To think I can just whack some fake grass straight on top of the patio?

[whyohwhy35]

House is rented and we don't envisage being here for much beyond a year (we're looking to buy). Back garden is completely covered in patio squares. I have a 4yo and crawling baby and would like to let them play out this spring/summer.

WIBU to buy some cheapish fake grass and cover the patio? I've measured up and it'd be about £70.

Ok well nobody has objected yet, so I'm gonna order some...

I'd do it! Why not

So long as it can drain okay I guess?

Like a big rug?

We had some knocking about after we moved into a new build, in fact we still have it, and nowhere to store it so we decided to put it on the garage floor. It didn’t work at all as it was in 4m strips and they moved about, like a rug.

Also it would be hard still. Solid I mean, not difficult.

I’m a teacher and in quite a few reception and nursery outdoor areas they have rugs on the ground. Another idea is gymnastics mats or foam.

If you're happy that it won't last long, go for it. Not having a smooth surface underneath will shorten it's life. I'd put some foam rubber under to make it more comfy to sit on.

Yeah our friends did this and it was fine. They put an underlayer underneath to make it more comfortable and prolong the life of the grass

Just to give you an alternative Ikea do huge outdoor rugs - water drains through them
and very low pile which is much easier to sweep or hoover (!) than fake grass

I reckon £70 isn't much to pay for a whole spring/summer of outdoor play. Garden is south facing too so we get lots of lovely light in it. I'm gonna do it!

To be honest, I'd pull the slabs up (and stack them carefully out of the way) and lay the turf on the sand. It'll be softer and have better drainage. Then when you leave put the slabs back down.

I'm not pulling slabs up. Noooooo way!

It will be rock hard! But hey, worth a punt.

Get some underlay too and it'll be lovely. Also we have some big picnic blankets off eBay which are thick but waterproof backed and are great in the garden for crawling babies on top of the grass they'd be lovely for picnics too.

It'll look and feel rubbish but... sounds like you're going for it!

I did this in a rented property last year but it was on top of gravel. It was fine - my only slight concern would be your little DC might fall over and bang their head - but they could do that on slabs so not sure that is something to even worry about? interestingly my dog hated lying on fake grass! - he preferred to find a patch of gravel as uncomfortable as that must have been! Think it was cos it got really hot in the sun last summer and fake grass doesn’t give that cool feeling real grass does

Why bother posting on here, as after just 9 minutes you impatiently decided what to do.

We had the slabs last summer and they were rubbish. DS is more of a rolling around on the ground type.

Oh and watch out for slugs while rolling around... for some reason slugs liked to go for a stroll across it - i suppose with real grass you don’t notice them !?

It's a rented house, the Op cannot go ripping up the garden and installing 'stuff' … laying a removable surface if fine, if that's what you fancy. Astro turf is hard, as is concrete. Much of a muchness.

No,why add more plastic? It’s a trend that looks a bit naff. I can see your need for something cheap, quick and easy but it is unbelievably crap and faddy.

Finfintytint
I know it’s childish but your comment just makes me want to buy loads of it! I love a fad

Dreadful idea! Sounds like you are going to do it! Hard, won't drain, lumpy, won't he any easier to play on, costly for something pointless and will look awful

Have your thought about play mats like these OP?

Www.matsgrids.co.uk Rubber play mats

www.floormats.co.uk Outdoor rubber mats and grids

It'll cost a lot more than £70!

I think you'd be better off buying some cheap rugs that you could throw onto the slabs on sunny days, and roll up and put away on wet days.