October 10, 2024, 10:45 am | Read time: 4 minutes
No more mowing, but still green? Artificial turf makes this possible. In this article, myHOMEBOOK provides information on the variants, advantages and disadvantages, and, of course, the costs.
A well-kept lawn in the garden is a lot of work, takes time, energy and, especially in summer, a lot of water. If you are tired of the constant effort of mowing the lawn and fighting weeds in the garden, you might consider buying an artificial lawn.
What is artificial turf?
The name gives it away: artificial turf is a replica of natural grass. The synthetic turf consists of plastic fibers that are attached to a carrier material such as latex or polyurethane. The fibers imitate the look of grass as closely as possible. While the first synthetic lawns were easy to recognize, manufacturers have put a lot of effort into them. Today, artificial turf looks very natural thanks to the use of different shades of color in production.
Artificial turf is available in different qualities and for different areas of use: ornamental turf, play turf or even as a lawn for balconies or the campsite. One quality feature of artificial turf is the number of stitches per square meter. The higher this value, the denser and better the turf. There are also differences in terms of resistance to UV radiation and water permeability.
Advantages and disadvantages of artificial turf in the garden
The aspect of biodiversity will not be discussed here. It is obvious that artificial fibers are less beneficial for biodiversity and the ecosystem than real plants. Leaving this limitation aside, there are these advantages and disadvantages to artificial turf:
Advantages of artificial turf
- Less work and effort: Artificial turf requires significantly less maintenance: no mowing, fertilizing, or watering. This saves time and money (no lawn mower, no sprinkler, no water consumption).
- Consistent appearance: artificial turf always stays green and retains its perfect appearance for a long time, even if the children play tough soccer matches on it. Dark or rotten patches near a pool are a thing of the past.
- Suitable for any location: even where natural grass doesn’t really want to thrive, artificial turf can be used to achieve a fresh green look.
- No more moles or rats: the animals do not detract from the appearance. The battle against moles is over.
Disadvantages of artificial turf
However, there are also disadvantages that need to be considered before purchasing:
- Expensive to purchase: the initial cost of purchasing and laying artificial turf is higher compared to natural products. In purely economic terms, however, the savings on maintenance should also be taken into account.
- Soiling: Artificial turf can become dirty. Cleaning is then quite expensive.
- Flammable: The synthetic turf is flammable. For this reason, barbecues should not be set up on artificial turf. In addition, the material absorbs solar radiation and can become quite hot in summer and takes longer to cool down again than natural grass.
Costs for artificial turf
Important: Before purchasing artificial turf for the garden, it is essential to check with the local authority whether this is permitted. This is because they may stipulate a greening requirement, which excludes artificial turf (and also gravel gardens).
Generally speaking, good quality artificial turf is also a question of price. Inexpensive products look less natural. The feel is also different. If you walk barefoot on very cheap artificial turf, you will notice the difference and may find it unpleasant.
The pure purchase costs for artificial turf are between 20 and 40 euros per square meter. If you hire a company to lay it, you will also have to factor in the costs of preparing the surface and fixing it.
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Can you lay artificial turf in the garden yourself?
In principle, DIY enthusiasts and amateur gardeners can also lay artificial turf. It is important to prepare the substrate correctly, i.e., remove any old turf, compact and level the substrate, and cut and lay out the material.
However, it is always advisable to seek detailed advice from a specialist, as it is not just a matter of observing the direction of the fibers to create a beautiful picture. Laying artificial turf on balconies, terraces or even indoors is of course much easier.