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Original poster

Artificial grass or turf?!

19 replies

Satsunday · 08/02/2017 16:53

We have a decent sized garden and I was going to turn an small ish area of about 60 square metres into a children's garden. So artificial grass sounded a good idea. Except it's really expensive and does it look a bit tacky? I had my heart set on it but now it's time to decide I'm suddenly not sure why I wanted it in the first place. Has anyone else had to decide between the two and if so what did you go for and why?

OP posts:
anotherdayanothersquabble · 08/02/2017 17:09

Neighbours of ours had a small Edwardian terrace in Yorkshire. Most houses in the area have yards rather than gardens though in our terrace there was some grass in most back gardens. The gardens were dark and wet in winter and the grass needed tlc. They had three football loving boys and an area next to the house that didn't get much sunlight. After three attempts to keep it turfed, artificial grass was the perfect solution in their case.

OliviaBenson · 08/02/2017 18:27

It's incredibly bad for the environment and wildlife. Can't stand the stuff.

RedBugMug · 08/02/2017 18:30

just get real grass.
it looks nicer and is more environmentally friendly.
you can get grass seeds for all sorts of conditions.
mowing the lawn is good exercise

ILoveMyMonkey · 08/02/2017 18:35

Real grass, it's cheap and nature friendly and, obviously, looks real.

Fake is really expensive particularly if you want the real look grass. I heard somewhere (when we were considering it) that it gets really hot in summer so you can't sit on it or walk bare footed on it. And wasn't there recently a footballer who claimed his sons cancer was caused by fake grass (no idea if that's true or not).

SoMuchWaiting · 08/02/2017 20:44

Ilovemymonkey I read the article about the sons cancer being blamed on fake grass and if I remember correctly it wasn't all fake grass. It was just some types which use old shredded tyres to make it bouncy. I'm happy to be corrected but I'm sure that it wasn't the actual plastic of the fake grass strands.

I found the article because a house I saw on Rightmove had fake grass, I was fantasising as it was over budget but I still read up on fake grass. After reading the article I don't think I'd have any fake grass, they know about the rubber dangers but what's in the plastic, I bet it's not bpa free and as pp said it'd get hot in the sun, i wouldn't want my baby lying on it.

Stinkymimi · 08/02/2017 20:46

I don't like it... in fact I think it's the ultimate in naff - but there are situations where it is a sensible alternative. But I still couldn't bring myself to install it. It would make me die inside a little bit, every time I looked out of the window.

Original poster
Satsunday · 08/02/2017 21:01

Thanks everyone. For those who hate artificial grass (all of you?!) - have you seen the ones with the bits if dried (fake) grass in, brown bits etc? Does look quite realistic.

But reading your responses am leaning much more towards the real stuff now. Just wanted a lovely play area but I guess I can still have that with real turf.

OP posts:
ArriettyClock1 · 08/02/2017 21:05

Yes, go for the real stuff.

Even the mega expensive stuff with brown bits looks like crap.

monniemae · 08/02/2017 21:18

We have fake grass as real grass wouldn't grow - so we have a deck, several flower and veg beds and then a smallish artificial lawn. I was really resistant before we did it but I LOVE it. It looks great, is easy etc and brilliant for the kids. It was outrageously expensive, however; we went for the best stuff we could. We still have lots of wildlife etc and the alternative was not real grass so am not feeling too guilty about bees..

Original poster
Satsunday · 08/02/2017 22:11

Which one did you go for monnie, can you remember the name/make of it?

Don't worry everyone else... am probably going to go for the real stuff but can't quite let go of the idea of fake just yet without a bit more research!

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Candidfruits · 09/02/2017 17:21

I've had Green Enigma artificial grass fitted. Not cheap, but the real grass lawn that was previously there was terrible.

MrsMarigold · 09/02/2017 18:46

We have it and it makes another play area for our children, we have a small garden and it was just a mud patch now it's great, in spring it looks quite natural (Easigrass), I know some people say it's naff but it's easier on the eye than paving and means we use our garden, we put a huge effort into the beds now.

BaymaxismyHero · 09/02/2017 18:49

I've had my artificial grass laid today!

Looks amazing, so happy with it.

Real grass was NOT cheaper!

monniemae · 09/02/2017 19:27

Ours is from Easigrass, I think it was Mayfair? Their poshest one as it was on offer at same as the next best one. I'm not kidding - people don't realise it's fake without close inspection

JoJoSM2 · 10/02/2017 08:34

I do prefer he real stuff however... if you're planning to set up a playground in the children's area, then fake grass might be more practical as you won't have to mow around swings, climbing frames etc. I would definitely consider it provided you do have a lot of real plants elsewhere in the garden.

namechange20050 · 10/02/2017 08:38

I thought it was awful but some friends installed a small patch of the really good stuff & it's brilliant. Great if you have kids.

Original poster
Satsunday · 10/02/2017 10:38

Thanks everyone, but damn it I had pretty much decided on turf based on the first answers and now thinking fake! Bit nervous about the cancer causing stories though...and the price.

It may actually come down to price in the end - I've been quoted £4500 for artificial and £1000 for real. That's a massive difference.

OP posts:
icclemunchy · 10/02/2017 10:41

We have it, we can't grow a proper lawn due to shading and we just ended up with a mud patch every year. We actually use the garden now it's brill. Can't actually remember which one we got though

sparechange · 10/02/2017 10:52

We've got fake grass in our London-sized garden
Before we put it down, it was patio slabs, because grass wouldn't and couldn't grow there.

No, it doesn't get hot in the summer. If anything, it is pleasingly cool underfoot. It feels slightly 'crunchy' like when you walk on real grass in very hot countries.
It looks very realistic for most of the year, but weirdly bright green in the middle of winter. But in the middle of winter when other gardens are unusable and muddy, ours isn't. No mud gets dragged through the house.

It is really easy to lay, so you don't need to get it professionally fitted if you are laying it onto somewhere flat - you put a bit of sand underneath to create a level base, then add the rubber 'shock pads' if you want it to cushion the falls of DCs (like they have in playgrounds) and roll it out on top like a carpet. It holds itself down with its own weight, so you don't need to nail or glue it down. Then you can edge it with decking boards etc.

The only disadvantage I can honestly report - having to watch drunk smokers like hawks to make sure they don't try and stub their fags out on it!

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