Artificial Field Turf vs. Natural Grass Sod Playfield Research

Posted by Carla Marie Boulianne Oct 9, 2008

How did the feature writer for Parenting a Gifted Child come to know so much about fake grass? I’m a scientist and research writer by training, so digging into primary literature on an unfamiliar topic is fun for me. When a local elementary school considered synthetic turf for a new playground, they asked me to review existing research.

I spent about 80 hours (probably more in all honesty) reading Pubmed archived research articles on plastic grass. I poured through manufacturer literature, websites, and county parks department reports. I contacted local wastewater management engineers, lawn care companies, and college recreation departments. I maintained a high standard for inclusion in the final comparison and recommendation, tossing out much of what I read as extremely biased or scientifically flawed. What resulted was a presentation and report loaded with footnotes that went to the board of trustees at the school.

The school’s decision on whether to install artificial turf or grass is irrelevant; each playing surface is preferable under different circumstances. The information gleaned from that volunteer consultancy is contained in this article series comparing artificial field turf and natural grass sporting grounds:

Artificial Turf and Natural Grass Lawn Prices: Compare Yard Landscaping Costs for Synthetic Grass and New Sod Lawns

Synthetic Grass Turf Lawn Maintenance: Artificial Field Turf Care and Management

Artificial Field Turf vs. Grass Playability: Does Synthetic Turf Outperform in Rainy, Snowy, and Hot Conditions?

Artificial Field Turf vs. Natural Grass Injuries: Sports Safety Concerns on Synthetic Football and Soccer Playfields

Artificial Field Turf vs. Natural Grass Safety: MRSA Infection and Heat Stress Risks on Synthetic Turf Football Fields

More research-based articles will follow on synthetic turf and environmental considerations. If field turf is your interest, subscribe to my article feeds so that you don’t miss future additions to this series.