Artificial Grass Pros & Cons You Should Know

An innovation that significantly changed the face of landscaping globally is artificial grass. Grass made from synthetic plastic materials gains more attention quickly than naturally grown ones. More homeowners have now transitioned from cultivating natural grass to artificial grass.

If you plan to upgrade your new home or give your environment a lovely, vibrant, lush lawn, you may need to decide if artificial grass is your ideal option. Considering artificial grass pros & cons can help you determine the best choice for your lawn. Thus, this article will help you do just that. Read on to learn about the essential artificial grass pros and cons you should know. 

Pros Of Artificial Grass

artificial rolled green grass; closeup

The beauty of artificial grass lies in its advantages. The reasons for its high demand include the following:

1. Looks Pleasing In All Types Of Weather 

One of artificial grass benefits is aesthetic improvement in spite different weather conditions.

This is because turf appearance is not directly affected by weather conditions. The grass remains green and neat throughout the different seasons of the year. Whatever the weather, the quality of artificial grass remains intact. 

Natural grass lacks this quality as it can be submerged by excessive rainfall or scorched by high-intensity sunlight, thus losing its color and structure. With artificial grass, you can rest assured that you’ll have your lawn in top shape irrespective of alternating weather conditions. 

2. Does Not Require Much Maintenance 

Maintaining a lawn can be demanding, especially one made of natural grass. However, a lawn covered with artificial grass is more convenient as it doesn’t require much maintenance. The nature of the grass enables it to maintain its shine with reasonable care. 

Compared to natural grass, artificial turf does not need much watering, fertilizing, or mowing to maintain its good look. This means you won’t have to spend much time or require a high level of expertise to maintain it. Moreover, you can use the extra time you have to enjoy your garden. 

3. Reduces Air Pollution Caused By Mowing Machines 

Keeping natural grass in good condition requires machines such as a lawnmower. Although effective in cutting, lawn mowing poses some environmental threats. Artificial turf doesn’t require the use of a lawnmower to cut it. Unlike natural grass that grows daily, artificial turf remains the way it is and does not need any form of mowing to keep it in shape. 

Aside from lightening your workload as a homeowner, there is also a reduction in air and noise pollution when you don’t use a lawn mower. This, in turn, makes your environment safer and more conducive. 

4. Allows You To Stay Away For Long Without Growing Wild 

Imagine having to leave your home for a week or a few months. What would your lawn turn into if covered with natural grass? Going back to a lawn with grass running wild will be an expected view. This means you’ll have to return to the arduous task of working toward making your lawn lush again. It’s the other way round for artificial grass, though. 

If you leave your house for long periods or own a holiday home where you spend time intermittently, you can benefit so much from artificial grass. This is because artificial grass will not grow wild like natural grass. So, you can be sure you’ll return from your trip to see a lawn in the same state you left it. 

5. Your Pets Will Have A Good Time On It

Often, pet owners worry about the level of damage their pets could cause to their lawn. This is a genuine worry for lawns made of natural grass. Real grass can be dug up and denatured by pets. On the flip side, artificial grass is a pet-friendly option. It welcomes pet activities and stays hygienic regardless of the release of waste products on them. 

In short, you could easily wipe off pet urine or feces from artificial grass with detergent and water. If you have dogs as pets, you don’t need to be afraid of spoiling the grass with mud patches as these can’t damage artificial grass. This means your turf remains in good condition despite pets’ activities.

6. No Pesticides Or Insecticides Needed 

Traditional lawns will require consistent pesticides and insecticides to look their best and be free from pests. While these may be useful in sustaining the grass, they leave some harsh effects. For example, a lawn sprayed with pesticides becomes unsafe for pets and children to play on. Therefore, the human body shouldn’t come into contact with pesticides and fertilizers. 

However, artificial grass doesn’t require these chemicals to look its best. Because you won’t need to apply them, you don’t have to worry about your children’s or pets’ safety when playing on the lawn. Likewise, because your lawn is free from chemicals, it means you can turn your garden into a social space for all. 

7. Easy to Set Up 

Covering a space with artificial grass doesn’t require too much effort. You can install it quickly even with some technicality involved. Once you have an accurate measurement of the space you want to cover, ensure you get the dimension of grass that will cover the area adequately. During installation, you only need to have the grass over the space in a way that fits it best. 

Planting natural grass isn’t as easy as you imagine. Most times, homeowners employ the services of gardeners to grow natural grass on their lawn because of the expertise it requires. With artificial grass, you save on both the effort and cost of employing a gardener because it can be installed easily. 

Cons Of Artificial Grass

Rolls of new artificial grass in the shop

Although there are strengths in artificial grass, there are also weaknesses. The flaws of this innovation are as follows:

1. Shorter Life Span 

Regardless of how well it’s maintained, artificial grass will not last for as long as natural grass. The average life span of artificial grass is around 7 to 15 years. This is still a long time; however, it is not comparable to natural grass that can last even after the homeowner passes on.

If you’re the type who wants grass that lasts for several decades, artificial grass may not be your best option. You may want to consider growing natural grass instead. 

2. Susceptible To Heat 

Artificial grass gets hot in extreme heat conditions. Having to sit or lay on hot grass will most likely be uncomfortable. Unless adequate measures are taken to remedy this, it would be best to sit or rest elsewhere.

Hence, while the grass may remain in an excellent state during hot weather conditions, the chance it will become too hot for you to relax or play on will always be there. 

3. Lesser Biodiversity 

For nature lovers, biodiversity is a significant consideration when planting grass. Aside from the coolness and beauty grass gives, it also provides a suitable habitat for some living organisms. When you have a lawn covered with natural grass, you may have some animals come around, thus increasing the species of organisms around you.

On the contrary, artificial turf is more likely to reduce the biodiversity of your garden. This is because it is made of synthetic material that doesn’t support wildlife. 

4. Chemical Composition Can Be Dangerous To Health 

Artificial grass contains a large amount of lead. According to some medical experts, the lead in artificial grass is enough to pose health hazards, especially to children. This means that continuous contact with artificial grass is dangerous to your health as lead can leave devastating effects.

It could cause mental retardation, decreased development, and death in cases of extreme exposure. Patients with asthma will find it difficult to breathe after playing on artificial grass for an extended period. 

5. A Possible Breeding Site For Certain Microbes 

After prolonged use, artificial grass can begin to accumulate disease-causing organisms. A typical example is bacteria. Studies reveal that the Staphylococci bacteria can reside suitably on artificial grass for more than 90 days. This is because of the type of plastic used to produce grass. 

Additionally, biological materials, such as blood or human tissue, are usually complex to wash off from artificial grass. When contaminated, these can cause diseases to people in contact with the grass.

6. Damaged Soil

Artificial grass in the garden

One of the significant side effects of installing artificial grass is destroying soil life beneath the turf. This is due to the nature of the infilling process. When components disintegrate, the chemicals penetrate the soil, compact it, and make it inhabitable for the living organisms in your soil.

When this happens, the ground beneath the turf will not support plant growth until it’s restored to its former state. This means if you decide to switch from artificial grass to natural one, you’ll have a hard time getting real grass to grow back on your soil. 

Conclusion 

Artificial grass has brought a different approach to landscaping. You can have a lush garden without having to maintain natural grass. Like a coin, however, artificial grass has different sides. Yet an understanding of its pros and cons, as discussed in this article, may help determine if it’s the best alternative for you.

Home Base Project Team
Home Base Project Team
At The Home Base Project, we offer practical, real-life tips and inspiration about DIY, decorating and gardening. The Home Base Project provide the best information about home renovation and design, connecting home design enthusiasts and home professionals across the world.