What Is Artificial Grass?

 

How are you going to use the space?

Different artificial grass products are designed for a variety of uses. Think about how you will be using the finished lawn, will it experience a lot of foot traffic, could you save same costs in areas that will hardly be used, and does it need to be pet friendly with excellent drainage? Most artificial lawns are made from Polypropylene or Polyethylene which are softer to use but not as hard wearing as Polyamide which is made from nylon. Polyamide lawns are stronger and more resilient but also more expensive.

What will the artificial lawn be used for?

 You need to decide what your artificial lawn will be used for. Do you want the best-looking lawn possible i.e. A show lawn to impress all your friends and neighbours? A safe area where the kids can play without getting hurt? Or a great environment for your pets to run around in which is free from any toxins?
 
1. Show lawn
You want a lawn that looks beautiful all year round that doesn’t have many people walking over it. Choose a grass that is hard wearing but hasn’t got too abrasive dense fibres. Take a look at our best seller the Luxigraze 32 Luxury for a great-looking grass with great colouration.
 
2. Play area for the kids
If you have young kids or even older ones they all like a game of football or tag. Traditional grass lawns will be worn out and the underlying ground will become compressed and very hard which will be a danger if they fall. For gardens with a lot of usage from children we generally recommend a shorter pile artificial grass for even the very best long pile grasses will become flattened over time. An ideal grass in our range is the SurfScape Artificial Grass Waterford

 
3. Play area for dogs
Many dog owners use Artifcial Grass because of brown patches, holes, dug up lawns and muddy footprints that their traditional grass lawns receive from their pets. We generally recommend a shorter pile grass  or one that stand up on its own like the SurfScape Artificial Grass Kildare as they are easier to clean. Also make sure the grass is highly permeable so the dog’s urine can run through. Take a look at our Grass Grids that help with drainage of your artificial grass.


 
 Consider your Grass Aesthetics
How your grass will look and feel really matters. There are a few factors to consider here:

Pile height
The pile height is the length of the grass fibres from the backing to the tip of each blade. For a natural lawn look we recommend the pile height to be within 30mm-38mm but you may want to go shorter if you prefer the ‘freshly mown’ look. Shorter piles are also better for cleaning up after pets and can be harder wearing than longer piles.

Pile density
The greater your pile density, the more luscious your lawn will look. The optimum lawn density is between 16000 and 18000 stitches per square metre; however this will need to increase for heavy use areas. Keep in mind where you will be viewing your lawn from, if you are going to be looking down on to it a lot, such as from an elevated building, you will need to opt for a higher density to avoid the grass looking sparse.

Where was the grass made?
There are many cheap, badly made artificial grass products in the market. These grasses suffer from random striping and over glued backing which causes puffing. Viewing samples of the grass before you decide on your product will quickly allow you to see the quality.

Is the grass Environmentally friendly?
Look at the grass to make sure it is free from harmful toxins or chemicals and is 100% recyclable. You wouldn’t want your pet or child playing in a garden where they are exposed to harmful chemicals. Is the grass tested to ensure the safety, quality and durability of the grass?

What fibres does the grass have?
Some grasses cost more due to having more fibres and how the fibres are put together i.e. V shape fibres to simulate tufting in real grass. Some of the better fibres are self-correcting and stand back up after walking on it.
Also check the colour of your Artificial Grass as there tend to be varying shades.



Set your budget
It is important to understand how much a new artificial lawn will cost. Generally there is quite a substantial initial investment – depending obviously on the size of your lawn, the grass you choose and whether you want a company to install the grass as well as supply it. 
To get a rough idea of how much you new artificial lawn will cost you will need to measure your garden. Decent quality grasses ranges from £17 to £40 per sqm. If you require installation there is an extra charge for this, which will cost on average between £25 to £35 per sqm. The price of installation will vary depending on the amount of groundworks required, ease of access plus a number of other variables.
reduce fading from sunlight. All these pointers will help you to get as much life out of your Artificial Grass as possible.