Whether you already offer grass and lawn services, or are strictly a hardscapes installer, adding synthetic turf into your business offerings could be a natural fit for your customers. Synthetic turf can help extend an outdoor living space where turf maintenance and growth is difficult.

Ewing offers EPS Turf, made with a high quality urethane backing and polyethylene fibers. EPS Turf is available in a variety of colors and uses, from a natural lawn to pet-friendly to putting greens.

Interested in extending your product and service offerings? Here are four ways to start growing your business with synthetic turf.

Find the right customer

Synthetic turf isn’t the best fit for every customer. However, there are key indicators to listen for when consulting with a customer to determine if synthetic turf might be a good recommendation for their outdoor living needs.

If your customer matches any of the following, synthetic turf might be a viable option for them:

• In need of drought-resistant landscaping
• Looking for low-maintenance yard
• Concerned with the costs of lawn care (water, fertilizer, etc.)
• Durable, high-traffic area for sports or pets

Understand the pros and cons

A quick Google search will populate several articles about the pros and cons of synthetic turf, but a few of the highlights include:

Pros:

• Water conservation: For high drought areas, synthetic turf is an eco-friendly option to watering lush grass lawns.
• Appearance: No matter the season, synthetic turf will look like a healthy, vibrant lawn year round.
• Low maintenance: With very little care and maintenance, synthetic turf, unlike it’s natural counterparts, can withstand the test of time—under normal stress the turf could last 15 to 20 years. It’s great for high-traffic areas for pets and playgrounds.

Cons:

• High temperatures: Because it doesn’t have the natural cooling properties of grass and the materials its made of, synthetic turf does run hot in temperatures. Cooling systems can be installed to keep the temperatures down and using an organic infill can help, but synthetic turf will be warmer to the touch than natural grass.
• Up-front costs: The cost of installing synthetic turf could give your customer sticker shock, but after calculating the costs of maintaining a grass lawn of the same size for about six years, the synthetic turf doesn’t seem as expensive. However, the up-front cost can be a factor for your customers.
• Synthetic hazards: Some customers may be concerned about health implications because of the materials a synthetic turf is made with. There are concerns with chemicals, lead and zinc materials, but not all turf products have these materials. If your customer is concerned about lead, let them know EPS Turf is lead-free.

Being able to talk about why you recommend synthetic turf to a customer, while addressing any concerns they have will help you in your consultation.

Learn how to install it

It’s not as simple as rolling out the material to install synthetic turf. However, with a few more steps and the right tools, you can learn how to plan and install synthetic turf.

Ewing offers an instructional video to help get you started.

You can also ask your local Ewing representatives for more information.

Stock up on the tools your need

While you might have some tools from different services you provide, you will probably need to add a few more items to your truck.

Ewing has most of the tools you’ll need to get the job done. Here’s a quick list of what you will need to have for a synthetic turf install

• EPS Turf
• Seaming kit, with seam tape and glue
• Large caulking gun for the glue
• Water spray bottle
• Tamper
• Chalk line
• 6-inch steel nails
• Hammer
• Tape measure
• Industrial shears
• Utility knife and extra blades
• Infill
• Drop spreader
• Turf rake
• Power or stiff push broom
• Carpet stretcher (mainly for putting greens)