We hate to turn it into a contest, but for most homeowners and commercial property developers, the question does arise: is artificial grass more practical than real grass?
You already know about the advantages and disadvantages of a natural lawn. In this article, we will explain what you can expect from artificial grass that natural grass doesn’t offer. You may be surprised by some of the perks...
It’s fair to say that artificial grass hasn't always had the best reputation. In light of new advancements, however, modern technology has revolutionised the way artificial grass looks and feels, and has improved safety.
As a result, fake lawns have become the preferred choice for modern-day homeowners...and with good reason! Artificial grass looks real but without the effort required to keep it maintained.
Low Maintenance
Number one on any homeowner's list has to be low maintenance. There's always something to do around the house, so why not cancel mowing the lawn.
Real grass also requires watering, feeding, and trimming. Artificial grass simply needs a little TLC once every 6 weeks or so. A sprinkle helps to wash off the dust and dead bugs to keep it looking fresh and healthy.
The best way to care for your artificial lawn is to brush it and rinse it. Running a garden brush across the fibres helps to keep them upright after the lawn has been used for a while.
You should also rinse the lawn of any debris, especially if it has been used by animals and children, who may be more likely to leave behind food and/or unmentionables!
Highly Durable
Artificial lawns are perfect playgrounds for adults, children and pets. They’re often used in hospitality and recreation settings because they can accommodate high footfall traffic without wearing down or becoming di-shevelled.
Natural grass looks lovely when it's untouched, but can quickly become boggy when in use, especially in our drizzly British weather. Think of the muddy carnage left behind after football matches, garden parties and the dog digging holes.
Artificial grass can be engineered to accommodate lots of wear and tear. Unlike natural grass that's one-size-fits-all, you can customise your artificial lawn to be highly durable.
And if durability is your priority, opt for a lawn with a low pile height and a high pile density.
Cost-Effective
Natural turf can be pricey, depending on the size of your space. But additionally, you're unlikely to get a long life use out of that lawn. It's difficult to keep natural grass looking good all year round, year after year.
Conversely, artificial lawns maintain a beautiful aesthetic for years, providing you greater value for money. You should expect at least ten years out of your artificial lawn, and up to fifteen to twenty years if you select a premium quality option and take care of it.
The long lifetime you'll get from a fake lawn represents good value for money. Astroturf is a much more cost-effective material than other garden floorings, such as decking, that's prone to degrading and looking worn pretty quickly.
Safe For Your Children and Pets
Artificial lawns make great family spaces, and they are perfectly safe for your children and pets to play on. European safety standards mean that modern artificial grass poses “a very low level” of threat to health and safety.
These safety standards apply to European lawns only though. We cannot guarantee the safety of lawns manufactured in parts of the world where safety standards are not as high as we have in the EU.
To ensure the safety of your artificial lawn, only purchase your artificial lawn from a supplier that provides astroturf manufactured in Europe. Fake lawns manufactured in China and other parts of Asia can still contain harmful materials today.
Consistent Surface
Preparation is key when it comes to laying either type of lawn, but while good preparation can guarantee a smooth surface for artificial lawns, it can't account for the long-term appearance of natural lawns.
It's actually very difficult to ensure a consistent surface from natural grass, but artificial grass is a different matter. Say goodbye to molehills and bur-rows made by your dog when they're digging for…whatever they dig for. Artificial grass provides a consistent surface for years to come.
Providing your lawn is laid on an even surface, there should be no reason for any unevenness in the surface of your artificial lawn. Sorry pups, no bones here!
Easy Installation
Obviously, natural lawns must be laid on soil but artificial lawns can be laid on all manner of surfaces; materials include soil, concrete yards, roofs, bal-conies and basements.
Laying both natural and artificial lawns require specialist knowledge. You could lay your artificial lawn yourself, you just need to know how to prepare the surface, how to create an irrigation system and how to seamlessly stitch the grass patches together.
We'll provide guidance on these points, but if you're not into DIY, we can also install your artificial lawn for you, for a hassle-free experience. Find out more information on our installation service here.
Drainage
Gone are the days of tracking mud into your home after being out in the garden. Natural grass retains water, which means your lawn will likely re-main muddy for days after rainfall.
That means that for at least half the year, your natural lawn becomes unus-able. You can't sit on it without risking a wet bottom, and it's a nightmare when your kids or pets paddle dirt into the house.
Unlike natural grass, your fake lawn won’t retain water. Drainage is brilliant on good quality artificial lawns. Artificial grass comes with a permeable backing that allows water to be syphoned off and drained away. There'll be no boggy lawns or muddy footprints here, thank you very much!
The speed of your lawn’s drainage will depend on how it is laid. This differs in accordance with the material your lawn is laid upon, as well as your preparation and drawing aggregate.
Artificial Grass for Pets
Due to European safety standards, artificial lawns are super pet-friendly. Plus, you don't have the drawbacks of natural lawns mentioned above.
All our options are suited to pets, but if you want a lovely lawn that is designed specifically with pets in mind, then Paw is the best option. Click here to find out more about Paw.
Paw is brilliant for eliminating pet smells from your garden. It is equipped to drain liquids, including dog urine so that the lawn does not retain odour.
Additionally, you can lay your fake turf on top of zeoLite if you are concerned about potential odours from dog urine. ZeoLite is a special substance often used alongside artificial grass.
It is able to eliminate odours from pet wee, by absorbing ammonia particles. After some rainfall, the ZeoLite is able to reset, allowing it to re-absorb even more ammonia. With British rainfall, your ZeoLite will be resetting all the time.
For best results, we recommend using a layer directly underneath the artificial grass, as well as sprinkling some in amongst the yarn. You should use between 3-6 kg per square metre on top and 3-6 kg per square metre underneath.
Artificial Lawn Installation
If you prefer, you can get all the aforementioned benefits of artificial grass without having to lift a finger! We firmly believe that using artificial grass in your garden is the most convenient way to create a beautiful outdoor space. My Lovely Lawn extends this convenience to the installation process.
We deliver a first-class customer experience alongside our professional service. We know that your home and garden is of utmost importance to you. Your family's space is everything, and you need to know that you're getting exactly what you desire from a reputable provider.
We offer the following assurances to give you peace of mind:
- Free grass samples delivered to your home
- Fully insured company for public liability and employees
- Free and convenient online quote
- Professional and honest advice
- Invoice supplied - not cash in hand
- Expert advice you can trust
In addition, a member of our sales team is always readily available to you, via your preferred communication platform, be it Whatsapp, FaceTime, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Skype, phone, mobile or otherwise.
Our skilled and friendly home artificial grass installers are polite, professional and a pleasure to be around whilst our knowledgeable artificial lawn specialists have a gift for delivering solutions that cater to your budget and specifications. We also provide you with after-sales service to ensure you're completely satisfied with your lawn.
Are you sold on the benefits of artificial grass?
Not that we're counting or anything, but we're pretty sure that's 7-0 to artificial grass. Natural lawns come with hefty maintenance, uneven surfaces and muddy paw prints.
Conversely, artificial lawns provide beautiful, natural-looking lawns without mess or maintenance. That probably explains why a whopping 87% of UK homeowners said they prefer artificial grass to natural grass in a 2020 industry report.
If you'd like to discuss which artificial lawn installation would be best suited to your property, get in touch and speak to one of our friendly team members. Our experts will be happy to answer your questions.
