Artificial grass - experiences?
Discussion
ChocolateFrog said:
Well Welshbeef did his best to ruin this thread.
I'm looking for recommendations for where to buy the actual grass or which brand to go for, it's very hard to tell what's better than what or which website to use. Looking for something at the higher end and ok with pets.
Thanks.
It's interesting that not a single person regrets having it fitted despite how much it's hated by others.
If you are in or near essex i can recommend the patio supply centre in rawreth, his grass is really very good, intact its made me actually like the stuff I'm looking for recommendations for where to buy the actual grass or which brand to go for, it's very hard to tell what's better than what or which website to use. Looking for something at the higher end and ok with pets.
Thanks.
It's interesting that not a single person regrets having it fitted despite how much it's hated by others.
the newest one is like a carpet! no mail order shipping though 
ChocolateFrog said:
It's interesting that not a single person regrets having it fitted despite how much it's hated by others.
That’s because most of us that bought it did so for a purpose, quite often dogs. I’d rather a lovely real lawn but my dogs put paid to that idea.
Unfortunately the guys that did our garden sourced ours. I’d say you’re best off getting some samples posted to you from a few of the reputable brands and then go from there. We went for a thicker grass that was less green than some others we looked at. We didn’t want it to look like a greengrocers display.
Ha, No, South Yorkshire.
I did have another question.
It's recommended you spread sand over the top of the newly laid grass and brush it in to help bed it in and allow the pile to stay standing up but it seems most on here give their grass a Hoover once or twice a year.
Assuming the sand bit is optional.
I did have another question.
It's recommended you spread sand over the top of the newly laid grass and brush it in to help bed it in and allow the pile to stay standing up but it seems most on here give their grass a Hoover once or twice a year.
Assuming the sand bit is optional.
HRL said:
ChocolateFrog said:
It's interesting that not a single person regrets having it fitted despite how much it's hated by others.
That’s because most of us that bought it did so for a purpose, quite often dogs. I’d rather a lovely real lawn but my dogs put paid to that idea.
Unfortunately the guys that did our garden sourced ours. I’d say you’re best off getting some samples posted to you from a few of the reputable brands and then go from there. We went for a thicker grass that was less green than some others we looked at. We didn’t want it to look like a greengrocers display.
ChocolateFrog said:
Ha, No, South Yorkshire.
I did have another question.
It's recommended you spread sand over the top of the newly laid grass and brush it in to help bed it in and allow the pile to stay standing up but it seems most on here give their grass a Hoover once or twice a year.
Assuming the sand bit is optional.
Im not a massive expert on it but some types need it some dont, the type we use doesnt. I did have another question.
It's recommended you spread sand over the top of the newly laid grass and brush it in to help bed it in and allow the pile to stay standing up but it seems most on here give their grass a Hoover once or twice a year.
Assuming the sand bit is optional.
I know a lot of guys on the paving and landscaping forums use a company called tuda grass and it seems well regarded but i haven't seen or used it myself.
iacabu said:
As others have said, the problem for me is the smell of wee when the sun hits it. Jeyes fluid was recommended but hasn't cleared the smell completely.
I just use a brush to clear leaves and blossom that fall throughout the year.
Regarding dogs pee.. it has the be installed properlyI just use a brush to clear leaves and blossom that fall throughout the year.
If weed barrier is between the ‘sand’ & grass, it will pool beneath the grass & smell..
The weed barrier needs to be beneath the sand/substrate, so the pee soaks away readily
Jimboka said:
iacabu said:
As others have said, the problem for me is the smell of wee when the sun hits it. Jeyes fluid was recommended but hasn't cleared the smell completely.
I just use a brush to clear leaves and blossom that fall throughout the year.
Regarding dogs pee.. it has the be installed properlyI just use a brush to clear leaves and blossom that fall throughout the year.
If weed barrier is between the ‘sand’ & grass, it will pool beneath the grass & smell..
The weed barrier needs to be beneath the sand/substrate, so the pee soaks away readily
Jimboka said:
Regarding dogs pee.. it has the be installed properly
If weed barrier is between the ‘sand’ & grass, it will pool beneath the grass & smell..
The weed barrier needs to be beneath the sand/substrate, so the pee soaks away readily
It depends on which barrier you use. You will be surprised to know that some of these weed membranes while permeable will hold liquid for quite some time before it finally drains through. If weed barrier is between the ‘sand’ & grass, it will pool beneath the grass & smell..
The weed barrier needs to be beneath the sand/substrate, so the pee soaks away readily
The one we use is very permeable. The reason the membrane needs to go beneath the grass and on top of the sand is to stop weeds rooting in.
Another thing we do and also a lot of others now is using 2-6mm grit instead of sand, one of my reasons for that is its a lot more permeable and will wash through easier so if you have dogs its easier to keep clean. Sand will stink if its been pissed on 3 times a day for a while
m3jappa said:
It depends on which barrier you use. You will be surprised to know that some of these weed membranes while permeable will hold liquid for quite some time before it finally drains through.
The one we use is very permeable. The reason the membrane needs to go beneath the grass and on top of the sand is to stop weeds rooting in.
Another thing we do and also a lot of others now is using 2-6mm grit instead of sand, one of my reasons for that is its a lot more permeable and will wash through easier so if you have dogs its easier to keep clean. Sand will stink if its been pissed on 3 times a day for a while
I'm using limestone dust as the top layer, or as close as I can anyway. The one we use is very permeable. The reason the membrane needs to go beneath the grass and on top of the sand is to stop weeds rooting in.
Another thing we do and also a lot of others now is using 2-6mm grit instead of sand, one of my reasons for that is its a lot more permeable and will wash through easier so if you have dogs its easier to keep clean. Sand will stink if its been pissed on 3 times a day for a while
Will test the weed membranes permeability, it's a 'heavy duty'one and does look relatively impermeable.
This is at my mums. She had a raised area with grass that is always getting weeds. She is elderly so needs something low maintenance. There was a fence there but it was rotten, so I took that up too to replace.
Before - old fence already ripped up.
I decided to lay it on type 1, I read both 100 and 150mm depth, I chose 150mm. Arguably overkill, and I actually went a bit deeper than 150mm in a couple of spots. Used 3 tons of type 1 in the end!! along with a bit of rubble.
During - Type 1 laid and flattened, new fence up.
(Nearly) finished - one little divot to put in.
All complete now - the soil had to come up a set of steps (Back garden is at basement level) and loaded in runs in my Volvo estate to my house where i used it to level the garden from a previous job. With three jobs running concurrently (Levelling my garden, digging out for AG / laying type 1/ Laying AG and building a new fence) it took me about 6 weeks of weekends.
Looks a lot nicer now.
Before - old fence already ripped up.
I decided to lay it on type 1, I read both 100 and 150mm depth, I chose 150mm. Arguably overkill, and I actually went a bit deeper than 150mm in a couple of spots. Used 3 tons of type 1 in the end!! along with a bit of rubble.
During - Type 1 laid and flattened, new fence up.
(Nearly) finished - one little divot to put in.
All complete now - the soil had to come up a set of steps (Back garden is at basement level) and loaded in runs in my Volvo estate to my house where i used it to level the garden from a previous job. With three jobs running concurrently (Levelling my garden, digging out for AG / laying type 1/ Laying AG and building a new fence) it took me about 6 weeks of weekends.
Looks a lot nicer now.
I've got 3 dogs and 2 young kids so it gets used a lot and although I get the occasional patch, I just make sure I water the areas they tend to pee. It's nitrogen after all, just in toxic amounts so if you can dilute it, it helps. I do water the grass a lot in summer (I'm on rates rather than metered) but we only have a couple of small patches on the edge. This was it last year,
I'm a very keen gardener, and I would highly recommend artificial turf, there are so many positives and it fulfills the needs of many people.
I have a lush green (real) lawn in my front garden which I love looking after and cutting/stripeing etc, loads of nice plants and flowers etc etc. However, the back garden is where we artificial turf, its middle of the range stuff from Franks Flooring (not sure if they are national of NE only...) and we got if for the reasons of;
Real turf just wouldn't take due to quite alot of deep shade.
My kids can play on it all year round without getting filthy on what was just basically mud before.
Hardwearing enough for the kids to play on with bikes etc.
Retains the look of real grass but without the agro' we had before.
In the right situations its a no brainer, not everyone has the time or even the physical capacity to maintain a real lawn and even more so a one which looks good and delivers what they need from it, i.e. a play area for the kids all year round.
I have a lush green (real) lawn in my front garden which I love looking after and cutting/stripeing etc, loads of nice plants and flowers etc etc. However, the back garden is where we artificial turf, its middle of the range stuff from Franks Flooring (not sure if they are national of NE only...) and we got if for the reasons of;
Real turf just wouldn't take due to quite alot of deep shade.
My kids can play on it all year round without getting filthy on what was just basically mud before.
Hardwearing enough for the kids to play on with bikes etc.
Retains the look of real grass but without the agro' we had before.
In the right situations its a no brainer, not everyone has the time or even the physical capacity to maintain a real lawn and even more so a one which looks good and delivers what they need from it, i.e. a play area for the kids all year round.
Venier said:
Almost £9k for 125 sq metres?
The garden doesn’t seem big enough to justify such a high outlay - is this a realistic NW price or am I unrealistic with my expectations?
Depends what quality of product they are fitting, what underlay, what foundation, how much needs digging out, does that include a skip and waste disposal etc etc. So many variables involved.The garden doesn’t seem big enough to justify such a high outlay - is this a realistic NW price or am I unrealistic with my expectations?
My experience of artificial grass is one of nausea every time I see it. The plastic grass seems to always match the plastic windows, I don’t want to live in a plastic World where nothing is as it seems. There is value in authenticity.
I don’t have a lawn but if I did I’m sure the small amount of tending it took would more than pay me back with a sense of pride.
I don’t have a lawn but if I did I’m sure the small amount of tending it took would more than pay me back with a sense of pride.
Real grass is easy
Mine is small but it was a mess
Over lockdown, i bought some weed and feed, one of those rakes with wheels at the end,
I fastened a brick to the rake, so the weight did the work,
Raked the thatch then mowed it with the blade set higher.
Let it recover then feed it,
I put some seed down and bobs your aunties husband
Repeat the above half a dozen times now its spot on
Mowed once a week and doesnt need any care,
Probably cost sixty quid all in all
Mine is small but it was a mess
Over lockdown, i bought some weed and feed, one of those rakes with wheels at the end,
I fastened a brick to the rake, so the weight did the work,
Raked the thatch then mowed it with the blade set higher.
Let it recover then feed it,
I put some seed down and bobs your aunties husband
Repeat the above half a dozen times now its spot on
Mowed once a week and doesnt need any care,
Probably cost sixty quid all in all
dirky dirk said:
Real grass is easy
Mine is small but it was a mess
Over lockdown, i bought some weed and feed, one of those rakes with wheels at the end,
I fastened a brick to the rake, so the weight did the work,
Raked the thatch then mowed it with the blade set higher.
Let it recover then feed it,
I put some seed down and bobs your aunties husband
Repeat the above half a dozen times now its spot on
Mowed once a week and doesnt need any care,
Probably cost sixty quid all in all
Sixty quid plus the time.Mine is small but it was a mess
Over lockdown, i bought some weed and feed, one of those rakes with wheels at the end,
I fastened a brick to the rake, so the weight did the work,
Raked the thatch then mowed it with the blade set higher.
Let it recover then feed it,
I put some seed down and bobs your aunties husband
Repeat the above half a dozen times now its spot on
Mowed once a week and doesnt need any care,
Probably cost sixty quid all in all
We’ve decided to get artificial grass in the rear garden next year have thought about it for a while,
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