Outfitting your neighborhood playground with quality artificial turf

Every child should be given the opportunity to play every day, which is why neighborhood playgrounds are such a valuable asset in any community in Portland Oregon. However, many playgrounds still use concrete or large amounts of sand as the “flooring” of these playgrounds. If that perfectly describes your neighborhood’s playground, you may want to start an initiative to switch over to artificial turf.

At first thought, making the switch to artificial turf seems like an unnecessary expense. However, there is no denying that the numerous benefits that artificial turf provides is worth more than its weight in gold. Some of these benefits include:

BETTER SAFETY

Unlike sand or wood chips, artificial turf acts as a remarkable shock buffer. It isn’t uncommon to see children slip, trip, or fall while playing, so it’s a good idea to help reduce the impact as much as possible. Similarly, the smoother surface of artificial turf can help prevent scrapes and cuts along the knees, legs, and other areas of the body. Your installer may also include an extra safety pad underneath the artificial grass for even better shock absorption.

CHEMICAL-FREE OPTION

Playgrounds that use natural grass often need to be subjected to various chemicals to deter the growth of weeds and pests. Unfortunately, our children may be exposed to the residue left behind by these chemical sprays. As you can imagine, repeat and prolonged exposure to these chemicals may have a negative impact on a child’s health. Artificial grass does not attract pests due to the fact that they are made of recycled plastic. Additionally, the lack of soil also deters wed growth.

PLAYGROUND ACCESSIBILITY

Children who have mobility issues often find it difficult to enjoy themselves on playgrounds that feature wood chips or sand. This is especially true for children on wheelchairs or crutches. The smooth, yet solid, surface of artificial turf makes the area much easier for children with disabilities to move around the playground.

LESS MAINTENANCE COSTS

Eventually, sand and wood chips need to be refilled as these items can easily be blown away during a storm (or carried off inside a child’s shoe). Natural grass, on the other hand, requires regular watering and trimming. These maintenance issues are easily moot points when artificial turf is installed. As a result, the local homeowners association or whoever is in charge of playground upkeep can enjoy significant savings on water and maintenance.

AVOID MUD AND DIRT STAINS

After an entire afternoon at the playground, many children come home with a variety of dirt stains and caked mud on their clothes. It’s virtually unavoidable—unless you have artificial turf installed. Since the grass is not embedded in soil, children won’t pick up loose dirt or mud as they run around. As such, your children come home with relatively clean shoes and clothes. Every mother in the neighborhood will definitely thank you for that.

Artificial turf is easily accessible in Portland, especially when you choose to work with a respected landscaping service, like Portland Artificial Grass, that offers installation services. Not only does this assure everyone that the artificial turf is installed properly, but it also assures you that the artificial turf used is perfectly suited for playground use.

Sources:

Pros and Cons: Artificial Grass Versus a Live Lawn, gardenista.com
How to Lay Artificial Grass, popularmechanics.com