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Original poster

Does astroturf put you off?

392 replies

GingerBeverage · 12/10/2021 10:04

If you're looking at family houses, would astroturf (fake grass) put you off viewing/buying?

I'm seeing it a lot in city terraces and semis these days. There seems to be a resurgence from being out of fashion decades ago.

OP posts:
EatSleepRantRepeat · 12/10/2021 12:41

I have it on our tiny garden, but we couldn't have real grass with no room for a shed/tools, and laying paving everywhere just increases local flooding. There's a very deep layer of sand and gravel beneath ours for drainage, so it never floods and never needs watering or chemicals/weedkiller. Very happy with it!

Aqua55 · 12/10/2021 12:44

It would depend on how visible it is underneath the discarded sofa and faulty fridge.

DoubleTweenQueen · 12/10/2021 12:46

This has some info - www.auralandscapes.co.uk/blog/artificial-grass-installing/

Really surprised at how many people actually replace their real lawn with it!

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 12/10/2021 12:49

Yes, disgusting stuff!

HelpMeWithMyHip · 12/10/2021 13:05

@Aqua55

It would depend on how visible it is underneath the discarded sofa and faulty fridge.
Eh?
hgaj · 12/10/2021 13:06

Yes puts me off, because not only would I want to replace but I normally assume that the garden is so shady/poor that you'd never be able to enjoy it.

HelpMeWithMyHip · 12/10/2021 13:06

@CarrotSticks23

I would put it in the same category as a rickety greenhouse or outdoor loo. A massive PITA that I would need to deal with but if I absolutely loved the house I would. It would be a strong negative but not unworkable.

It's tacky, it looks crap, it smells, it's environmentally poor, not workable with pets or any animals tbh. Also it's not comfortable particularly to play on so not great for children. It's something that I would need to sort ASAP, unlike say dodgy decor or an avocado bathroom that are liveable

It's brilliant with dogs. My lawn in our old house was destroyed. This is fab and easy to clean. Plus the kids can play out all weather's and not trail mud in..

I'm disabled though so I can't deal with a proper lawn anyway.

TheGrumpyGoat · 12/10/2021 13:08

It's brilliant with dogs

Do your dogs not wee on it?

HelpMeWithMyHip · 12/10/2021 13:09

@TheGrumpyGoat

It's brilliant with dogs

Do your dogs not wee on it?

Well yes. Like he wee'd on my normal grass. Tbh he prefers to pee up my pots but even if he does it drains through. It's built up so there is plenty of drainage.
OutOfSite · 12/10/2021 13:13

Love it. Money well spend in my opinion.

minipie · 12/10/2021 13:14

Absolutely disagree about DC not playing on it. Our DC play on the fake grass about 10x more than they did on our old real lawn (which was more of an ant filled weedy bog).

ScrambledSmegs · 12/10/2021 13:15

Yes it would put me off. Unless the garden was in permanent shade/ surrounded by large trees and then I can see the point, as no grass would grow properly there. But then the shady garden would put me off too.

My personal experience of the stuff is that on hot days it's unpleasant to sit on and smells weird.

HelpMeWithMyHip · 12/10/2021 13:15

@minipie

Absolutely disagree about DC not playing on it. Our DC play on the fake grass about 10x more than they did on our old real lawn (which was more of an ant filled weedy bog).
Same here. It gets no hotter than our flags in summer either
oakleydo · 12/10/2021 13:17

Yes. Totally.

I dont understand the appeal! Given the state of the planet we need more nature and less man-made plastic.

Diabolical

I once looked at a house with a fake hedge

MapleMay11 · 12/10/2021 13:19

Yes, truly awful. Speaks volumes about the kind of person who owns the property too.

OutOfSite · 12/10/2021 13:20

@MapleMay11

Yes, truly awful. Speaks volumes about the kind of person who owns the property too.
Yes, I'm definitely letting down the neighbourhood....🙄
HelpMeWithMyHip · 12/10/2021 13:26

@MapleMay11

Yes, truly awful. Speaks volumes about the kind of person who owns the property too.
Well anyone judging me can quite rightly fuck the fuck off. I'm the kind of person who is disabled and can't tend to a garden.
Timeforwinterclothes · 12/10/2021 13:26

It never looks right. It's tacky and it would put me right off.

midlifecrash · 12/10/2021 13:30

Yes totally. You can gradually transform even weeds and rubble, astroturf you would have to spend out to get taken up and disposed of.

MarshaBradyo · 12/10/2021 13:31

Yes it would

MatildaJayne · 12/10/2021 13:31

I think it would put me off more if the neighbours had fake grass. I could change my own, but not theirs.

Shadedog · 12/10/2021 13:41

I would think of it as something I need to spend time and money on in the near future rather than an absolute dealbreaker. A friend has it in her side return and it looks nice, she couldn’t have a proper lawn there so I think it has its uses (but micro plastics etc)

MapleMay11 · 12/10/2021 13:42

@OutOfSite No one gives a damn about the 'neighbourhood.' You're destroying the environment.

Firesidefox · 12/10/2021 13:45

Not in a city, no. I really like it in small city gardens as it looks nice (assuming it's not the cheap stuff) and is really practical.

OutOfSite · 12/10/2021 13:45

[quote MapleMay11]**@OutOfSite No one gives a damn about the 'neighbourhood.' You're destroying the environment.[/quote]
As are most people, in one way or another. I'm no worse than anyone else.