Artificial grass, also known as fake grass, can be a great addition to your garden, balcony, terrace, or even indoors. When you think of artificial grass, do you think of the short, carpet-like surface at school that used to skin your knees as soon as you fell over? Well, think again - modern artificial grass has come a long way since then. New artificial grass looks so realistic, we doubt that many people can tell the difference! And while it might seem the more expensive option, artificial grass has many benefits over real grass:
What is artificial grass?
In a nutshell, artificial grass is made up of multiple strands of green plastic sewn into and over a latex backing. This latex also has holes in it to allow water to drain like the real thing. As result, artificial grass can be laid on almost any surface. Yes, even indoors!
What colour is natural grass?
Natural grass is not a consistent colour, so to replicate this, artificial grass uses different shades of green and brown to make it look as real as possible. Generally, the more money you spend, the more realistic the fake grass will look. The grass colour will have more variation, and these extra strands will make it feel more luxurious and much softer under foot.
How long is artificial grass?
Artificial grass is generally available in lengths between 20mm and 40mm. As the length of the ‘turf’ increases, so does the price. The best artificial grass is longer, with a much denser pile, and generally feels softer, more cushioned, and looks more like a freshly watered lawn. All types of artificial grass are comfortable under bare feet.
Where can you lay artificial grass?
We often get customers asking where they can lay artificial grass, and on top of what? The good news is that artificial grass can be laid on almost any surface including soil, stone, concrete, slabs, decking and more. Check out our guide to laying artificial grass to find out what you need to do.
Is artificial grass safe for children?
Absolutely! Artificial grass in your garden gives your children a soft surface to play on all year round. Less mud and grass stains in the winter, and less skinned knees in the summer from the hard soil. It’s a win-win situation. What’s more, if you’ve got the next Lionel Messi in your family, they can play without churning up your garden. Plus, you can add additional padding underneath artificial grass to make it even safer for use under things like swings, slides and climbing frames.
Is artificial grass safe for pets?
Yes! Pets won’t know any difference between artificial grass and the real thing. However, the best artificial grass for pets is one with a shorter pile, such as a pile height of around 30mm. This is a good mix of comfort and ease of cleaning. In fact, the ease of cleaning is one of the best reasons to have fake grass if you have pets. No more urine stains, and you can just hose it down if it needs a rinse. Have a look at our artificial grass care guide for all the cleaning hacks from the experts.
There are 4 main things to consider when you’re looking to buy artificial grass:
Which style of artificial grass you choose is down to your personal tastes. You may want something that’s cost effective and simple for a small garden or balcony, or you may want plush, deeper pile fake grass to form your main lawn. You can also get some artificial grass in striped patterns for that extra bit of style.
How long does artificial grass last?
The short answer is, a long time! The longer answer is… it depends.
All Tapi artificial grass comes with a minimum 9-year wear guarantee but with proper care you should get many more years of use from it. As a rule, the shorter the pile, the longer it will last. This is mainly based on perception, as fake grass can become trodden down over the years, but, if the grass is short anyway, you’re less likely to notice.
Most artificial grass is made from either polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon. Nylon is much more hard-wearing, and therefore you could go for a longer pile length of 30mm+ without any noticeable effect on expected lifespan. As a side note, shorter artificial grass may also require less maintenance than longer grass, as less debris will get stuck in between the fibres.
How to look after artificial grass
The best thing about artificial grass is that it’s very simple to look after and requires minimal effort. Of course, the main benefit is that you don’t have to mow it or constantly pull out weeds. To keep your fake grass looking top notch, simply sweep away leaves and dirt with a stiff brush once a week.
If it’s particularly dirty, gently rinsing it with a hosepipe should do the trick. If you’ve got pets and/or children and are worried about germs, then mixing up some environmentally friendly detergent with warm water and brushing it into the fibres should be all that’s required.
How much does artificial grass cost?
We stock many different types of artificial grass and generally they cost between £20 and £30 per m2. You also must consider the costs involved with preparation and installation of the turf, which can vary depending on the condition of your ground, how much old turf needs to be removed, and how big your garden is. We cover all this and more in our guide to the cost of artificial grass.
