While often used interchangeably, the terms “AstroTurf” and “artificial grass” both seem to refer to fake grass, but do you know what is the difference?

What is Astroturf?

For many years, Astroturf was synonymous with fake grass, often cheap, plastic looking grass, used on primarily on sports courts. In reality, AstroTurf is actually a brand name, much like a “Kleenex” is actually just a brand name for tissues, or “Dyson”  and “Hoover” are brand names for vacuums. AstroTurf originated in the USA in the 1960’s and was originally called “ChemGrass”. It was renamed after its first major installation in the Huston Astrodome, which was the first domed stadium and at the time an innovation of sporting architecture.

Nowadays, with phenomenal improvements in technology, the AstroTurf  brand has become a leader in synthetic sports fields and courts. In fact, many of AstroTurf’s subsidiary brands such as Synlawn are used here in Australia.

What is artificial grass?

Now that we know that AstroTurf is simply a brand of artificial grass. Hence, that means that terms like fake grass, synthetic turf and artificial lawn and artificial grass are all interchangeable. They cover all cover brands like AstroTurf, Urban Turf Solutions, Synlawn and many others. Surface Pro Group utilises Australian made artificial grass for both sports surfaces and landscaping such as for backyards and playgrounds.

Furthermore, there are subtle differences between the varieties of artificial grass. For example, sports grasses tend to have a lower pile height (they have shorter “blades” of grass). Whereas landscaping synthetic grass tends to have a longer pile height and will often have flecks of browns and yellow amongst the green to better imitate the look of natural grass.

You will find that higher quality synthetic grass will tend to favour the real look from a distance, and even up close, many people have to actually touch the synthetic lawn to be sure if it is real or not! There are many cheaper options of fake lawn, but these are often the ones you can spot from a mile away, for being the wrong green, or just too green. As in most things, with synthetic grass brands, you usually get what you pay for.

Reliable Synthetic Grass Solutions

Choosing the right synthetic turf is crucial. Consider the differences between artificial grass and natural grass. And if you are looking for high-quality synthetic lawn, the one to trust is Surface Pro Group. Get to know more about our surfacing products by giving us a call.