Artificial grass does not require as much upkeep as genuine grass, but that does not imply it is without maintenance. To keep it in good shape, you still need to do some sweeping and brushing. This regular maintenance will not only increase the life of the grass but will also keep it healthy, fresh, and aesthetically pleasing for a longer period of time. So, do not feel that artificial grass will have zero maintenance responsibilities.
Category: synthetic turf
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Not Safe for Pets
While some people believe artificial grass is not suitable for pets, it is actually not the case. In fact, it is safer than natural grass. To understand this better, here are some points to consider.
Durability:
Artificial grass lasts significantly longer than real grass. If your pets like rough play, they will most likely create large holes and patches in your natural grass. With artificial grass, however, no matter how often they rip about the lawn, it will always look immaculate.
Cleanliness:
Synthetic grass, unlike natural grass, does not become muddy in the winter. This means you won’t have to worry about scrubbing muddy paw prints off the floor if your dog runs inside suddenly.
Grass Length:
If you don’t mow your natural lawn too often, the overgrown grass can be frightening to a little animal, but with an artificial lawn, the grass will always be at the proper height. It is also comfy and soft for pets to rest on, creating an enticing outside place for them.
Free of Toxins:
When it comes to animals nibbling on the grass, artificial grass may be safer than natural grass. This is because there is no need to apply fertilizers, pesticides, or weed killers on an artificial lawn to keep it looking great. So you don’t have to be concerned about your pet ingesting something toxic.
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Artificial Grass is Expensive
One common misconception about synthetic yards is that it is prohibitively costly. However, an artificial lawn may be extremely cost-effective in the long run, even costing less than natural grass.
When you factor in the cost of lawnmowers, grass feed, fertilizers, pesticides, hoses, water usage, strimmers, and re-turfing required to keep a real lawn looking good, artificial grass is far less expensive than real grass over its entire lifespan because it does not require any of the above to keep it looking good.
So, while artificial grass is more expensive to install, the savings in time, effort, and money spent on upkeep might save you several thousand bucks in the long term, indicating that an artificial lawn can be more cost-effective than a genuine lawn.
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OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER
Many other factors can cause unpleasant odors; these are normally caused by mistakes made during the installation process.
Be sure the proper infill has been installed for any areas shared with pets. Using infills like rubber, silica sand, or cork, may hold or promote odors. The correct infill will not only prevent the smell of ammonia, but will also help reduce the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew
Many professional installers do not recommend using a weed barrier if you have pets. Weed barrier will reduce the drainage considerably and often retains the smell of ammonia.
Some types of turf contain latex or nylon; these materials absorb ammonia and cause an unpleasant smell.
Oftentimes, play areas have fall padding underneath them. It is not recommended for these spaces to be shared with pets as the padding reduces the drainage rate of the turf and does not allow for thorough cleaning.
We hope this helps provide you with important information on how to care for your turf. As always, feel free to Contact Us with any additional questions you may have.
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What’s the best thing about putting your tent on the artificial grass
Eventually even the toughest kids wind down, and camp-out style sleep overs call for tents. You can certainly pitch tents on your artificial lawn, but don’t use traditional stakes. You can anchor the corners with bricks or heavy rocks, but unless it’s windy the tents will stay put on their own – certainly once the kids are snoozing inside.
What’s the best thing about putting your tent on the artificial grass? Comfort like you’d never get in the rough. Instead of rocky, uneven ground no air mattress can fix, your kids will have the same soft, even surface under their beds as they have underfoot when playing on the lawn. (And, parents, if sleeping kids make impressions on the grass overnight, you can simply get out a stiff bristle brush and re-fluff the grass.)
Of course, you could skip the tents and hold your sleep over under the stars. See who can identify the most constellations – or any constellations. If it sprinkles, your campers can always bring their sleeping bags into the living room.
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Fun And Safe Summer Sleep Overs For Your Kids On Your Artificial Lawn
Now that you have an artificial grass lawn, we know you’re spending more time enjoying your yard. Hanging out around the pool, grilling up a storm, perhaps playing bocce or shaving a few strokes off your golf game, if you also added an artificial grass court or green. The kids and the dog are enjoying that fake grass, too, aren’t they?
So why not organize a summer sleep over for your kids, using your artificial lawn as Campout HQ? There’s almost no end to the fun you can have.
Playing around
You’ll want to play some lawn games, of course. Parenting magazine has some fun backyard game ideas for campouts. Or you could play board games on the grass. After dark, hang a white sheet on a wall or the fence and show a movie.Campfire eats, without the dirt
A backyard fire pit is perfect for at-home campfires. You get the ambiance of a real campout, and you can use the fire pit for cooking, too, if you want. Before you even light it up, run through essential fire safety rules with your campers:Forest Service Rangers recommend younger children not get within 10 feet of an open fire, but if your fire pit has a screened cover, closer should be OK (but be extra vigilant if you remove the cover to roast marshmallows or for campfire cooking).
No running around the fire.
What food goes best with summer sleep overs? Anything you can set on a grill or in the fire:For dinner, set up a DIY nacho station loaded with options, and have kids build their creations inside a foil packet.
For breakfast the next morning, make roasted banana splits. Slit the banana skin lengthwise down one side, spread it open gently, fill it with granola or chopped nuts and raisins, add a little brown sugar and butter, and wrap in foil to roast for 10-15 minutes. Break out the spoons and you ready to eat. (Or, to stay with the camping theme, you might want to supply your kids with sporks.)
Roasted marshmallows are a must for any backyard sleep over, especially s’mores. If you’re concerned about gooey mess, you can try making campfire cones instead. But we’re talking kids here, so mess is part of the fun. Try to direct this action away from your artificial lawn, though. Fake grass is easy to wash off should something spill, but hot-off-the-stick roasted marshmallow might melt a spot. (Even that can be fixed, by the way.) -
Why are moles and gophers so destructive?
They don’t set out to ruin your yard, they are merely looking for food – mostly in the form of roots and small plants. So they burrow along under the surface where the soil is richest and most likely to hold tasty goodies, munching as they go. Unfortunately, their quest for food causes holes and mounds that are ugly and can easily trip you up.And all that tunneling underground causes the soil surface to collapse, leaving you sinkholes, too. And those moles and gopher are motivated! A single gopher can create as many as 300 holes a year and move literally tons of soil. No wonder your lawn looks so awful and you feel so defeated.
Artificial turf is an ideal solution
As much as we hate the damage moles and gophers can create, most of us also feel guilty at the thought of using poisons and traps and other cruel means to get rid of them. Replacing your lawn with artificial grass is the kinder, gentler approach – simply causing the rodents to make their homes elsewhere.It’s the only thing that will work, too.
Converting to artificial grass to eliminate moles and gophers is not a project you want to undertake on your own, for the same reasons you don’t want to purchase artificial turf from a big box store. It takes extensive training and experience to install faux grass properly, so it lives up to your expectations. Quality, professional installation actually involves many steps, including careful ground preparation and multiple layers of different substrates and specially-formulated underlayment and infill products.
However, when you combine top-quality artificial turf and professional installation, you’ll get superior results – the kind that send diggers packing and leave you with greater peace of mind and a greener future.
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What To Do If A Critter, Like A Mole, Gets Under Your Artificial Turf?
Those wretched moles! And their equally wretched cousins, gophers! Digging up a storm, and making a big mess of your lawn, one hole or mound at a time. It’s enough to make any self-respecting home owner throw in the towel. You might as well pave over your yard and be done with it.
Whoa! We know how frustrated you are with moles, gophers, voles, and their rodent relatives, but that’s no reason to go overboard. There is a saner, prettier solution: switching to artificial grass. Today’s synthetic turf is realistically gorgeous and amazingly tough, so you can achieve two goals at once:
- Establish a forever-lovely lawn that will foil those pesky rodents
- Save time, money and the additional aggravation of lawn maintenance
You don’t often find a solution this valuable.
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Incorporate sculptures or other ornaments
By incorporating different elements, you can landscape the entire area with a variety of visuals that still create a unified design. Large sculptures provide a bold visual that distracts from an odd-shaped area. Small sculptures can lead the eye in a different direction, or create visual surprises. A trellis can add definition or create a screen.
5. Add a water feature
Adding a fountain or small pond to your yard may seem crazy when we’ve become so water-conscious. But recirculating fountains conserve water, and ponds give birds and butterflies a vital source of water. A few koi or other fish will add color and movement and prevent insects from breeding in the water.
A water feature can create a focal point that draws the eye away toward a particular part of your yard. It can also balance your lawn to give your space greater symmetry. And the sound of gently moving water is so soothing — perfect for a contemplative sitting space nearby.
Bonus tip
If you’re reluctant to embrace your lawn’s odd shape because mowing will be a hassle, why not switch to artificial grass instead? You can design a faux lawn with any undulation, curved or angled edges you like, without sacrificing your creative ideas to ease of maintenance.
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Want to DIY Install Your Synthetic Grass? Here’s What You Need to Know
So, you’ve decided to install artificial grass at your home or property—good for you—you’re about to make an excellent investment.
But, if you do want to go down the DIY route, there are a few things you should know before you pick up your tools and get to work.
Artificial lawn is only beneficial if you fit it properly. So, to guide you to DIY installation success, here are some pointers you should consider.
Surface
First and foremost, if you’re looking to install your own synthetic grass, you should take a moment to consider the surface you’re going to cover.
Typically, Perth homeowners choose to lay their synthetic grass over either paving slabs and concrete or soil.
Depending on the surface you’re working with, you will need to take a slightly different approach to the synthetic grass installation process.
If you’re laying your synthetic grass on soil, for instance, you will need to strip away all the existing grass and take measures to even the surface while extracting any excess roots and debris.
But while the surface is already niche and flat, if you’re looking to DIY install your synthetic grass straight onto concrete, it’s important to check the surface can drain excess water efficiently. To be safe and create enough water irrigation, drilling holes (16mm holes will do the trick) in the existing concrete or slabs and filling them with pea gravel is advised.