There’s nothing like fresh air and the great outdoors to inspire active fun. That’s true for kids, adults and furry family members alike. Part of making outdoor activity so much fun is having a clean, enjoyable place to do it. Synthetic turf for playgrounds, dog parks and recreation areas offers many benefits to everyone who enjoys those areas. Artificial grass is worth considering if you’re looking for a new way to cover recreational surfaces with a long-lasting product. 

There are so many advantages of artificial turf that could make it the right choice for your upcoming project. Here are 13 to consider.

1. Soft, Compliant Surface Under Play Equipment
2. Fewer Scraped Knees
3. Accessibility for All People
4. Cleaner Play Environment
5. Reduced Maintenance Work
6. Lower Maintenance Cost
7. Material Durability
8. Resistance to Weather Elements
9. Aesthetically Pleasing With a Natural Look and Feel
10. Customization Options
11. Environmentally Friendly
12. Exceptional Drainage
13. No Holes or Worn Areas

1. Soft, Compliant Artificial Grass for School Playground

Public playgrounds must meet requirements to minimize the risk and severity of injuries with falls. The choice in ground cover is a huge part of meeting those requirements and keeping everyone who uses the equipment a little bit safer. 

Ideal ground cover absorbs the shock of a fall to lessen the impact. Based on those requirements, natural grass is not an acceptable ground cover under playground equipment. It’s too hard and doesn’t absorb the shock of falls, which can lead to more severe injuries. Artificial turf for playgrounds helps you meet ATSM safety requirements when installed adequately without giving up the natural look of grass. It offers a cushiony spring to it to help absorb shock and potentially minimize the severity of fall injuries. 

Wood chips, sand and other loose ground cover meet safety requirements when applied in a thick layer. However, the loose quality of those coverings means they won’t necessarily stay in place. Over time, the material can become compacted, blow away or get pushed around by kids playing with it. Although, there are accessory products such as Zeager Tuffmats to reduce these problems.That means you could end up with very thin coverage areas that don’t provide the cushioning shock absorption you need to keep kids safer on the playground. Artificial grass solves that problem since it stays in place and doesn’t become compacted.

RecBase synthetic grass from Zeager is a safe option for outdoor playground cover. It is certified by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) for a critical fall height of 8 feet, which is the maximum height at which the surface can meet impact attenuation performance requirements as established by ASTM. In other words, the surface should be safe for equipment no higher than the critical fall height. However, that doesn’t mean the fall won’t injure a child. Injuries like broken bones can still happen even when proper surfacing is installed. However, adequate surfacing does significantly cut down on the chance of a life-threatening head injury.

2. Fewer Scraped Knees

Fall injuries aren’t the only ways kids get hurt on the playground. Scrapes and cuts on coarse sand  or other rough surfaces can quickly ruin an otherwise fun trip to the park. Artificial playground grass is easier on the skin than wood chips, gravel or other filler commonly used under playground equipment. It’s soft and feels very similar to regular grass, so kids won’t end up with scraped knees and elbows if they trip and fall onto it. 

Plus, kids can roll around and play on the artificial grass without getting pieces on their skin or feeling itchy. Artificial turf also puts less stress on the joints when kids or pets run and play on the surface.

3. Accessibility for All People

An inclusive playground creates a sense of community around your recreational area and gives everyone in the area a chance to play and have fun. 

Regular grass, rubber mulch and other recreational ground covers are often bumpy and uneven. That means someone in a wheelchair or who uses other mobility aids may have difficulty accessing those areas. Artificial turf is an ideal solution when designing an accessible playground or recreation area that’s intended for people of all abilities. Young kids who may have difficulty balancing or walking on uneven surfaces also benefit from the flat surface of artificial grass. You end up with an ADA-compliant playground that promotes togetherness.

4. Cleaner Play Environment

Playground artificial grass lets kids enjoy the great outdoors without being covered in it. Unlike regular grass, artificial grass enables you to play without the messy mud and dirt when you roll around on it. Even ground cover recycled tires and sand leave kids covered in dirt and grime, and parents often worry about young kids putting these materials in their mouths. You also cut down on grass stains and dirt stains on clothing. Kids can play how they want without getting messy, and you eliminate puddles that can result in soaking wet and muddy clothing. Plus, you can easily clean up anything that does get on the grass.

The clean factor is also useful in areas where pets play. Owners can bring their pets to the dog park knowing they won’t end up covered in mud. That makes for a much cleaner ride home without mud and paw prints all over the vehicle. Owners also don’t have to worry about loose fill getting stuck in their dogs’ paws and being drug in the car or into the home.

5. Reduced Maintenance Work

Regular grass takes a lot of work to maintain. On top of regular mowing, you need to fertilize the lawn regularly and treat weeds that grow. If you’re maintaining a public area, it can be challenging to find a time to safely do that maintenance without people in the area. If you run a daycare center or school, having a lawn care company handle the work may mean you have to change your plans to keep the kids off the outdoor play area. 

Depending on the weather conditions, you may need to water the grass to keep it looking green, which is a big undertaking in a large recreational area. Once installed, artificial turf is a very low-maintenance option. You can clean it occasionally, but you don’t have to worry about watering, mowing or weeding the area. You may need to pick up a few leaves and twigs, but otherwise, the maintenance is relatively low.

Wood chips and loose fill surfaces also require more maintenance than artificial turf. Because those materials can get blown away, they need to be replaced periodically. You may also have to rake the materials to keep them loose, prevent them from becoming compacted and spread the material out when it becomes uneven. Since artificial grass doesn’t move, you don’t have those issues to deal with.

6. Lower Maintenance Cost

Not only do you cut down on the maintenance workload, but you also cut costs when you choose artificial turf. After installation, you don’t need to worry about expensive maintenance routines. You can eliminate contracting out the lawn maintenance since you won’t have any. 

Turf surfaces clean up easily with a leaf blower, vacuum or water hose, so you can handle the work quickly and easily yourself. That cost savings can be huge for a municipal area working on a limited budget. Facilities such as daycare centers and dog boarding facilities can increase profits or reinvest money into the programs when they cut costs on lawn maintenance.

7. Material Durability

Playground artificial turf can take a lot of use without showing signs of wear. Our products are made of durable nylon fibers that can handle lots of use. Unlike real grass that often remains squashed after someone steps on it, the nylon fibers let the artificial grass spring back into an upright position. They’re also resistant to abrasion, so they look nice for longer. Synthetic grass typically lasts longer than other playground surfaces, including rubber bonded and pour-in-place surfaces. That means you can save money in the long run by investing in a long-lasting product.

8. Resistance to Weather Elements

Artificial turf holds up under a variety of weather conditions. Rubber surfaces are popular options to cover the ground under playsets, but they don’t always wear well. They can peel, crack, separate and fade due to weather elements, especially in hot summer temperatures with direct sunlight. Not only does that wear and tear make the covering less efficient, but it also makes the recreational area look run down. Swapping out those rubber surfaces for durable artificial grass spruces up the space to create an attractive play area kids want to use. 

9. Aesthetically Pleasing With a Natural Look and Feel

One of the benefits of natural playgrounds is the connection kids have with the earth. Artificial grass for playgrounds and other recreational areas maintains the natural aesthetic of the outdoors, so kids can feel connected to nature. Artificial turf has come a long way over the years. It looks very realistic with a similar color and texture as real grass blades.

Artificial grass can take a very unnatural-looking area and transform it into a lush green space. It’s a quick way to modify a space that is otherwise unused or doesn’t have quality soil to grow real grass. 

10. Customization Options

Getting a natural look is a big perk of going with artificial grass, but you don’t have to stick with green. With Zeager RecBase synthetic grass color options, you can get creative with how you design your outdoor space. The grass comes in different colors, including blue, black, red and white. You can cover an entire area in a bright color or work in multiple colors. You might choose one color for an outdoor play space at a daycare center where kids can run and play during the day. It makes the area appealing to young kids. You can also choose a color that matches your business branding or your school colors.

Another option is to use different colors to create designated areas. You might use one color for an area where kids play ball and another where they can play running games. Using different colors can also spark their imaginations. A narrow, winding strip of blue artificial grass can look like a river cutting through the green artificial grass. Kids can pretend they’re sailing down the river during outdoor playtime. It’s a fun way to customize your outdoor play space and encourage kids to play actively. 

11. Environmentally Friendly

Replacing real grass with synthetic grass can help you improve the green factor of your recreational area. Because it needs very little maintenance, artificial grass cuts down on the use of resources. You don’t need to use water to irrigate the grass, and it always looks green and healthy. You also cut down on gas used since you don’t have to mow or trim the grass. Plus, you eliminate all those chemical fertilizers and weed killers that would otherwise go into the environment.

12. Exceptional Drainage

Artificial grass surfaces let water and other liquids drain away quickly to keep the recreational area dry and free of puddles. That’s especially beneficial at a daycare center or school playground where wet, muddy conditions might keep kids from playing outdoors. Replacing existing ground coverings with artificial turf means the kids can go outside shortly after it rains without getting covered in mud or slipping on muddy spots. 

13. No Holes or Worn Areas

Kids and pets can be tough on real grass. Even adults tossing around a football or running on grass can do a number on the blades. Durable artificial turf holds up to all that wear, so you don’t get patchy areas. It’s a versatile surface that can handle everyone and every animal.

When used in a dog park, artificial turf helps to prevent holes that dogs might otherwise dig. You don’t have to worry about continually filling in the holes that dogs dig to avoid uneven surfaces. This surfacing option can also handle dog urine, which often burns the grass. Especially when dogs go to the bathroom in the same spot, the alkaline pH and high nitrogen levels in the urine cause the damage. With artificial grass, that grass burn is no longer an issue. The surface drains well, so the urine goes right through it. Plus, the ground cover won’t discolor or show staining, and you can wash it off easily.

Humans and pets alike tend to wear paths in the grass when they play or walk in the same areas repeatedly. Eventually, the grass may die in the most-used areas. The ground can become uneven with ruts forming, which becomes a tripping hazard. Replacing real grass with artificial eliminates that worry of worn or bare patches. It keeps the recreational area looking green and consistent without any unsightly worn areas. 

Where to Use Artificial Turf

Synthetic turf is useful for almost any recreational area. It’s safe for kids and pets, so it fits into many public recreation areas, as well as private businesses that cater to those populations. Anywhere you would typically use grass, you can use artificial turf. 

Depending on which type you choose and the base you use, some artificial turf products can also go under playground equipment. Always make sure the product is rated for the height of your equipment by measuring the highest point on the playground where kids could fall from to choose the correct material.

A few areas that work well for artificial turf include:

• Public playgrounds
• School playgrounds
• Daycare playgrounds or outdoor play spaces
• Green spaces in public parks
• Dog parks
• Outdoor play areas at a dog boarding facility
• Green spaces in an apartment complex
• Outdoor sports fields

Start on Your Artificial Turf Project Today

The benefits of artificial turf are plentiful, whether you’re creating a safer playground, renewing a green space or opening the first community dog park. Contact Zeager Bros. for additional information if you’re ready to enjoy the advantages of artificial grass. Looking for the best artificial grass for children’s play area? We’re a family-owned and operated business, and we understand the importance of using quality surfacing materials to create a safe, reliable, lasting play or recreation area. We look forward to helping you!