Is Artificial Grass Fire Resistant Or Flammable?

Are artificial turf fireproof or flammable? Given its widespread use in school playgrounds, community parks, and family courtyards, where children play and people gather, the risk of open flame contact is ever-present. The answer isn't absolute – while the core material of artificial turf is inherently flammable, high-quality products, through scientific flame-retardant processes, can achieve a safe "fire-retardant and controllable combustion" effect, while inferior products may become a fire hazard.

How Artificial Grass Is Made?

Artificial grass is basically a surface made of synthetic fibers that expanded and spread all over the ground. These synthetic fibers give a feeling like there is original natural grass available. At first place, these synthetic fibers or artificial grass was made to be used in the sports arenas and indoor places where there were no resources and feasibility available to grow original grass. However, after capturing the commercial market and sports industry, synthetic fibers spread their territory and started being used in the residential field as well. 

The Importance of Fire Resistance of Artificial Turf

Artificial turf is widely used in densely populated areas such as schools, parks, and stadiums, where the risk of open flame contact is unavoidable. If the fire resistance is not up to standard, the grass fibers can easily burn quickly, releasing toxic gases and causing the fire to spread and resulting in personal injury. Therefore, fire resistance is a crucial factor that cannot be ignored when purchasing and using artificial turf. Natural grass is flammable even in dry environments. With the help of wind, it can become an accelerant, accelerating the spread of fire and quickly engulfing large areas.

Choose non-toxic, flame-retardant artificial turf. It won't burn itself, but it will melt if it comes into contact with barbecue grills, fire pits, or similar items. Therefore, keep hot objects away from artificial turf. Furthermore, if the artificial turf is infilled with sand or gravel, the infill material itself is also flame-retardant. Therefore, artificial turf is very safe for outdoor use. However, strict fire safety standards are required for indoor use or in high-traffic areas.

Fire-resistant artificial turf application scenarios

Artificial turf, with its flame-retardant and low-flammability properties, is suitable for the following scenarios:

• High-traffic areas: Schools, community parks, municipal squares, and other locations with high foot traffic, including vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. Its fire-resistant properties minimize the risk of accidents caused by open flames.
• Commercial applications: Indoor and outdoor soccer/basketball courts, golf driving ranges, campsites, etc. It meets commercial site safety standards and reduces operational losses due to fire-related shutdowns and compensation claims.
• Residential areas: Family courtyards, terraces, and rooftop recreational areas, especially for families with smoking habits or who frequently cook outdoors. It prevents cigarette butts and barbecue sparks from igniting the turf, protecting home safety.

How can you determine if artificial turf is fireproof?

The most basic way to determine if artificial turf is fire-resistant is to check their authoritative testing reports. Additionally, a simple flame retardant test can be performed. In an open, fireproof environment, take a small sample of the turf and briefly ignite the surface of the grass fibers with a lighter. A qualified fire-resistant turf will quickly self-extinguish, with only slight charring at the contact point and no sustained open flame. Inferior, non-flame-retardant turf will continue to burn, the grass fibers will rapidly melt and shrink, producing a pungent odor, and the fire will spread to the surrounding area.

How to repair artificial turf that has been burned?

If your lawn is burned by cigarette butts or fireworks, don't worry, the damaged area can be repaired. The charred parts can be cut and replaced with new artificial turf. However, please note that due to differences in installation time and wear and tear on artificial turf, the repaired area cannot be guaranteed to look exactly the same as the original lawn. Nevertheless, these repair marks will gradually fade over time, and the visual difference will diminish.

Is artificial turf flammable?

So, is artificial turf fire-resistant? My answer is that whether artificial turf is flammable depends on the product quality. Ordinary artificial turf may pose a risk, but UNIGRASS artificial turf has flame-retardant properties. Contact with cigarette butts or sparks will only cause a brief fire or melt; it will quickly self-extinguish after the heat source is removed, preventing further combustion and spread. The amount of toxic gases released at high temperatures is far below safe limits, reducing the risk of poisoning and suffocation.

Therefore, when purchasing artificial turf, it is essential to choose products with excellent fire resistance.