Does Artificial Grass Get Too Hot? What You Need To Know 

In The Beginning 

One of the prominent setbacks of the first generation of artificial grass was that it would get too hot. The temperatures would rise up so much that the grass became quite uncomfortable to use during these times. 

Considering that the earliest application of synthetic turf was in sporting fields, participants would complain so much and at that time, the only solution was to avoid game fixtures and all related events during such days.  People would miss out on using the artificial grass during those summer days just to avoid getting blisters or burns from the grass. It became such a big concern that the debate inadvertently took another direction, with calls for the ban h the use of artificial grass taking center stage. 

Present Day

Today, whether or not the synthetic turf gets too hot, and especially in the summer time is still debatable and is one of the questions that we frequently get asked here at Perth Artificial Grass.  Do the temperatures really rise? If yes, are there, if any, potential dangers associated with the increase in temperature? How high do these temperatures rise? Is there anything that can be done about the heating?

These are all legitimate questions, and particularly in a residential installation where kids and pets spend a lot of their time playing in the yard. The same goes for schools, recreational centers, stadia and other areas where the artificial grass is installed in playing grounds and people including students and patrons spend quite a bit of time engaging in their sporting activities.

Artificial Grass And Heat

For starters, does artificial grass get hot during sunny days? Yes, and there is no denying the fact that in this one regard, natural grass performs better because it stays cooler and all thanks to the water within it. 

 Artificial grass absorbs heat much like most materials out there, and as it does, it will get hot. However, thanks to advances in product technology, the material from which synthetic grass is made will absorb the heat, but definitely not so much that it will burn you.  You cannot compare this with what happens when surfaces made from concrete, asphalt, iron, stone and other materials otherwise described as heat sensible are exposed to direct sunlight or any other source of heat for a long time.

 Simply put, while synthetic grass is not as great as natural grass during hot sunny days, it is still a better alternative when compared to other materials. Again, the special emphasis always lies in the fact that no matter how hot it may get, the turf will definitely not burn you. 

Keeping Your Artificial Grass Cool During Hot Weather

As mentioned, while the temperatures may rise, it’s seldom so much that it becomes uncomfortable to use the synthetic grass. At Perth Artificial Grass, we supply and install artificial grass that has been specially designed for use in the hot Australian climate. We have not had our clients complain about the excessive rise in temperatures.

Should you feel that your faux grass has or may get too hot for comfort, there’s plenty that you can do instead of resigning yourself. Here are just a few helpful insights from our expert technical team

• Always Choose Top-Quality Grass

There are different grades of artificial grass in the market. Premier quality artificial grass will generally perform a lot better compared to the lower quality grass when it comes to how well and how fast the turf loses any absorbed heat. If you are looking to enjoy a cooler surface, then you may want to dig in a little deeper into your pocket and invest in the best quality of grass that there is in the market. 

• Pick your infill material carefully

Infill serves several purposes and your choice of material will have a significant impact on how well our synthetic grass performs in as far as cooling off. Crumb rubber absorbs heat more and tends to lose it more slowly. Other infill material options such as silica sand and durafill sand don’t absorb as much heat and tend to lose it faster, making them a better choice compared to crumb rubber.  

Ensure that you speak to your installer about available infill options and ask for professional advice in choosing which one is right for your artificial grass installation. 

• Don’t Shed The Natural Shade 

If you have trees around your lawn, you may be tempted to cut them down to avoid having to rake away the leaves every so often.  We recommend against doing that because the shade from the surrounding trees in your lawn will help keep the installed grass cooler during the summer.

• Provide Artificial Shading 

On the hottest of summer days when the temperatures are a bit too extreme and you still need to entertain in your garden, you can have an awning or canopy installed to provide some shading over your artificial grass lawn. 

Synthetic grass cools off quite fast once it is watered. It also helps that the grass drains rather fast without forming muddy spots. If you have a sprinkler, then just it on for a few moments and let your artificial grass soak in the water and cool down. In the place of a sprinkler system, you could also always just hose down the grass yourself. The amount of water you will need for cooling off the grass once in a while cannot compare to how much water you would need to keep natural grass looking green and lush. 

From manufacturing, right down to the installation, you cannot compare today’s artificial grass and how it performs in the summer heat with what was in the market in the early days. Forget the myths that you may have heard about artificial grass and heat, your artificial grass can and will stay cooler, even in the summer if you take into account the actionable insights mentioned above and pay attention to the quality of the grass that you invest in for your various applications.