Trains.com

Artificial Grass

8830 views
19 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Artificial Grass
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Monday, July 12, 2010 12:57 AM

I'm going to build a ball park behind the school as my next addition.  Does anyone have any experience with artificial grass that would be suitable for an outdoor ball park?

Thanks,

Rex

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: S.Easton , Mass.
  • 593 posts
Posted by smcgill on Monday, July 12, 2010 3:48 AM

No.

I did think of using it for a cover on a platform for my dogs.

Good luck.

Sean

Mischief

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: North, San Diego Co., CA
  • 3,092 posts
Posted by ttrigg on Monday, July 12, 2010 8:09 PM

Rex: If you are talking about "carpeting" that looks like scale grass, I got not idea. Just have one idea that might work. Next time you go by your local crafters shop have a look at the colored "bottle sand". It comes in a great variety of colors. If you have a "hard base" for the field, such as cement, then you could use diluted TightBond and glue the green sand in place as the grass and the tan/brown as the base lines. Just a thought.

I tried some small scale "grass carpet" and it lasted about three months. I’ve tried (or should say "Da Boss" tried) several very low growth ground covers that did not look good for more than about 3 weeks.

Tom Trigg

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 1,839 posts
Posted by Rene Schweitzer on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:54 AM
Rex, Are you looking for a living plant or anything artificial? There is a plant called living astro turf that looks like actual astro turf. It's hardy to about Zone 6--I tried growing it in my Zone 5 garden without success. Rene

Rene Schweitzer

Classic Toy Trains/Garden Railways/Model Railroader

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:13 PM

I'm looking for outdoor carpet to put over 1/4 minus granite.  I tried grass (sod) in the town park last year but it's not doing well under the shade of the pines plus it's a pain to hand clip.  Astro turf is pretty thick but it is an option although it looks fairly coarse.  I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with outdoor carpet?

Thanks,

Rex

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:25 PM

Tom,

The area I have for the ball park is roughly 170 sq ft.  That's a lot of "bottle sand"!  Right now I have light brown 1/4 minus crushed granit covering the area.  I'd like to put outdoor carpet down but I have no experience on what works and what doesn't.  The carpet would need to take our summer monsoons and winter snow.

Rex

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Shire Counties UK
  • 712 posts
Posted by two tone on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 11:12 AM

Hi Guys,   First you can not lay astro turf on chippings  you will need a good weed barrer IE plstic liner industral quality on top of that a good layer of sand min 2 inches then the plastic graas.     I hope this helps

                Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: North, San Diego Co., CA
  • 3,092 posts
Posted by ttrigg on Thursday, July 15, 2010 1:03 AM

Rex in Pinetop

Tom,

The area I have for the ball park is roughly 170 sq ft. That's a lot of "bottle sand"! Rex

WHOA! I was thinking you were going to build a scale little league ball field. Did not realize you were after a Major League Professional Stadium! Just had a scary thought. Change your plans from baseball to football and give the city of San Diego a call. The Chargers are looking for a new palace to play in.

Tom Trigg

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Thursday, July 15, 2010 11:34 AM

I've got the outfield fence put in and the carpet is purchased ($60 at Lowes).  Now I've got to figure out how to keep it in place.  Maybe my trusty frame nailer?

Rex

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 17 posts
Posted by JimC2 on Saturday, July 17, 2010 9:36 PM


Rex,

I am in Albuq and have about $4k worth of artificial grass surrounding my railroad.  It is on 4" of crushed granite and was put down with long (4-5" or so) nails but no wood.  It's been there 3 yrs now and my four big dogs have been unable to dent it at all. Or pull it up.  I had it put down in a 15' wide strip which is the width of the roll so that there would be no seams.  My railroad runs around three sides of it then.  I got it from the company that supplies Lowe's. It's nice to look out there in the winter when we're getting that ocassional snow and my grass is green.  When I talk to my friends in Denver and they are complaining about the cold I just tell them. "the grass is green here"!

Jim Como, Colorado (DSP&P) and Rio Rancho, NM (Pennsy)
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Monday, July 19, 2010 1:27 PM

$4K is a significant figure above what I spent.  I bought the cheap stuff that they use for funerals.  It says it's for outdoors so we'll see how long it lasts.  The day after I put it in we had a monster hail storm that covered the ball field with about 2" of ice.  After it melted I swept the field clean and said "batter up'.  Unfortunately the hail wiped out the 10' x 20' flower bed on the other part of the layout I had completed last week.   Mud slides have been a problem with these monsoons we're getting this summer.  The 2" hail storm came down in a half hour!  Oh well it keeps me busy.

Rex

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 262 posts
Posted by pimanjc on Monday, July 19, 2010 8:34 PM

Rex,

I use artificial grass carpet for the yards and a commons area between the village street and riverbed.  The carpet came from Lowes.  Get the close cropped, softer one color grass.  Another alternative would be "greens" carpet from a golf course supply.  The Greens carpet has too deep a nap for my application.

With aging, the carpet loses some of the shine and looks more natural.  My carpet has an underbed of fiberglas shingles to keep it out of the dirt.

 

"Never promise more than you can give. Always give more than you promise." ~JC "You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing." ~AU
  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Oakley Ca
  • 1,407 posts
Posted by dwbeckett on Monday, September 13, 2010 12:12 PM

Any Picture's of Pinetop Monster Park.

Dave 

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 12:15 AM

Okay here are some pics

This shows the ball field, stands, backstop and scoreboard:

This one is from a little father back:

This one is from the school house

 

 Rex

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Oakley Ca
  • 1,407 posts
Posted by dwbeckett on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 1:11 PM

You Sir have come a long,long way in the past few year's, all I can ask is " what's next " a scale 150' station or a living forrest maybe.

Dave

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: North, San Diego Co., CA
  • 3,092 posts
Posted by ttrigg on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 5:55 PM

dwbeckett

You Sir have come a long,long way in the past few year's, all I can ask is " what's next " a scale 150' station or a living forrest maybe.

Dave

Dave: If memory serves me correctly, Rex planted his forest about 3~4 years ago.

Tom Trigg

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Arizona (high country 7k ft) USA
  • 676 posts
Posted by Rex in Pinetop on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 12:28 AM

The forest (150 dwarf alberta spruce trees) was put in two years ago and is now ready for prunning.  The station is on the planning board for this winter's building time.

Rex

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: State College, Pennsylvania
  • 462 posts
Posted by PJM20 on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 3:54 PM

I hope a foul ball doesn't knock out the headlight of a passing engine... Smile, Wink & Grin - Peter

Modeling the Bellefonte Central Railroad

Fan of the PRR

Garden Railway Enthusiast

Check out my Youtube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PennsyModeler 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • 15 posts
Posted by hudrail on Thursday, October 7, 2010 9:16 AM

Fantastic love the ball field  Here in the U.K. it is possible to buy all different sorts of artificial grasses in various shades and colours and they are totally weather proof .  However my local supplier keeps worn artificial grasses that he has lifted from heavy ware areas and at a nominal sum sells it to people like us . The advantage is no depth of tuft so looks perfect for G scale use . I have tried Bathroom green carpet that is semi waterproof but this soon breaks down in the weather as it gets soaked like your U S A golfers did last week !

                                                                         Brent

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: State College, Pennsylvania
  • 462 posts
Posted by PJM20 on Thursday, October 7, 2010 3:18 PM

I hoped you like our Frebreeze jump suits then!Smile, Wink & Grin - Peter

Modeling the Bellefonte Central Railroad

Fan of the PRR

Garden Railway Enthusiast

Check out my Youtube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PennsyModeler 

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Garden Railways magazine. Please view our privacy policy