Indoor Uses for Artificial Turf
Artificial turf is quickly becoming the green, eco-friendly alternative to real grass. With so many green benefits artificial turf can provide homeowners and business owners alike, it has become one of the most popular green options for landscaping among homeowners in America.
However, artificial turf is not just used outdoors! It also serves as an ideal solution for homes and businesses that need indoor applications that could be completed with astroturf flooring materials. Before discussing the application areas for indoor turf, it's important to understand what turf is and how it functions.
What is Artificial Turf?
Artificial turf is made of fibers that are knitted or woven together in non-abrasive, soft piles that offer the aesthetic beauty of real grass without requiring watering or mowing. Synthetic turf can be installed indoors and outdoors, though it's most often used for outdoor applications where maintenance is not practical. Some common uses include:
- Golf courses
- Racing tracks
- Athletic fields
- Dog parks
- School grounds
- Residential backyards
- Indoor Uses for Artificial Turf
While artificial turf might seem like a new idea to many homeowners, it has actually been around since the 1950s! The original application areas were on large playing fields, but indoor applications are becoming more popular as designers discover the benefits of artificial turf indoors! The top 6 indoor areas that artificial turf is most commonly installed in are:
1) Children's Play Areas
Artificial turf is the #1 choice of play surfaces for children's indoor play areas. This is not surprising since kids can fall down on this material, crawl over it, roll around in it, and play without getting themselves dirty or mopping up dirt on their hands and faces that they track into the carpets. The material is a popular option that offers options for both synthetic grass flooring as well as in fields with infill structures to provide added tumbling protection.
2) Exercise Rooms
The carpeting you might find in your average exercise room is made of coarse fibers that are designed to soak up water so that your feet do not slip when you run or walk on them, but these same features also make them difficult to clean. A popular application for artificial turf in the exercise room is an alternative flooring option that does not absorb water but is still gentle on the knees and joints during high-impact activities.
3) Pool Areas
Artificial turf is frequently used outdoors in pool areas because it covers the surface where children are most likely to spill or drop things that could damage pool surfaces if they were allowed to fall through unfiltered water. Artificial grass installed in pool areas has all of the benefits of synthetic grass indoors, without any of the fear of items being dropped accidentally through the material.
4) Home Theater Rooms
Home theaters are another place where carpeting can be problematic since they are so close to your front door, and having dirt and dust tracked in during your visit is highly likely. Once again, artificial turf provides a solution for this problem, particularly if you have the type of artificial grass that can be hosed down and is moisture resistant.
5) Dog Areas
A popular design choice for dog areas is to use synthetic turf as the flooring material so that dogs can go out and run around on their favorite patch of green grass whenever they want! This also cuts down on messes throughout the house since moist paw prints don't stick to the plastic grass! Dogs that spend time outdoors need to be allowed access to an indoor area where they can rest and sleep without getting dirty or tangled up in outdoor soil and debris.
6) Kitchen Areas
Artificial turf can be used indoors to provide a durable, easy-to-clean flooring option in wet areas that are susceptible to spills and clogs. The material is non-absorbent, so it's very easy to clean up any messes that might happen on it - just use a broom or mop to remove the debris! This same high level of durability helps keep your feet dry as you go about your daily tasks.
Final Thoughts
Artificial turf can be used indoors in many different ways to improve the aesthetic of your space. By choosing artificial turf, you are not only choosing an environmentally friendly product that will help to save water and reduce greenhouse gases, but you are also choosing a durable flooring material that is easy to clean, safe for kids and pets, and extremely comfortable underfoot!
If you are ready to learn more about turf options for your indoor space, reach out to Artificial Grass Anaheim for your free consultation today.