Artificial grass offers the appeal of a flawless, worry-free landscape. But it is it the right choice for your yard? Like any product, faux turf has both advantages and disadvantages compared to natural lawn.

In this guide, we’ll walk through all the pros and cons of installing Artificial Lawn Grass so you can make an informed decision. We’ll look at the costs, benefits, and factors to weigh based on climate, pets, kids and other considerations unique to your home.

Why Consider Artificial Turf For Your lawn?

Before weighing the pros and cons, let’s first look at why you may want to consider replacing your living lawn with synthetic grass in the first place:

Low Maintenance: No more mowing, fertilizing, aerating or daily care required. Established artificial lawns are nearly maintenance-free.

Weather Resistance: Synthetic turf remains lush and green regardless of rainfall or drought, heatwaves, frost or other weather.

Convenience: Enjoy your lawn anytime without worries about damage or wear and tear. A faux lawn is the ultimate convenience.

Eco-Friendly: Artificial lawn grass conserves water, reduces emissions from mowing and eliminates chemical runoff from fertilizers.

Cost Savings: While upfront costs are significant, not having to pay for lawn maintenance and water can lead to long term savings.

Consistent Look: Synthetic turf offers uniform color, thickness and appeal year-round without bare spots or variations.

Durability: Properly chosen and installed artificial grass holds up exceptionally well for decades under heavy use.

With benefits like these, it’s clear the appeal of low maintenance fake grass. But switching still merits careful consideration of all the pros and cons before proceeding.

Pros of Artificial Lawn Grass

Artificial turf has a number of desirable advantages that make it an appealing alternative to high-maintenance living lawns.

Low Maintenance: No mowing, trimming, aerating, fertilizing, seeding, or daily watering needed. Established synthetic lawns are practically maintenance free.

Saves Time: Less yard work leaves you more free time for hobbies and family activities you truly enjoy.

All-Weather Durability: Withstands heavy use and traffic year-round. Artificial grass won’t turn to mud in wet weather.

Stays Green and Lush: No fading in the sun or drying out. Your lawn maintains its beauty and curb appeal over many seasons.

Great For Pets: Artificial turf for pets stands up well to animal activity. No urine burns or muddy paws to deal with.

Cost Savings: While upfront cost is significant, the long term savings on lawn care, water and maintenance can be substantial.

Conserves Water: Using artificial grass can reduce landscape water usage by as much as 70 percent.

No Fertilizers or Pesticides: Synthetic lawns require none of these chemicals, so there’s no environmental impact or risk to kids and pets.

Won’t Spread Weeds or Pests: No seeds, pollen or other organic matter means no weeds, fungus or pests to contend with.

Soft and Spongy: Cushioned blades and infill provide a comfortable surface for play, entertaining or lounging.

There’s no question artificial turf offers tremendous benefits. But for an informed decision, it’s important to also consider potential downsides.

Cons of Artificial Lawn Grass

Along with many positives, there are also some disadvantages and considerations to weigh if you are thinking about installing fake grass:

Higher Upfront Cost: Quality materials, professional installation and excavation work involved make faux lawns pricey. Plan for installation costs ranging from $8 – $25 per square foot.

Heat Absorption: On hot, sunny days, synthetic grass will be noticeably hotter than shady natural lawn (but you can mist it to cool it down).

Regular Cleaning Required: While it needs little active maintenance, synthetic turf does require blowing or hosing off debris more often than real grass.

May Require Occasional Brushing: To prevent matting and keep blades standing up, occasional brushing of your artificial lawn grass may be needed, along with infill redistribution.

Limited Colors and Types: There are realistic options but not as much variety as with living plants and grasses.

Can Feel Artificial: Higher quality synthetic turf looks quite realistic but still doesn’t match completely natural grass under close inspection.

May Still Require Some Watering: To keep it looking revitalized, occasional light misting is beneficial but not mandatory.

Long-Term Durability Uncertain: Lifespans over 20 years are claimed but products are too new to verify over the full lifespan.

Disposal Issues: What to do with replaced synthetic materials may be a concern down the road when renovating. Recycling options are expanding though.

For certain homes and lifestyles, these downsides may outweigh the many benefits and make natural sod the better choice still.

Key Factors to Consider

When weighing the pros and cons, there are several key factors unique to your home that should guide your decision:

Climate: In regions with extreme heat, misting and dyes may be needed to prevent discoloration. In cold climates, look for turf rated as freeze-proof.

Sun Exposure: South and west facing lawns receive more UV exposure. Be sure to choose UV-resistant blades to prevent fading.

Shade Coverage: Too much shade can inhibit drying after rain, requiring a well-draining base. If shade shifts seasonally, expect color variations.

Yard Usage: Active kids or pets, play areas, entertain spaces and more “living” on your lawn calls for the most durable artificial lawn grass options to handle wear.

Drainage: Ensure proper drainage preparation so water runoff never puddles. Some synthetic turf is designed specifically for superior drainage.

Slopes: Steeply sloped installations require experienced pros, extra anchoring and design adaptations. Make the installer aware.

Think through concerns like these for your unique property when weighing synthetic grass pros and cons.

FAQs About Artificial Lawn Grass: Your Questions – Our Answers

Still have questions about how faux grass performs in the real world? Here are answers to five common queries:

Does artificial turf get dangerously hot for pets or kids?

Quality synthetic blades are designed to minimize heat absorption. Proper infill also helps diffuse heat. Mist lightly to cool it.

Can you have a partly shaded lawn area?

Yes, though some color variation will occur. Mix shorter blades for shady zones and longer for sun if needed.

What about odor from urine or spills?

Most artificial grass is treated to inhibit bacterial odors. Maintain it by washing away spills promptly before they can soak in.

How long until it needs replacing?

Average lifespan or artificial lawn grass is 10-15 years for quality residential turf. More like 8-10 years in very high traffic areas.

What happens when it rains a lot?

Proper drainage and permeable base are key so water flows through the turf into the ground. Otherwise, flooding or pooling can occur.

Final Thoughts

When comparing all the pros and cons, artificial grass offers an attractive low maintenance alternative to natural lawns for many homeowners. But it also comes with real tradeoffs to weigh carefully.

Prioritize which factors like cost, convenience, pets and climate matter most before deciding what makes the best sense for your yard. And choose an experienced local pro like Creative Turf Install to ensure the highest quality installation and long term performance of Artificial Turf for Pets and outdoors.

Ready to learn more about potentially switching your lawn to synthetic grass? Reach out to the experts at Creative Turf Install for a free quote and consultation on finding the perfect artificial turf for your home.