Turf Wars: 7 Myths Busted About Artificial Lawn
The new breeds of fake grass have few of the downsides of artificial lawns of old, and plenty of worthwhile upsides
No longer the fluoro fake of tennis courts or the botched, blotchy plastic of a bad backyard, the new breed of artificial turf is worth reconsidering as a viable backyard alternative. Some of you have strong opinions on the worthiness of fake grass – many love it, others hate the very idea of it – so we asked local experts to help clear up some myths and misconceptions to make the choosing easier.
Brett Jenkins of Super Turf says that because the permeable surface under artificial turf moderates the flow of water into drains, and doesn’t collapse after heavy rains like soil can, which is a bonus for burdened city stormwater systems.
Most products are made from recycled plastics, and are manufactured to be recyclable at the end of their lifespan (which these days is up to 20 years).
Growing real grass had proved difficult in this shady Sydney backyard in NSW. Replacing it with synthetic grass means it looks lush and green all year round.
Grass not growing? Find a garden and landscape supplier near you on Houzz and replace your turf with artificial lawn
Most products are made from recycled plastics, and are manufactured to be recyclable at the end of their lifespan (which these days is up to 20 years).
Growing real grass had proved difficult in this shady Sydney backyard in NSW. Replacing it with synthetic grass means it looks lush and green all year round.
Grass not growing? Find a garden and landscape supplier near you on Houzz and replace your turf with artificial lawn
Myth 2. It still needs maintenance
False: If you’re lucky enough to live in a wet environment (like most of New Zealand) then the rain will do most of the work of keeping the lawn looking clean and dust-free. You do have to wipe off stains though (that dropped ice-cream cone or glass of red wine), and most manufacturers will have instructions for stain removal and care.
Garth Tipene of Eco Lawn likes to groom his lawns with a rake or leaf blower to get rid of large debris. If the lawn is in a heavily shaded area and gets winter mould or moss, he recommends a fast-acting mould killer to tidy up at the start of spring.
The stepping stones leading from this terrace house to the studio out the back have been laid on artificial grass, with recycled sandstone garden edgers from the foundations of the house that used to stand on this site.
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False: If you’re lucky enough to live in a wet environment (like most of New Zealand) then the rain will do most of the work of keeping the lawn looking clean and dust-free. You do have to wipe off stains though (that dropped ice-cream cone or glass of red wine), and most manufacturers will have instructions for stain removal and care.
Garth Tipene of Eco Lawn likes to groom his lawns with a rake or leaf blower to get rid of large debris. If the lawn is in a heavily shaded area and gets winter mould or moss, he recommends a fast-acting mould killer to tidy up at the start of spring.
The stepping stones leading from this terrace house to the studio out the back have been laid on artificial grass, with recycled sandstone garden edgers from the foundations of the house that used to stand on this site.
Browse more backyard decking ideas
Some types of faux lawn benefit from a vacuum (perhaps best to do this when the neighbours can’t laugh) or brushing the turf to fluff up the fibres, particularly in heavy-traffic areas.
Myth 3. Kids don’t like playing on it
False: In fact, one of the most common applications for artificial turf is around children’s playground equipment.
Green Scene: 10 Perfect Places to Use Artificial Grass
False: In fact, one of the most common applications for artificial turf is around children’s playground equipment.
Green Scene: 10 Perfect Places to Use Artificial Grass
Some forms of turf are designed to go over the top of shock pads to buffer kids if they do fall, which are made of recycled eco-rubber.
Faux grass also provides an ideal surface for games of soccer, frisbee or cricket in the backyard, and a prickle-free place to lie outside and daydream.
Myth 4: It gets too hot to walk on
Sometimes: Just like concrete or tiles, Mackay warns that artificial turf can get hot in the hottest part of the day. However, he points out that because the artificial turf is laid on a drainage base, it cools much faster than hard surfaces, so you can walk on it sooner.
New research and development is producing high-tech, non-burn, low-temperature yarns with more UV resistance, all of which help bring down the temperature of faux turf on a hot day.
Tip: Tipene also suggests putting on the sprinkler on a summer’s day to cool down the lawn (and the kids) if water restrictions allow, for a fun mud-free play zone.
Sometimes: Just like concrete or tiles, Mackay warns that artificial turf can get hot in the hottest part of the day. However, he points out that because the artificial turf is laid on a drainage base, it cools much faster than hard surfaces, so you can walk on it sooner.
New research and development is producing high-tech, non-burn, low-temperature yarns with more UV resistance, all of which help bring down the temperature of faux turf on a hot day.
Tip: Tipene also suggests putting on the sprinkler on a summer’s day to cool down the lawn (and the kids) if water restrictions allow, for a fun mud-free play zone.
On the other hand, artificial lawns can cope with little or no sunshine, doing fine in low-water, low-light conditions that would kill a growing lawn.
See the rest of this ground-breaking home
See the rest of this ground-breaking home
Myth 5. It harbours germs
False: None of our experts had heard of modern turf harbouring bugs, pointing out that this myth might have come from the old days of playing fields with astro-turf and sand. Despite scientific studies dispelling that myth, Mackay says that homeowners do need to take care to clean up. The surface needs to be kept free of leaves, debris and organic matter as, unlike on a natural lawn, they will not be absorbed into the earth as they rot.
“In Australia, it is compulsory to add sanitiser in the spray system for maintaining playing fields in schools, but that’s not the case here,” says New Zealand-based Jenkins. “Residential lawns are not nearly as dense as the ones used for sports fields, so rain does that cleaning job anyway.”
False: None of our experts had heard of modern turf harbouring bugs, pointing out that this myth might have come from the old days of playing fields with astro-turf and sand. Despite scientific studies dispelling that myth, Mackay says that homeowners do need to take care to clean up. The surface needs to be kept free of leaves, debris and organic matter as, unlike on a natural lawn, they will not be absorbed into the earth as they rot.
“In Australia, it is compulsory to add sanitiser in the spray system for maintaining playing fields in schools, but that’s not the case here,” says New Zealand-based Jenkins. “Residential lawns are not nearly as dense as the ones used for sports fields, so rain does that cleaning job anyway.”
In fact, the surface makes a great dog run, as the lawn cannot be dug up or scratched into messy patches. Obviously excrement needs to be removed as soon as possible, and most installers also recommend that the turf be hosed down to dilute urine and help it dissipate. In non-doggy gardens you can clean every so often with a diluted cleaner such as detergent or sugar soap.
Top 10 Pet-Friendly Ideas That Encourage Outdoor Play
Top 10 Pet-Friendly Ideas That Encourage Outdoor Play
Myth 6. It just looks fake
False: Back in the old days, cheap and shiny artificial turf just looked like green carpet – and fully deserved its bad rap. New technology now delivers myriad shades of green, different lengths and shapes of grass blades, even brown yarns twisted at the bottom of the green grass that resemble the drying older blades of the real thing.
For the most realistic look, pick a thatch of around 32 to 40 millimetres that combines several shades of green and has curly brown and gold shades in the base.
Tip: Artificial turf should be installed so the tips of the blades of grass point towards where you will view it from most often. This further helps prevent a fake, shiny appearance.
False: Back in the old days, cheap and shiny artificial turf just looked like green carpet – and fully deserved its bad rap. New technology now delivers myriad shades of green, different lengths and shapes of grass blades, even brown yarns twisted at the bottom of the green grass that resemble the drying older blades of the real thing.
For the most realistic look, pick a thatch of around 32 to 40 millimetres that combines several shades of green and has curly brown and gold shades in the base.
Tip: Artificial turf should be installed so the tips of the blades of grass point towards where you will view it from most often. This further helps prevent a fake, shiny appearance.
Myth 7. Cars can’t drive on it
Sometimes: Some turfs are not designed for frequent heavy traffic and some are, so it pays to check with your supplier (and be realistic about the number and size of vehicle movements). Tipene recommends avoiding installing faux turf in an area that has turning wheels, because the friction can quickly create worn patches.
However, if you hate the look of acres of hard paving or concrete, running turf around paving stones is a way to soften your landscape. The turf can help drain water, meaning less run-off to the stormwater drains, or you could combine it with gravel, pebbles or grass pavers for a greener look.
Sometimes: Some turfs are not designed for frequent heavy traffic and some are, so it pays to check with your supplier (and be realistic about the number and size of vehicle movements). Tipene recommends avoiding installing faux turf in an area that has turning wheels, because the friction can quickly create worn patches.
However, if you hate the look of acres of hard paving or concrete, running turf around paving stones is a way to soften your landscape. The turf can help drain water, meaning less run-off to the stormwater drains, or you could combine it with gravel, pebbles or grass pavers for a greener look.
Your turn
Do you have artificial lawn at home? Share your tips for choosing and installing it in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more water-wise ideas for your yard or outdoor area? Read up on How Do I… Keep My Garden Alive in a Drought?
Do you have artificial lawn at home? Share your tips for choosing and installing it in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more water-wise ideas for your yard or outdoor area? Read up on How Do I… Keep My Garden Alive in a Drought?
False: Once it’s installed, an artificial-turf lawn doesn’t require the maintenance inputs of real lawn. This means no petrol for lawnmowers, no fertiliser and no pesticides that could create run-off or leach into groundwater. Artificial turf also doesn’t require the water use to keep a real lawn green, especially in the height of summer or drought.
Some people like to water their artificial lawn in the summer to cool it down, but Dan Mackay of Ministry of Ground in New Zealand says that this uses nowhere near the volume that a thorough watering would take to keep real grass green in the dry of summer.