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With Bay Area communities such as Mill Valley creating strict guidelines around living lawn and grass-scapes (residents can only have 500 square feet of real grass or else they face significant penalties), more and more clients are entertaining the idea of trading in their living lawn for an artificial one. While most homeowners love the look and feel of real grass, they hope to save time, energy, and money as a result of artificial turf’s water-free and low-maintenance attributes.
However, several of our clients who’ve made the switch wound up tearing up the fake turf and going back to the real deal because they were motivated by the pros - and didn’t pay close attention to the cons.
If you’re thinking of making the switch, read through this list of pros and cons for artificial turf – and feel free to get in touch with a professional, Bay Area landscaper who can help you make the best decision for your landscape design and lifestyle.
Here are some of the pros of installing a high-quality artificial grass product:
There is no doubt that lawns use a considerable amount of water to remain healthy, green, and lush. According to todayshomeowner.com, a 10 x 10 square of lawn requires more than 62 gallons of water per watering.
An alternative is to look at gray-water alternatives, using water leveraged from sinks, bath, and shower taps to water your lawn and other landscaping. This way, so you conserve water and dollars at the same time.
If its torn or punctured – you’ll need to repair or replace it. But in terms of general maintenance, artificial lawns are considered maintenance-free. There’s no need to weed or mow, you’ll never need to trim the edges, and they can be considered eco-friendly in the sense that you won’t need to use any type of toxic herbicides or pesticides.
In terms of aesthetics, high-quality artificial grass looks just like real grass until you are up close – which is a nice change from the original designs that were obviously fake. As a result, homeowners who install artificial grass enjoy a consistently green lawn-scape – without any fear of unsightly brown spots or areas of fading. This can be especially appealing for businesses and commercial/industrial parks, where curb appeal matters.
Of course, no solution is ever perfect – and we’ve found that most residential homeowners prefer to stick with regular grass, OR they opt to hybridize their yards. You can always use “real grass” where kids or pets play – and install artificial turf in side yards or landscaping areas that don’t get much tread from bare feet.
It’s notably more expensive to install a high-quality artificial grass, which averages about $14/square foot. In larger yards, the dollar signs quickly add up.
By and large, the most common complaint about artificial grass is that it gets hot during the summer months. If you’re someone who loves the feel of cool green grass on the bottoms of bare feet, or your children spend outdoor time on the lawn – think twice about installing artificial turf.
In areas with lots of direct sunlight, the heat of even “reflective” artificial turf products can heat up so much that you feel it through your shoes. This can make the lawn obsolete during peak hours of the warmer months. Ironically, artificial grass manufacturers offer a hidden water system to help offset this heat – but that takes away from the “water-free” benefits.
Eco-friendly is a relative term, but the more we learn about soil science, the more we understand the importance of water runoff and healthy soil percolation. When you cover the soil with artificial turf, the water runs off elsewhere, often prevented from percolating naturally through the soil. It also stifles the rich biodiversity that thrives in “living soil,” which can negatively impact your landscaping as a whole.
While permeable underlayments drain urine, Fido’s poop has to be scooped and will leave smelly debris behind. Most dog owners find they need to spray the fake grass afterward to minimize physical mess and bad smells.
Interested in learning more about the pros and cons of artificial grass and whether it’s the right choice for your home or business? Contact us here at Bay Area Landscapes, or give us a call at 510-342-3064.