November 08, 2022

Many Vancouver residents love artificial turf because of its ability to withstand extreme weather and emerge from winter looking perfect. You won’t have to stress out about frost harming your turf, but there are some steps to complete during winter to make sure your synthetic grass is in its finest shape for spring. Read further to learn more.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Let’s get the ball rolling with a few of the most frequently asked questions we receive as we install synthetic turf in Vancouver. Specifically, questions about caring for your grass in the winter season.

WHAT DOES SNOW DO TO SYNTHETIC GRASS?

Snow shouldn’t have a major influence on your synthetic grass. It’s entirely okay to walk or play on it if there is a covering of snow. The blades may lay down with the weight of the snow, but it usually springs back up naturally or, in some rare scenarios, with a little additional help from a power broom. Snow will not change the color or damage the artificial yard.

WILL FROST HURT MY SYNTHETIC GRASS?

No, frost won’t harm artificial grass. But each turf blades do experience freezing in intense cold, walking on the turf through the winter would not cause any problems. Once spring rolls around and there’s no further risk of frost, you can use a strong broom to get it back to life.

DO I HAVE TO COVER MY SYNTHETIC GRASS?

You don’t have to cover your grass, but you absolutely can if an abnormally rough winter is anticipated in Vancouver. Just bear in mind that you don’t have to cover sections that are being used because snow might make tarps slippery and hazardous to walk on.

CAN I SHOVEL SNOW OFF ARTIFICIAL TURF?

No, you should avoid shoveling snow off of your artificial grass except when completely necessary. If you must clean a path, choose a handheld blower to get rid of any debris or snow.

CAN I USE SALT OR ICE MELT ON MY GRASS?

You must under no circumstances use any ice melt salt on your synthetic turf. Salt can plug up the holes in the backing system and negatively affect your lawn’s drainage ability. The corrosive salt and chemicals can also react the backing system, causing turf blades which start to pull away from the backing. We strongly suggest you to let snow melt naturally for the perfect results.

WILL SNOW MELT FASTER ON SYNTHETIC TURF?

Synthetic grass surfaces can be warmer compared to regular grass, that means that a couple of inches of snow will melt faster than it would on regular turf. Because synthetic turf is equally distributed, it enables improved aeration to hasten the snow-melting process.

DOES SYNTHETIC TURF GET ICY?

Not really, however, like regular grass, some artificial surfaces can get slippery when ice forms. Thus, you must use the same caution you do stepping on any wintery surface, especially if Vancouver has been experiencing freezing rain.

WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE PRIOR TO SNOWFALL?

You should definitely do a rigorous autumn maintenance routine before any snowfall. Eliminating natural things like leaves, branches, etc., are crucial. You can learn more about our complete walkthrough for cleaning your synthetic grass to get particulars on what to do. Performing Southwest Greens maintenance in the spring is always a great time, making sure your turf is prepared for the warmer months to come.