Removing wood chips from artificial turf

[The Critic]

Recently purchased a home with artificial turf.

The areas around the turf have wood chops. We recently had a "wind storm" and along with my lack of weekly maintenance, this is a bit of a mess.

I tried blowing with my leaf blower but wood chips are not coming off of the turf. They are pretty much "packed in." Raking works but is very slow and time consuming.

Are there any other methods or strategies that anyone can recommend?

Thanks.

 

[atikovi]

Shopvac.

 

[Skippy722]

Shop vac?

 

[skyactiv]

Try using a shop vac with a floor nozzle.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Shop vac?


This but seriously tear it up and plant the real thing.

 

[P10crew]

Some leaf blowers have a vacuum attachment

 

[PimTac]

I would replace the wood chips with small rocks or pebbles.

 

[doitmyself]

Be careful with the shop vac if you have infill.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Shop vac?


This but seriously tear it up and plant the real thing.


Meh... I keep threatening my wife with ripping up all the grass and putting down rock.

 

[Aredeeem]

Geez. Nothing is ever easy. Shop vac like others suggested even if you have to remove the worst offenders by hand. Then try a product like Bark Binder to seal in your mulch to prevent blow off . Give the artificial turf a fair shot. For small areas it's ok. Natural grass is its own pita.

 

[P10crew]

What is under your Astro turf?

 

[tom slick]

What the pros use:
https://syntheticgrasswarehouse.com/the-importance-of-power-brooms/

 

[Fawteen]

It's a small area. Get your rake and rake it up. That may take all of 20 minutes. If you can't spare 20 minutes to do a bit of yard work, getcha one of those 30+ inch plastic yard rakes. That'll take about 7 minutes.

 

[TXCarGeek]

I bought a leaf vacuum about a year ago that would likely suck those right up.

 

[RTexasF]

I have this one and it works well. It can be converted to a blower with the flip of a lever. The included bag will hold all your wood chips. It's a bit cumbersome for really large areas but for your needs it should pay for itself in short order. Obviously you'll need a long stout extension cord.

Very nice house by the way. You have done well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MN4YCKK?linkCode=xm2

 

[dlundblad]

Look into a gas powered yard vac such as a billy goat. The only thing touching the ground will be the wheels and you have such a small area, you could probably get by with running it a few times a week without dumping it every time.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted by PimTac
I would replace the wood chips with small rocks or pebbles.


Sounds time consuming, but would they look any better in the faux grass ?

 

[AlexxMQ]

I simply think, that in some cases artificial grass is way better than an actual one. I've bought recently some small places of best artificial grass layers, and set it to my second house, just to look how it reacts on different things, like animals and weather as well. Turns out, it's way better than natural grass in some options.