Using an artificial turf instead of natural grass provides certain benefits such as lower maintenance and reduced water usage. As a result, this is increasingly becoming a popular option in drought-prone regions like California, Texas, and Colorado.
Modern artificial turfs have synthetic fibers that look exactly like natural grass. In the past, these were mainly used in sports fields, but in recent years these are increasingly becoming popular in residential and commercial lawns, especially in areas where drought conditions are worsening.
While artificial turfs offer many benefits, there are important things you need to consider before getting them installed.
If you have dogs and cats, make sure that your artificial grass is pet-friendly
Artificial turfs are not created equal. Some are ideal for sports fields, others are purely for aesthetics, while some can be turned into a pet-friendly lawn with a suitable infill.
Infills are placed between artificial grass fibers to make it look and feel like the real thing–i.e., upright and “voluminous.” Nowadays, they come in different materials such as rubber, silica sand, volcanic minerals, etc.
To make your artificial turf pet-friendly, one of the best infills is ZeoFill, a 100% natural material with a honey-combed molecular structure that absorbs urine, preventing unpleasant odor. To learn more about this organic infill, contact Forest Green Artificial Grass at (916) 474-5036.
Ideally, a pro should do your artificial turf installation.
If you’re quite handy and the ground is even, you can install an artificial lawn yourself. But if you have uneven ground and/or it is prone to pooling, your best bet is to hire a professional to do your installation. You may also need a pro if you have tree roots or stumps that should be removed.
A pro can also help you decide if you need a shock pad or a weed barrier to help your lawn last longer.
A poorly installed artificial grass will appear lumpy, which is difficult or even impossible to correct. To prevent this from happening, hire a professional installer who will make sure that the turf rolls are even and tight.
Artificial grass requires lower maintenance than the real thing, but it still needs some upkeep.
While your artificial lawn does not need daily watering, fertilizers, herbicides, trimming, and cutting, you still need to remove leaves, debris, and pet waste and brush it every now and then (ideally while hosing it down with a gentle detergent). And if your dogs treat your lawn as their giant toilet, you may also want to spray it with a special solution that neutralizes bacteria and urine odor.
Think about who will primarily use the artificial lawn.
If you use an artificial lawn beneath play equipment, it’s ideal to install a shock pad to make it safe for children (if they fall from a height onto a surface). However, if you have pets, you may want to skip this underlay because it can absorb urine, leading to an unpleasant odor that’s hard to eliminate.
You still need to water your artificial grass.
While you don’t need to water it every day, you may want to spray down the spot where your pet urinates or defecates (make sure that you pick up the feces before you rinse the area with a hose).
You also need to wash other spills that could stain your synthetic turf like barbecue sauce, wine, ice cream, etc.
If you need professional synthetic turf installation in NorCal or DIY supplies to do this project all by yourself, contact Forest Green Artificial Grass at (916) 474-5036 or visit their showroom at 658 Commerce Dr. Ste A Roseville, CA 95678.
