What are the benefits of having artificial grass? It’s a simple question that many households all over the UK are asking.
We will be explaining the benefits but also the negatives to having your very own fake grass installed.
Just imagine that you have moved to your new house and you see that your lawn is just lying like a barren land. You know that if you grow natural grass, it will take at least 3-4 months to establish.
But many times, some factors hamper the growth of the grass. Sometimes, the weather is not suitable for planting. And other times, the soil is full of salinity, requiring more prolonged testing and treatment.
On average, to grow an excellent grassy plot, you will need six months. On the other hand, artificial grass needs nothing like this. You can go to the market, select your favourite shade and texture and get it installed within a day or two.
Your house will be ready, and your children will be able to play on the lawn after your artificial grass has been installed. The installation procedure for artificial grass is straightforward.
How Artificial Grass Saves You Money?
Many people think that artificial grass is an expensive alternative to natural grass. But certain factors suggest otherwise.
For example:
- To grow natural grass, you will need a gardener who will develop the lawn, do the digging, water it and plant it. Good natural grass turfs are also quite expensive.
- Artificial grass is durable. You install it today, and then you can forget about it for at least five to ten years. It can withstand harsh weathers and rough sports.
- Artificial grass does not need any maintenance. You do not have to mow it or even water it.
Where Can You Use Artificial Grass?
Artificial grass is suited for a variety of uses. It can be used to make a small, beautiful lawn, a safe play area or an excellent romping ground for your dog or any other pet.
Artificial grass is also suited for other purposes like roof gardens and sports turf etc. Below we will explore the uses of synthetic grass in detail.
1) Garden Lawns
Artificial grass is now widely used for lawns in many homes.
It requires no upkeep, watering or weeding thus giving you a perfect looking garden all year round regardless of the weather.
Also depending on the type of artificial grass, you can even play rough sports on it and not have any fear of trampling and crushing the grass.
Artificial grass is also perfect for households which have dogs. Dogs enjoy artificial grass as much as they enjoy the real grass.
Also, artificial grass can be easily cleaned by a hose with minimal effort.
You can check the best artificial grass suppliers in the UK here.
2) Schools And Nurseries
Many school and preschools are turning to synthetic turfs to avoid the problems of real grass.
With real grass comes mud in the winter and dust patches in the summer.
Dirt can be a real problem as it messes up the children’s clothes and the school’s floors. Artificial grass eliminates all of these problems.
Artificial grass is mud-free, safe and has a realistic feel. Also, it can stand big sports without the fear of damage.
3) Sport Pitches
Artificial grass is excellent for sports pitches. First of all, it needs very little maintenance, and it stays in its top condition regardless of the weather.
Meaning you can play safely on artificial grass even after it rains. Different types of grass are available for various sports.
There are synthetic grass types designed in such a way that they give a firm bounce required for tennis and basketball.
There are artificial grass varieties available for golf and football too.
4) Roof Gardens
Artificial grass is ideal for roof gardens. Making roofs and terraces beautiful and enjoyable.
And since artificial lawn requires no upkeep, it saves a lot of hassles of watering and trimming.
Fake grass will have drainage holes to ensure water to flow through and drain across your roof.
Also read: Accessories For Artificial Grass
Perfect Lawn with Artificial Grass
A perfect lawn has a certain natural appeal when it remains lush, green and healthy all year round.
However this hardly ever happens with natural grass, which tends to turn into a yellow shade or develops bald patches due to excessive heat, rain or overuse.
Natural grass will not stay lush and green, but the artificial kind will.
Artificial Grass vs. Natural Grass
An artificial grass lawn will remain pristine anytime or any season of the year. You may be wondering why real grass lawn does not have this quality.
Let us see the difference:
1) Artificial Grass is Always Pristine
It is also labour intensive to maintain a real grass lawn because it requires weeding, watering, cutting and cleaning.
A little neglect on the part of the caretaker will change the appearance of the yard – with weeds, withering pieces, and patches of bald areas.
Artificial grass does not need any maintenance. It can be cleaned by following simple procedures.
2) Artificial Grass Doesn’t Need Chemical Products
You may need to apply fertilisers and pesticides to your lawn if you want it to remain healthy. Then, when the grass grows longer, you will need to mow it.
You will need the right lawnmower to maintain crispiness, freshness, and beauty of your lawn.
And if you are using a mower that runs with fuel, you will have to deal with the toxic substance emitted by these mowers, which is how you maintain a natural grass lawn.
Artificial grass, on the other hand, does not require any chemicals and is more likely to satisfy the aesthetic requirement for a perfect yard.
3) Artificial Grass Will Never Have Browning, Mold & Bald Spots
Natural grass tends to turn yellow. It can also develop bare brown moss in areas in different parts of the lawn.
This is an eye-sore that can make your garden lose its aesthetic value. The artificial grass will never encounter these problems.
Hence, your artificial turf will be the right choice for a perfect lawn.
With the numerous disadvantages of having natural grasses, many people are beginning to use artificial grass in commercial and residential setups.
This kind of grass will always give you the perfect lawn as it will still be pristine, eco-friendly, lush and green.
Installing Your Artificial Grass Lawn Step-by-Step
The first thing that you’d have to do is to prepare the ground where you’d be installing the artificial grass.
Identify the area that you’ll be covering and mark it to ensure that you get the space right.
Remove any weeds or grass growing in the area and dig up a base. You should dig up about 2 to 3 inches of soil to properly position your artificial grass lawn later on.
- Remove weeds, stones, and rocks
- Dig down about 2/3 inches
- Spread your sand and level
- Lay your fake grass and pin
- Glue the joints
- Cut your edges to make it look sharp
Level the ground properly and spread your sand. If there are any depressions in your base, make sure to fill them up to avoid any indentations when you lay the turf.
Professional lawn installers would also advise having a slight slope in your base so that water will not pool on your grass lawn.
Once you have a level, clear, and stable base, you can now proceed to the actual installation.
Conclusion
After making the necessary preparations, you can now start rolling the turf to fit the base.
You should make the seams and apply the glueing compound as neatly as you can.
After this, you can then focus on the lawn pins and the trimmings necessary to make it fit perfectly.
In no time at all, you’ll have the lush green grass lawn that you’ve always wanted.