Artificial grass has been trending for some time now, and its popularity keeps growing because of its budget-friendliness and low maintenance. While it is true that natural grass has its health benefits, and artificial doesn’t promise anything in that area, but let’s be honest, there are several other important things that you could be doing rather than mowing your lawn.
The most significant advantage of artificial grass is its low maintenance because you don’t have to mow it, water it, or look after it. Additionally, artificial grass turf today looks so natural that it can fool anyone into thinking that it is real. Isn’t that something?
However, we don’t want to be all praise for artificial grass and keep you from choosing what you feel is best for yourself. This is why we have decided to share some useful information with you that will help you decide which type of grass is best suited for your needs. Hopefully, when we are finished, you will be able to decide between artificial grass and real grass for your garden.
Contents
Cost of Ownership:-
Without further delay, let us talk about the total cost of owning either type of grass. When it comes to natural grass, you have to begin by planting seeds or laying sod, which can be pretty expensive.
The next step is the maintenance of the lawn and investing time in looking after the grass. Maintenance of the natural grass can be quite expensive because you will have to buy tools and supplies to mow, trim, water, weed, feed, and sometimes to re-seed the lawn.
However, when it comes to artificial turf cost, you will be surprised to know that its installation costs more than natural grass. That being said, once you have installed the artificial lawn, you won’t have to worry about its maintenance expenses because artificial lawns require very little maintenance and offer high durability. Their durability and long-term life are some other key points that make artificial grass lawns an economical option.
After the comparison of real grass cost and fake grass cost, you can now decide which option suits your budget better. You Can also check the Best Artificial Grass for Arizona Heat.
Water requirements:-
A high water bill is something that makes no one happy, and this is another thing that you will have to deal with if you are going for natural grass. Unfortunately, there’s no way around it because natural grass requires high water usage to keep it lush and fresh and in the perfect shape. According to an estimate, an 800 sq. ft. lawn can consume about 150,000 gallons of water per year. Yes, it is a lot of water, and that makes a pretty huge water bill.
On the other hand, turf lawns require no such luxuries, and even a lawn twice the size mentioned above won’t require any water for its maintenance. Isn’t that something? You will only need water to clean the turf if you have spilt something or your pet has made a mess on the grass. So, that means you are in control of the water usage when it comes to artificial grass turf.
Care and maintenance:-
Another significant difference between natural grass and artificial grass is the level of care and maintenance they both require. Natural grass requires a lot of time and hard work to keep it looking good and fresh. If you are lazy, your lawn will advertise it out loud.
In comparison to natural grass, artificial grass requires minimal to no maintenance. Brushing and raking the lawn occasionally helps clear out the debris that gets stuck in grass blades, and rinsing it weekly or fortnightly will keep it from smelling.
However, if you are a pet owner, you will have to be a little more careful when your pet makes a mess on the grass. Depending on the type of mess, you will have to decide how to clean artificial grass.
Now that we have compared some of the significant points of both types of grass, let us have a look at the pros and cons of each type for a better judgment.
Natural Grass:-
Pros of Natural Grass:-
- Grass and greenery are known to calm your nerves and reduce stress. Real grass lawns offer several health benefits, and they are important for humans as well as wildlife.
- Natural grass is better for the environment as it highly contributes to the production of oxygen. A 2,500 sq. ft. area of natural grass is said to produce enough oxygen for four people to breathe.
- A natural grass lawn can also help in the reduction of carbon production.
- Installing a natural grass lawn and mowing and watering it will not only make it look good but also help the plant and insect life and their ecosystems.
- A plastic alternative is nothing when it is compared to the real thing. Unless the real thing is hard on you financially, then you have no other options left.
Cons of Natural Grass:-
- Natural grass will require a lot of your time, effort, and attention to ensure that it is in good shape. Mowing, watering, and feeding your natural lawn regularly will take up a lot of your time if you want your lawn to look all fresh.
- Real grass lawns are not capable of dealing with high traffic, and you will need to work harder on your natural grass lawn after a garden party in your house.
- All the maintenance expenses can be hard on your pocket and consume a lot of your time. Even if you decide to hire a gardener, it will only make things harder for you financially.
Artificial Grass:-
Pros of Artificial Grass:-
- The biggest and the most significant advantage of having an artificial grass lawn is its low maintenance. With their low maintenance, turf lawns also offer minimal wear and tear and higher durability without being a burden on your pocket.
- Turf lawns are pet-friendly, and if you are a dog owner, you can easily rinse the turf with a hose after picking up the solid waste if your dog has pooped on the grass. Furthermore, you can also use a cleaning agent to get rid of any pet odors.
- Artificial grass turf can be installed on a variety of surfaces, even on concrete. However, on concrete, you may not be able to benefit from the best results, but the plus point is that the transition from no grass to artificial grass can be incredibly effortless.
- Turf lawns offer quite a variety when it comes to dealing with foot traffic. You can opt for the artificial grass turf of your choice, depending on the foot traffic you are expecting in your home.
- You can feel free to walk over your artificial grass lawn whenever you want, regardless of the season. Artificial grass doesn’t get soaking wet and muddy during the winter as natural grass does.
Cons of Artificial Grass:-
- The installation of artificial grass is quite expensive, and it can come as a shock to your budget. Even though you can choose from a wide range of synthetic grass turfs depending on your budget, but you will still have to consider the cost of getting it installed by a professional.
- After eight to ten years, you will probably have to get rid of your artificial lawn and get a new one because that’s how long turf lawns usually last.
- The installation of an artificial lawn on an uneven surface can be an additional expense because you will need a sand base under the turf to make it flat and even for the correct installation.
- Artificial grass is not the ideal option for surfaces with slopes because it gets hard to anchor the turf, and the sand base underneath will slide to the bottom of the slope.
- In comparison to natural grass, artificial grass is not friendly to the wildlife and the atmosphere. The lack of natural grass and abundance of artificial grass can have a drastic effect on oxygen production, and it could also lead to increased levels of carbon in the atmosphere.
Conclusion:-
Now that everything is out in the open, you have all the information to make a decision for your garden. The key to ensuring that you are making the right decision is knowing what you want to see in your lawn. You Can also check the Best Artificial Grass for Balcony.
We agree that artificial grass isn’t as kind to the environment as natural grass, but we hope to see some improvements in the coming years. If you are on a budget, then a turf lawn would be your best bet, but if you are looking for something that is environmental-friendly and money is not a problem, then you should go for natural grass.
Sod and artificial turf both are great options for residential lawns, but to choose the right one for yourself, you will have to carefully consider your requirements. You Can also check the Best Artificial Grass for Cats.