Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jun 16, 2011 2:17 pm OK I know Fu will be straight onto this but just querying about having artificial grass installed to the front and rear of the house. Is it really that bad from what I've read from this site? Do the cons way out the pro's? I've also had quotes done for a full irrigation set up with real grass etc, however just throwing it out there and to see what peoples thoughts are. Good/Bad experiences with either? Thanks. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 2Jun 16, 2011 2:30 pm My thoughts are that it is a non-renewable substance that is going to end in landfill eventually - increasing the carbon footprint by using an unneccesary plastic product. It also makes your house very hot - unlike real grass which has a cooling effect. Haveing said that I would consider using it in a small space where real grass would not grow - for example a small shady area or small decorative spot. My neighbour has it in entire front yard, just by itself - might as well have pavers IMO. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 3Jun 16, 2011 2:39 pm I would say if you could use real grass, use it. Aside from the environmental aspect, I think it just looks naff. Artifical silk flowers look alraight in small amounts, but I wouldn't stick them in my garden and pretend they're real. Same with the grass, make it real or make it pavers or something else. The only time it made any sense to me was when I saw Kyton use a small section by her pool. Maybe a little puttputt area. A whole front and back lawn So, I say go natural Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 4Jun 16, 2011 3:03 pm Gawd, this has been discussed to death. Other than the enviromental mess that it is. It looks like s**t, it stinks in summer, its hard as concrete and it will de-value your property. It is not a replacement for real grass its a replacement for a hard surface. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 5Jun 16, 2011 3:12 pm BeatrixKiddo Gawd, this has been discussed to death. Other than the enviromental mess that it is. It looks like s**t, it stinks in summer, its hard as concrete and it will de-value your property. It is not a replacement for real grass its a replacement for a hard surface. That will just about cover it...Fu couldn't have put it better! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 6Jun 16, 2011 4:37 pm thanks, there's some helpful insights that i didnt realise there (heats up house etc). when choosing grass, my rear fence causes shade to cover majority of the area where im looking at putting the turf down.. should i be looking for a specific type of grass that needs little sunlight? Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 7Jun 16, 2011 5:47 pm Does the area get sun outside winter? Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 8Jun 16, 2011 9:28 pm umm from memory a little bit. ive only lived here half a summer so i didnt really take much notice of how much sun it actually gets... width of grass is approx 1.8m... the fence that it runs along is also 1.8m ... hmm Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 9Jun 16, 2011 10:45 pm So i gather the area faces north? If thats the case it should get some sun spring/summer/autumn and grass would grow. Use either a buffalo or zoysia grass they handle the shade quite well, there could be other options depending on where you live. The grass wont do that well in the shadey parts of the year but will be ok the rest of the time. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 10Jun 17, 2011 4:25 pm So we cover our Oceans with plastic and that is not good, we cover our urban areas with it and it's good? Seriously. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 11Jun 17, 2011 4:36 pm It absolutely boggles my mind that we are so unbelievably addicted to turf that things like this are now the methadone for weaning ourselves off real turf. When we finally are off the addiction and the greater population discovers what wonderful alternatives to grass there are in landscaping, we will see significant issues with the disposal of these substances disguised as "plastic Grass" . To the environmentally educated and aware, it's just the next ticking time bomb. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 12Jun 20, 2011 7:41 am Fu Manchu It absolutely boggles my mind that we are so unbelievably addicted to turf that things like this are now the methadone for weaning ourselves off real turf. Why do so many folks not realise that a whopping great lawn with skinny garden beds around three sides isn't the only way to "landscape" your yard? Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 13Jun 20, 2011 8:14 am I think there are two factors that largely influence this.... Kids and budget. We are building soon and are considering artificial turf simply because my fiancé and I are both in wheelchairs and maintenance on natural turf is something we can't do. The costs involved in having a mowing service come (almost weekly in summer) would be too great in the long term. Plus, the artificial is much easier to navigate and be active in the yard with the kids. Our other potential idea is go natural turf and lay out the coin for one of those automatic robot lawnmowers. Has anyone had much experience with them? Do you end up with clippings everywhere? Follow our journey at http://www.notgoingtodreamworld.blogspot.com Our build thread https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=48999 Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 14Jun 20, 2011 1:39 pm With regards to the kids factor, we were told that artificial turf gets unbearably hot under the summer sun, so they wouldn't be able to play on it anyway. We were never keen on the artificial stuff anyway (I haven't seen a product yet that didn't look terrible) but the heat of it in summer and the chemicals released from it (experts advise against heating plastic because of chemicals released, what happens when the plastic lawn bakes in the sun?) were just clinchers against ever touching the stuff... Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 15Jun 20, 2011 1:42 pm Upnorth I think there are two factors that largely influence this.... Kids and budget. We are building soon and are considering artificial turf simply because my fiancé and I are both in wheelchairs and maintenance on natural turf is something we can't do. The costs involved in having a mowing service come (almost weekly in summer) would be too great in the long term. Plus, the artificial is much easier to navigate and be active in the yard with the kids. Our other potential idea is go natural turf and lay out the coin for one of those automatic robot lawnmowers. Has anyone had much experience with them? Do you end up with clippings everywhere? I was going to mention that slower growing, low-maintenance turf might be the way to go...something like EZ will grow a LOT slower than couch and will have less weeds and will be less work overall. Ours certainly is...it might cost more upfront but then you'd save on upkeep down the road. Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 18Jun 21, 2011 11:41 pm You want your kids to remember what some dirt on the knees smells like and what the soil smells like and the smell of a fresh cut lawn. Things like that stay with you for a lifetime. The smell of the plastic on a hot day or the chemicals needed to sterilise the play area. The smell and feel of the plastic synthetic environment to remember for the rest of their lives Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 19Jun 21, 2011 11:49 pm Upnorth I think there are two factors that largely influence this.... Kids and budget. We are building soon and are considering artificial turf simply because my fiancé and I are both in wheelchairs and maintenance on natural turf is something we can't do. The costs involved in having a mowing service come (almost weekly in summer) would be too great in the long term. Plus, the artificial is much easier to navigate and be active in the yard with the kids. Our other potential idea is go natural turf and lay out the coin for one of those automatic robot lawnmowers. Has anyone had much experience with them? Do you end up with clippings everywhere? in this situation, rather than turf or fake, just go with pavers...so much better, the back yard will still be an active one, honestly. with the fake, it gets too hot, like how you wouldn't walk across a hot beach in summer, you wouldn't want to walk across the fake either, thus the yard ceases to become active! Re: Artificial Grass - is it really that bad? 20Jun 21, 2011 11:51 pm [quote="Fu Manchu"]You want your kids to remember what some dirt on the knees smells like and what the soil smells like and the smell of a fresh cut lawn. Things like that stay with you for a lifetime. The smell of the plastic on a hot day or the chemicals needed to sterilise the play area. The smell and feel of the plastic synthetic environment to remember for the rest of their lives /quote] apparantly, when cats p!$$ on it, and there's NO way of getting rid of THAT smell.... soil vs catpee...let me think about that one... do not pay until you are satisfied with workmanship windows require flashing over the head archithrave and up under weatherboards 3 28277 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Please help me to answer this question , it will help me a lot as i can go to buy confidently with your recommendation: I want to put synthetic turf in our backyard for… 0 5539 You might be able to apply to divert the sewer at your expense. In NSW you would contact a Water services co-ordinator and they would give you advice as to whether or not… 1 16145 |