The Pros and Cons of Installing Synthetic Grass for Your Lawn
For many individuals, their home is their castle. They want to have features both outside and inside that will encourage words of appreciation from anyone who sees them. That’s true of friends, neighbors, relatives, and any random person who walks or drives by. A home’s lawn is undoubtedly one of the most critical features. If the house looks great, but the lawn is nothing but random patches of scraggly yellow grass, that’s going to embarrass the homeowner. That’s why we composed this extensive guide to installing synthetic grass for your lawn.
That brings us to the possibility of artificial grass families might consider installing some, but is it the best possibility for your particular situation? We’ll talk about some of the pros and cons surrounding synthetic grass in the following article.
What is Synthetic Grass?
The terms “synthetic grass” and “artificial grass” are usually used interchangeably. It is also sometimes called artificial turf. If you ever watch a baseball game, you’ll often hear the announcers talk about whether the team used real or artificial grass on their field. However, you can also install artificial grass and have it as your lawn rather than planting conventional grass. Synthetic grass is a surface of synthetic fibers that are made to resemble natural grass. If you look at it, you probably won’t see any difference unless you really bend down and examine it closely. The use of synthetic grass for commercial applications and the lawns of private citizens is becoming more and more common these days. Usually, synthetic grass is made of polypropylene, nylon, or polyethylene. You will see synthetic fibers on top and a base material beneath those that cushions and stabilizes the overall product.
How Much Does It Cost?
Artificial turf can usually cost you anywhere from $5.50 per square foot on the low end to $18.75 on the high end. Usually, the price will land in the middle somewhere. You can talk to companies that install it if there are some in your area. You might get a few different quotes from them that you can compare. Like most things, if you buy in bulk, you can usually save money. The larger of a lawn you’re trying to install, the better of a price you can get.
How Long Does It Last?
Most companies that install artificial grass will say that you can get about twenty years out of your new synthetic lawn, give or take. If the price tag for it seems a little high, that length of time is something that you should consider. Most families and individuals who are looking at a synthetic lawn regard it as a good investment. It can easily pay for itself in half that time if you compare it to how much you’d likely spend on a natural grass lawn. With a real grass lawn, you’ll need to fertilize it to keep it looking green and plush every year. You might also have to water it with a hose or sprinkler periodically during the dry times of the year, and that costs money as well.
Do You Mow It Like You Would with a Regular Lawn?
In addition to not having to water or feed it, you also don’t ever have to water an artificial grass lawn. That could be the one factor that convinces you to install one. Many times, homeowners who are thinking about getting artificial turf installed consider how often they need to mow their traditional grass lawn. You might live in a region where you need to start cutting your lawn in late April, and then you may need to keep right on doing it all the way through October or November. If you have to mow your lawn every week, that can get pretty exhausting, especially if you work full-time and have plenty of other things to do around the house. If you’re an older adult, you might not want to face this task every few days. Mowing the lawn can hurt your back, knees, and other body parts if you are not as young and spry as you once were. The idea of having a lawn that stays nice and green with no mowing probably appeals to you. You’ll never have to hire the neighbor’s kid or a lawnmowing service to do it for you, either.
What Are the Cons and Pros of Artificial Grass?
Let’s talk about a few of the pros of artificial grass. Probably the biggest pros are that it does not require watering like a conventional lawn. You also don’t have to weed it, and it retains its brilliant green color in a drought in a way that traditional grass does not. At all times, you can enjoy it when playing with the kids or family dog. It stays springy, and it feels good under your bare feet. It’s also more expensive to install but usually proves to be a more economically viable option over time because you don’t have to put so much money into retaining it. It is also non-flammable. If you expose it to extreme heat, it won’t catch fire like a traditional lawn would. Instead, it will simply melt. You wouldn’t want to inhale the chemicals if that happens, though. On the negative side of the slate, artificial turf is not biodegradable, which means it’s not so great for the planet’s health. It can also off-gas, which sometimes leads to health issues for sensitive lawn owners who choose to install it.
Should You Get Some?
If you look at your lawn and see that it’s not in the best condition, you might spend a great deal of money revitalizing it, or you could always go with a synthetic lawn instead. If you go for the artificial turf option, you might pay more in the beginning, but you’ll probably save money on maintenance as the years pass. This surface holds up to the wear and tear that naturally occurs if you have an active family with plenty of kids and pets. Installing synthetic grass absolutely pays off in the long run and today it’s hard to tell the difference between real and artificial grass.