New Homes & Lifestyles

Unnatural Beauty - Maintenance-free and water-conservation friendly, more homeowners are choosing synthetic turf.

When many people think about synthetic grass, one of the first images to pop into their mind is the backyard of Mike and Carol Brady, the infamous couple of perfection from the 1970s TV show, The Brady Bunch. Some may think of the Astroturf their favorite NFL team plays on every Sunday. Others may even think of the lime green outdoor carpeting many of our parents or grandparents had on their front porch to add color and the look of grass to their home. Synthetic grass has made leaps and bounds since the early days of its conception. Homeowners who are unsure if they have seen today's synthetic grasses would probably be surprised to know that they most likely have some installed within their own neighborhood.

The synthetic turf industry has been on an extreme upswing in the last several years. More homeowners, as well as homebuilders, are finding a variety of uses for synthetic grasses in backyards, and community centers. There are three main reasons for the significant growth in the synthetic turf industry, especially in areas like Arizona.

First, real grass is very difficult to grow and maintain in areas with extreme temperatures. Secondly, water conservation is becoming vitally important to the state of Arizona, and with the popularity of synthetic grass increasing, homeowners can contribute to water conservation on a firsthand basis. Lastly, real grasses need significant care and maintenance, so homeowners often spend large amounts of money to sustain a perfect yard. Surprising to many, synthetic grasses will actually save homeowners money long before the life of the turf expires.

While the luscious green look and the water conservation are extremely important facets of synthetic grass, homeowners are shifting to synthetics more and more because it affects their bottom line. According to an Arizona city government, a conservative estimate for maintaining a natural lawn area is 15 cents per square foot per month. This includes the watering and general grass maintenance. Assuming a lawn is 1,000 square feet, installing synthetic turf instead of natural grass would pay for itself in just over 4 years. With 8-year synthetic turf warranties, many homeowners quickly see the return on their investment.

As many Arizona homeowners are painfully aware, growing and maintaining grass in the desert can be a time-consuming and difficult task. Even with proper care and maintenance, lawns burn out, grow in patches or are at the mercy of climate changes to thrive as intended. With synthetic grass, lawns appear luscious and green all year round with practically no maintenance. Also, with over half of household water consumption going into our landscapes, synthetic grasses can dramatically reduce water use without sacrificing the look and feel of grass many desire for their homes.

Better than Ever
Synthetic grasses have undergone extensive improvements in the past several years. With advancements in backing, fiber length and aesthetics, new synthetic materials are drawing more attention from both homebuilders and homeowners. One new product, EnvyLawn(TM) from Challenger Industries, is a prime example of synthetic grass advancements.

EnvyLawn is manufactured with a Duraflo backing that allows full drainage. This is very important for homeowners with pets. It is an advantage in any installation, providing needed drainage during monsoon rains. Other recent product enhancements include new fiber lengths, and natural appearances that are dramatic product improvements. The polyethylene material from which the turf is manufactured now comes in different fiber lengths replicating the look of natural bluegrass, rye or Bermuda to perfection.

Beyond improvements to synthetic lawn products themselves, there have been many advances in synthetic golf green design and installation technology. Southwest Greens, the U.S. leader in synthetic putting greens and lawns, teamed up with Nicklaus Design to provide golfers with a professionally designed backyard golf amenity. There have also been numerous improvements to the installation methods and products used to install synthetic putting greens and lawns, which has tremendously increased the look and longevity of the final product. Whether it's a backyard lawn to complement the pool and patio landscape, a play area for pets or kids, or a putting green for extra practice, low maintenance, water-conservation friendly synthetic grass has more advantages than ever.

Brad Rein, President of Southwest Greens, has played a major role in the development of the synthetic turf industry.