades. These nylon tines are important to distinguish because metal tines, very common in landscape rakes, are abrasive and will damage the turf. Moreover, certain fiber shapes will have a lower “memory” performance and can show matting patterns quicker than others, so we recommend brushing as often as you feel it’s necessary; though, for larger applications or areas with extra stubborn matted fibers, we suggest using a power broom to get the job done thoroughly and much faster. Purchase Green locations will have power brooms available for either purchasing or renting. If you’d like to learn more about artificial turf memory and the steps you can take to prevent matting, check out our informative video on the topic.

As you can see, artificial lawn maintenance is substantially less demanding than maintaining natural sod, and adhering to these preventative and proactive care tips will ensure a beautiful and long-lasting installation.

Statement on COVID-19

Dear Friends of Purchase Green,

We are monitoring the ever-changing situation due to the COVID-19 virus. We’re committed to the health and safety of our employees and our customers, and so we’ve made some temporary changes to how we do business at Purchase Green.

Our online store continues to be open 24/7, and our support center will remain open during our normal hours of 7am-6pm Mon-Fri and 8am-2pm on Saturday. We will still tentatively be able to fulfill and deliver any product orders, at most of our stores, as well as answer any questions you have. Most of our showrooms and stores remain open, and we have made some changes to help ensure everyone’s safety.

Our Showrooms and Offices

First, anyone who can work from home is doing so. We have dropped our store staffing at most locations to a 2-person team and are cleaning and disinfecting three times a day. You may notice some caution tape or partitions set up to help maintain social distancing between you and our employees. We’re not trying to be rude, but we want to ensure the safety and health of both you and Purchase Green staff.

We are following all recommendations from states and counties that are home to PG stores. In some instances, this means that our stores have closed their doors or altered their hours.

View information about specific store closures or schedule changes

Installations

The primary method of communication during installations will be over phone, email, or text. Our employees will not be coming to your door and asking to speak with you. If you have questions or concerns, please call your local store and they will be able to help. If in-person communication is required, we will always make sure to remain 6 feet away from you and we ask that you do the same. Our crews are mostly young and fit, but we feel that “social distancing” is the best recommended practice. We will certainly miss shaking hands with all our customers, but we realize that everyone’s health is most important.

In some instances, local requirements mean that we will have to delay installations.

More information about store installation policies

Estimates

Most of our stores are currently still able to run job site estimates. If you have an estimate scheduled, we will come to your door and knock to let you know that we’ve arrived. Please don’t feel obligated to answer the door or come outside and speak to us. We’ll complete your estimate and email you your proposal. We can leave samples outside your front door and answer questions you have on the phone later. If you are comfortable, you can feel free to come outside. We’ll lay the samples on the ground and can have discussions, but we will maintain the recommended 6′ of separation per the social distancing guidelines. Please don’t be offended that we don’t shake hands or hand you our business card, we will email you all our contact information.

Again, some store locations will not be running estimates

We are confident that these simple practices will allow our crews to continue to be Happy, Helpful, and Happy to help while keeping both you and them safe.

We thank you for your business and we are committed to delivery of your services as efficiently and safely as possible.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you still have any questions or concerns! We’d love to hear from you.

-Your friends at Purchase Green Artificial Grass

Further Information on COVID-19

Center For Disease Control’s website on Covid19

Purchase Green Affected Stores

In an effort to ensure the safety of our employees and customers, some store locations have closed or altered their hours.

The following showrooms are closed. These stores are still available to answer questions over the phone.

North Las Vegas, NV (The showroom is closed to walk-ins but we are taking phone calls and can arrange for transactions by appointment only. Preferred payment is over the phone).

San Fernando Valley, CA

South Orange County, CA