--- title: "Does Turf Hold Up in Colorado Winters? | TIMELESS Grass & Greens" description: "Plan turf for site drainage and follow product guidance for snow and ice. Check the surface after thawing before deciding whether it needs repair." url: https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/ updated: 2026-09-11 --- Care and lifespan # How should artificial turf be cared for in a Colorado winter? * * * Updated 2026-09-11 The short answer ## How should artificial turf be cared for in a Colorado winter? Artificial turf can remain in place through winter, but the installation and care need to suit the site. Plan where snowmelt will go and follow the turf manufacturer’s snow-removal guidance. Ice, new ridges or persistent puddles need attention; they should not be treated as an automatic reason to replace the surface. Planning a turf installation? Get a layout, turf options and a written quote for your space. [Request a free estimate](https://www.timelessgrass.com/estimate/) [Call 303-349-2368](tel:3033492368) We’ll call to arrange a free site visit. On this page On this page 1. [Winter works on the ground under the turf](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#winter-works-on-the-ground-under-the-turf) 2. [Frost heave, and why the base is rock](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#frost-heave-and-why-the-base-is-rock) 3. [What not to put under it](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#what-not-to-put-under-it) 4. [Snow on the turf](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#snow-on-the-turf) 5. [When the snow is gone](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#when-the-snow-is-gone) 6. [What to plan for a Colorado lawn](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/does-artificial-turf-hold-up-in-colorado-winters/#what-to-plan-for-a-colorado-lawn) ## Winter works on the ground under the turf In a Front Range winter, the thing to watch is the ground under the turf, and what water does to it. Start with the soil. The [Colorado Geological Survey](https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/publications/potentially-swelling-soil-rock-front-range-urban-corridor-colorado/) calls swelling clay one of the most significant, widespread and costly geologic hazards in Colorado. About half of the roughly 30 bedrock formations along the Front Range urban corridor contain it, and CGS says they underlie all of the major cities. Wet, these soils can [expand up to 20% by volume](https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/hazards/expansive-soil-rock/), with swell pressures of 20,000 pounds per square foot or more. Winter brings the water. Snow sits, melts, refreezes and melts again, and clay passes water slowly. So in Colorado a base has two jobs: keep water moving off the clay, and give the turf a layer that doesn’t move with it. ## Frost heave, and why the base is rock Frost heave is the ground lifting as the water in it freezes. The [Federal Highway Administration’s](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/geotech/pubs/05037/07c.cfm) geotechnical manual lists three conditions for it: - frost-susceptible soil - freezing temperatures in the soil - a source of water Take away any one and it doesn’t happen. Soil type decides a lot. FHWA rates silts as highly frost-susceptible. Clays can heave too, though less severely than silts, because water moves through them slowly. Clean, free-draining sand, gravel and crushed rock see little to no frost action under normal freezing. That’s the case for a base of clean, compacted crushed rock between the native soil and the turf. It drains, and it gives frost almost nothing to work with in the layer the turf sits on. It helps with the clay too. The Colorado Geological Survey reports that [granular fill spreads heave](https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/OF-95-05.pdf) from swelling beds below outward, grain by grain, reducing the size of any linear heave beneath it. ## What not to put under it Plastic sheeting is a mistake on this ground. The Colorado Geological Survey [discourages plastic sheeting](https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/SP-14.pdf) on swelling soil because it traps moisture and stops normal evaporation. Non-woven landscape fabric is different: CGS says it controls weeds and slows infiltration but still lets moisture evaporate. For how fabric fits into weed control, see [why weeds grow in artificial grass](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/weeds-in-artificial-grass/). Grade matters as much as material. CGS recommends the ground fall 10% over the first 10 feet from a foundation, which is 12 inches of drop. A turf base next to the house should keep that fall, so snowmelt runs away from the walls rather than toward them. ## Snow on the turf You don’t have to clear it. Snow can sit until it melts. Clear the parts you use: the path to the dog’s spot, the putting green, the kids’ corner. When you do clear it, borrow from the people who clear synthetic fields for a living. The [Sports Turf Managers Association](https://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/EDigest/Snow_Removal.pdf) advises: - **Don’t scrape to the surface.** Leave ¼ to ½ inch of snow. Scraping clean can pull out infill and fray the fibers. - **No metal edges.** STMA calls for a rubber tip or PVC pipe over a plow blade instead of metal. At home, that means a plastic shovel or a push broom. - **Clear in stages in a big storm.** On fields in use, STMA suggests not letting more than 2 to 4 inches build up at a time. - **Let the sun finish.** STMA notes that 20 to 30 minutes of sun after clearing can melt the last layer. - **Skip ice melt and deicer.** Ice melt can irritate skin, and deicer can turn sticky when it mixes with the turf. Two more habits help. For grass fields, STMA suggests clearing a channel along the edge so snowmelt can run off; on a lawn, keep the low edge free of piled snow so meltwater has somewhere to go. And don’t dump snow from a treated driveway or sidewalk onto the turf. It carries the ice melt STMA says to keep off, and New Jersey’s environment department lists poor snow clearing and piling among the ways turf particles leave a site. Ice is the other winter job. STMA points out that water can freeze both in and on a synthetic surface, and melted snow can refreeze. Don’t chip at ice with a metal tool; let it melt. In a pet area, rinse on a day above freezing, so the water drains instead of freezing in place. ## When the snow is gone A spring once-over catches what winter did: 1. **Clear leaves and debris.** The Synthetic Turf Council says leaves and debris left on the surface work down into the system, slowing drainage and compacting the infill. 2. **Brush the fibers upright.** [Penn State’s sports surface researchers](https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/documents/ftfsynmaint1.pdf/@@download/file/FTFsynmaint1.pdf) describe brushing as what keeps fibers standing and infill spread evenly. 3. **Check the infill where you shoveled.** Low infill speeds up fiber wear and UV damage, Penn State notes. Top it up with the same material that’s already there. 4. **Walk it for low spots and ridges.** A dip or a hump that wasn’t there in the fall is a base problem, not a turf problem, and the fix is underneath. ## What to plan for a Colorado lawn - A base of clean, compacted crushed rock over the native soil, built for the clay under your yard. - A grade that falls away from the house. - No plastic sheeting under it. - A plastic shovel or broom for the paths you use, and no ice melt. - A spring brush, debris clear-out and infill check. On the free visit we measure the space and check the ground, and the base is built for the soil we find, which across much of the metro means clay. Our [Denver metro page](https://www.timelessgrass.com/denver-metro/) covers the local water and HOA rules. ## Common questions ### Can I shovel snow off artificial turf? Yes, gently, and only where you need to. For synthetic fields, the [Sports Turf Managers Association](https://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/EDigest/Snow_Removal.pdf) advises leaving ¼ to ½ inch of snow rather than scraping to the surface, because scraping can pull out infill and fray the fibers. It also calls for rubber or PVC over a plow blade instead of metal. At home, a shovel or broom without a metal edge does the same job. ### Should I use ice melt on artificial turf? No. [STMA](https://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/EDigest/Snow_Removal.pdf) says ice melt and deicer should be avoided on synthetic turf: ice melt can irritate skin, and deicer can turn sticky when it mixes with the turf. Let the sun do it. STMA notes that 20 to 30 minutes of sun after clearing can melt the last of the snow. ### Will frost heave lift my turf? Frost heave needs three things, according to the [Federal Highway Administration](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/geotech/pubs/05037/07c.cfm): frost-susceptible soil, freezing temperatures in the soil, and a source of water. Silts are the most susceptible, while clean, free-draining sand, gravel and crushed rock show little to no frost action. That's why the layer right under the turf should be clean, compacted crushed rock that drains. ### What should I do to my turf before winter? Clear the leaves. The Synthetic Turf Council says leaves and debris left on the surface work down into the system, slowing drainage and compacting the infill, and STMA notes that water can freeze both in and on a synthetic surface. A quick brush and a check that nothing ponds after rain finish the job. ## Related turf questions - [How long does artificial turf last?](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/how-long-does-artificial-turf-last/) - [How to get stains and spills out of artificial turf](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/how-to-remove-stains-from-artificial-turf/) - [How to keep leaves and pine needles off artificial turf](https://www.timelessgrass.com/blog/leaves-and-pine-needles-on-artificial-turf/) ## Where to go next - [Artificial lawns](https://www.timelessgrass.com/services/residential-turf/) - [Pet turf](https://www.timelessgrass.com/services/pet-turf/) - [Putting greens](https://www.timelessgrass.com/services/putting-greens/) - [Turf in Denver Metro](https://www.timelessgrass.com/denver-metro/) - [Does artificial turf count as an impervious surface?](https://www.timelessgrass.com/guides/is-artificial-turf-impervious/) Useful links - [Sports Turf Managers Association: snow removal on natural and synthetic fields](https://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/EDigest/Snow_Removal.pdf) - [Colorado Geological Survey Special Publication 14: Home Landscaping and Maintenance on Swelling Soil](https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/SP-14.pdf) Free estimate ## Planning a turf installation? Tell us about the area you want to install or replace. We’ll call to arrange a free site visit. [Or call 303-349-2368](tel:3033492368) Your free estimate includes - A visit to measure your space - A custom layout, drawn for your space - Turf options, side by side - A written price, with no pressure to sign [Request a free estimate](https://www.timelessgrass.com/estimate/) Five short steps. We’ll call to arrange your visit.