Green is a soothing color, awell-laid lawn grabs attention and makes your home look welcoming and your turflook like a perfect spot to spend quality time. You do have the option to gofor natural grass, but be ready for time-consuming maintenance, weeds, pests,other lawn hassles, and to spend big money on fertilizers, pesticides, andother essentials. Alternatively, you have this steadily growing popularly optionof installing artificial grass that is a one-time investment and easily lasts for 12 to 15 years.
Artificial grass is made of nylon,polypropylene, or polyethylene thread-like material with a drainage under-layerthat keeps it durable during heavy rain. It also has an inlay of rubber or sandat the bottom that helps it stay on the ground despite the heavy wind.
But before moving on to installing artificial grass in your lawn, office, playground,or any other place, overall costs will obviously be you’re first thought. Ifyou have a large area that needs installation, upfront costs can exceed yourexpected budget, so do understand that costs depend on coverage area also. Secondly,remember that artificial grass saves your grass maintenance costs, so you willmake up for what you spent in installation costs. The following pricing guideshould help you make an informed decision, about if synthetic lawns are a viable option for you and how to choose the right grass for you.
Costs According To Artificial Grass Type
The cost of artificial grass variesdepending on the type you choose to decorate your surroundings. Cheaperoptions, don’t have a long grass life. Before going on about overall expenses,here is what you need to know about artificial grass types.
Nylon Type
Nylon-type artificial grass is whatyou see on the football fields. Since it is the most durable type and canhandle the worst weather conditions, it costs between $5.05 to $5.83 and sq.ft. The threads remain stiff and upright despite heavy traffic.
If you plan on placing grass in yourresidential or business lawn decorative purposes, this would just beunnecessarily expensive and generally unrequired, when there are more suitablecheaper options.
Polyethylene Type
Polyethylene-type, artificial grassis relatively softer than nylon. Although not as durable as the first type, itcan handle high temperatures and somewhat heavy traffic. This would be a moreviable option for a home lawn. Polyethylene artificial grass is not just a reliableoption, it gives the looks and feel of natural grass. The average cost rangesbetween $2.55 to $3.85 and sq. ft.
Polypropylene Type
Polypropylene-type artificial grass isusually used for decoration purposes only and is unsuitable for areas withconstant temperature shifts. It costs anywhere between $1.90 to $6.75 and sq.ft., so it is a really helpful choice, if you are tight on budget. Note thatpolypropylene made artificial grass is a great pick but only it is beinginstalled for indoor usage.
Overall Costs for ArtificialGrass
No matter what grass type you decideupon, there will be certain initial additional costs to keep in mind. Once youfinalize the option that suits your needs best, you will have to also factor ininstallation costs and maintenance costs. Let’s talk about the installationprocess and costs in depth regarding the initial stage of artificial grass.
Artificial Grass Installation Process
1. Grass Removal
Artificial grass installation is astep-by-step process that begins with removing any pre-existing natural orartificial grass from your required coverage area. If it not in a badcondition, you can choose to do it yourself to cut back on costs, or let thelandscapers/ artificial grass providers you have chosen do it for you.
2. Base Preparation
Use a weed barrier to smoothen thesurface. You need to have cleared, level ground where the artificial grass can beinstalled evenly, without creating creases, bumps or folds, that won’t justlook bad, but can be a hazard and a base for potential lawsuits.
3. Laying Artificial Grass
Now is the time to lay the grass progressivelyacross the surface. Before you do so, check if the surface is dried and only thencan you proceed. If not, leave it for at least 30 minutes after smoothening thebase. Now place the roll on the ground and nudge it in the right direction,unrolling as you go along.
4. Give Finishing
Edges can make or break the appealof your lawn. Make sure that edges are laid out evenly and cut any overhangingor uneven bits with razor knives or carpet cutters for the finishing. Alsoremember to secure the artificial grass with staples or nails at equidistant,properly measured and spaced intervals. Your grass layers would know this fromexperience. This helps keep the grass in place despite footfall and/or surplusactivity by kids and pets.
Artificial Grass Installation Costs
DIY installation of artificial grassis possible but it is also pretty easy to mess it up, or create a yard spacethat does not have the finishing that you desired. If you are confident of yourskills as a arts/crafts person and have Knick knacks, gadgets and tools lyingaround from other projects that regularly undertake, go for it. Nothing betterthan the feeling of accomplishment. But if instead of making life easier, youneed to purchase all the tools and materials required, and are not really sure of your skills, don’t take the chance. You may end up spending more instead. Apart from the grass itself, professional companies charge between $5.50 to $18.75 and sq. ft., including the labor costs.
Basically, the installation costsdepend on your installation area, expertise, and professional company’sexperience. Materials’ cost remains the same, but labor prices may vary.
The Maintenance Cost of NaturalGrass vs Artificial Grass
As we said in the beginning pricesvary with the material type you choose and the whole company installation orDIY processes, here’s an insight on the difference between the two types whynatural grass grows more expensive with time and synthetic turf is cheaper thannatural grass..
If you already have a front or backyard and grow natural grass, there must be some nagging reason at the back ofyour head that is telling you to research other options. Could it be theconstant money and effort spent on maintaining it and the challenges you face? Whatare your other options? Don’t take our word for it, know the best optionnowadays, especially in drought ridden areas is artificial grass.
Even if we play devil’s advocate andconsider the most expensive options for artificial grass, an average 500 sq.yard will cost you $6,250 while natural grass will cost $185. But, do costs endat installation? For artificial grass, yes.
The annual maintenance cost for artificialgrass is $0/ year and around $840/ year for natural, including the watering,fertilizing, and gardening plus labor costs. Despite having cheaper initial(seeding) costs, natural grass is more expensive.
Why Should You Choose ArtificialGrass?
There’s no denying that artificialgrass consumes a significant amount of capital to install. But once your lawnsor decorative areas have a touch of these green blades blowing gently in thebreeze (depending on the length of blade you choose of course), you will befree from all other costs. The most prominent benefits of going for artificialgrass are:
● Your lawn maintains the same,consistently healthy look for many, many years.
● You do not consume waterunnecessarily and save up on water costs too. Nor do you need to hire a landscaperor gardener to look after the grass.
● There is no mud trailed into thehouse by unknowing feet.
● Time is money and you do not have tospare yours to look after your lawn.
● You provide a clean and healthyenvironment for your children to play around in.
● There will be a decreased amount ofpests or insects that live around natural plants.
The Final Thoughts
Artificial grass looks amazing inyour backyard, house lawns, indoor decorative corners, and sports fields. Planyour budget depending on your requirements, and do not compromise on quality oflawn grass you choose. If you want a reliable solution for 12 - 15 years, werecommend waiting for a few more months, saving up some more. If you thinkinstalling artificial grass is a good investment, installing Polyethylene-type artificialgrass is a great investment. So before installing anything, we would advise you to sit down with your artificial grass provider or landscaper and discuss all the options you have available to you. Make sure you check all turf samples in natural light, see and test (if possible) the different turfs, ask around about different service providers and decide according to their expertise and experience in the artificial grass business. One benefit of choosing Synthetic Lawns of Las Vegas is our ten-year warranty on all artificial grass that we lay for you. That saves you ten years of stress, and ensures we provide you the best. We let our service do the talking.
