Artificial grass versus natural grass
Artificial grass is an excellent alternative to natural grass, providing properties that natural grass simply cannot. It is extremely durable, requiring minimal to no maintenance, and provides superior drainage capabilities – artificial grass can quickly dissipate storm water while offering a comfortable and cushiony surface for outdoor activities. Additionally artificial grass never needs watering or fertilizers and guarantees a consistent look all year round without the need for extensive upkeep. Artificial grass reduces allergens in your yard, as it does not contain pollen, dust or soil that can cause irritation. With artificial turf you don’t have to worry about patchy or wilting yards following rain or stress from animals, making it ideal for anyone with pets. The overall appeal of artificial turf makes it an attractive option over traditional lawns in any setting.
Artificial grass does have some downsides that it is useful to understand. While it is very hard wearing, it will eventually wear out and need replacing. While your mileage will vary, we estimate that artifical grass needs replacing after 8 to 10 years. While this is a good amount of time, unfortunately artifical grass cannot be recycled and will therefore go into landfill. While there are some very realistic-looking artificial grasses, none of them will feel like natural grass when under foot. Lastly, artificial grass does get hot when in the sun.
Types Of Artificial Grass
It may seem obvious what type of artificial grass you need for your project, however you may be suprised at the range of options and their features.
If the area you want to cover is relatively small, or if you expect to need to clean or replace parts of it (for example if you are using artificial grass as a potty training area for dogs), then artificial grass tiles are a good option. Tiles come in different styles including those that clip together, and tiles with a padded rubber backing to create a soft area for play or sports.
For larger areas such a pool surrounds or outdoor yards, the more typical artificial turf is the best solution. These have the grass leaves bound in a supporting mesh or substrate. Read on to understand the importance of pile direction, drainage, realism and other considerations.
Lastly, for smaller or indoor areas, an artificial grass rug may be waht you need. While you can just use a piece of artificial turf as a rug, there are several advantages of using fabric-based rugs. The biggest advantage must be the luxuriously soft feel under foot: plastic artificial turf just can’t compete with a rug for softness on bare feet. However, there are some disadvantages of fabric rugs: they can’t really be used outdoors, and you can’t cut them to fit an odd-shaped space.
Consider Pile Direction Before You Buy
Artificial grass has a ‘pile direction’. This is to do with how it is manufactured, and is similar to carpet pile. It doesn’t really matter whether your pile runs left to right or up and down, what’s imporant is that if you are using more than one piece of artificial grass in your project, the piles of each piece must be aligned. For example, if you are using artificial grass tiles or rolls of artificial turf, consider the pile direction of each tile or roll. If the piles are not aligned in the same direction then this will be very noticeable.
Artificial grass pile direction is especially important for larger areas. However, if you are going for a ‘freshly mown’ look, you may choose to deliberately lay alternating rolls with different pile directions to give a distinctive striped effect.
How Real Does Artificial Grass Look?
Modern artificial grasses have come a long way from the mono-tone, bright green decorations you are used to seeing in shop windows. Manufacturers have gone to great lengths to make their grasses look and feel more realistic.
If you look closely at natural grass you will see that there is a variation in the color tone, and also what the individiual blased look like. It is these factors that manufacturers have replicated in artificial grasses.
If you are looking for especially realistic grass, then look for artificial grasses with a high number of different color tones. For realistic artificial grass, look for grasses with 5 or more color tones.
Also look for a variation in the shape of the blades. Natural grass blades are continuously dying and regrowing, so there is usually a sprinkling of withered brown blades within the straight green ones. If you can get a close-up look at the artificial grass, check to see whether it includes different shaped blades.
Artificial Grass and Drainage
Something youmay not have considered is the ability of the artificial grass to allow water to pass through it. While the matting that most artificial grasses are attached to is usually porous, some grasses offer better drainage than others. Depending on where you are instaling the artificial grass or what it will be used for, good drainange may be more or less important to you.
While there is no value to measure drainage, the size of the gaps in the matting will give you an idea of how one artificial grass product will drain versus another.
Other Factors to Consider
Pile height, density, stitch rate and stitching gauge are key values to consider when choosing artificial grass. Here’s a quick guide:
Pile Height:
Pile height is the length of the grass blades. This measurement is taken from backing to the tip. It’s usually expressed in millimetres and ranges from 10 mm to more than 50 mm. The ‘right’ height for your project will depend partly on what you intend to use the artificial grass for, and on what you want it to look like.
Pile heights of between 25 mm and 40 mm are common for lawns or yards. However, if the artificial grass will be used to play soccer or other sports then a pile height of around 20mm is best. Finding the right pile height for your project also depends on how you want it to look. Longer piles look lush but may suffer from wear more than shorter piles.
Stitch Rate:
Artificial grass is stitched onto a backing material in rows, and the closer each blade of grass is to its neighbor in the same row, the higher the stitch rate.
Stitching gauge:
The closer each row of blades is to its neighbor, the lower the stitching gauge. A 5/8 gauge is considered wide, and is suitable for low-traffic areas. In general, the lower the gap between rows (gauge) the better, and a 3/8 inch gauge is considered high quality and suitable for demanding or high traffic applications.
Density:
This is just a combination of the above two values, and gives a general indication of the quality of the artificial grass. The lowest density is 8400, increasing in 2100 increments to 10500, 12600, 14700 and higher. Another way to express density is blade count, which is the number of grass blades per square inch.
This value is typically used as a measure of artificial grass quality, however you may not need the more expensive high blade count artificial grasses for your project. The higher the blade count, typically the more durable the artificial grass will be. If your project is for a high traffic area, or a sports application, then you probably want a higher blade count.
Caring For Your Artificial Grass
Of course you can forget spending your weekends mowing your lawn. However, there are some simple things you can do to keep your artificial grass looking great and lasting a long time. You should definately consider the points below before installing your artificial grass – if the artificial grass is likely to be soiled regularly then you will need to install it so that it can be easily cleaned.
Whether it’s outdoor or inside, artificial grass will collect debris like carpet or natural grass. Outside this may be leaves, while inside this could be pet hair, kids toys or anything. If your artifical grass is outside, you can sweep it with a broom or a rake, or give it a blast with a leaf blower. You may also decide to vaccuum your artificial grass, this works well both outside and inside.
Like natural grass, artificial grass can go a bit flat after extended use. Unlike natural grass, there is a quick and easy means to restore your fake lawn to it’s former glory. Gently brushing or ‘combing’ the artificial grass with a stiff broom or a purpose-made artificial grass rake will plump it back up to its full height. Groom the grass in the opposite direction to the pile, so that the grass blades stand up rather than slouching down.
Artificial grass is great for potty training young pets (and some older ones!). Artificial grass tiles are great for this, as they can be easily replaced or removed for thorough cleaning. If your pet uses your artificial grass as a bathroom, pick up any solids as you would with natural grass, and then spray the area with some ordinary vinegar. Let it soak for a few miuntes and then rinse with clean water.
Even if you don’t have pets, it’s a good idea to rinse your artificial grass once a week with fresh water if you can. This may not be possible if your artificial grass is indoors.
Conclusion
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing artificial grass. Thinking about how the artificial grass will be used is key. For example, as a play area for kids you may choose a tile with padded rubber backing, while for a play area for pets you may choose artificial tiles that have good drainage and can be easily removed for cleaning. Realism may be important for outdoor areas where you are replacing natural grass.
We hope the guide above has been useful in deciding which artificial grass is right for your project.