Artificial Grass Types

Artificial Grass Types

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Why Choose Artificial Grass?

Currently there is an ever growing selection of artificial grasses to choose from and here at Zest Artificial Grass we are happy to supply and fit a wide selection of

So what do you need to know to help you decide on which artificial grass is best for your needs and your budget? We’ve provided a bit of an overview on artificial grass which we hope will help you when it comes to making your selection.

Artificial grass is made from Nylon, Polypropylene or Polyethylene with Nylon providing the most durable finish and Polypropylene the least so this will make a difference to the price of your grass.

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Why artificial grass? Say Goodbye to the Lawnmower and Sprinkler

One of the most obvious differences from one synthetic grass to another is the length of the grass.

The proper term for this is pile height and this can range massively but some manufacturers will also refer to this as simply thickness. Most of the budget range artificial grasses will have a pile height of around 20mm. When you have pile height of 15mm or under, these are likely to be for a more specific sport or leisure purpose such as for an artificial putting green of football pitch. The longest artificial grass ranges will be 40-45mm high. The next factor to look at is something called the grass weight and this is measured and rated by a gram per metre square figure. This is a figure which combines two metrics – it used both the height of the strands as well as how many are in a square meter.

As good example of how these are used would be to compare a sport turf which may have a height of 15mm to a luxury grass with a height of 42mm. Both may have a similar 2900 g/m2 rating so how can this be? Well the sports turf will have more than double the amount of stands compared to the 42mm pile grass. This will enable the sports turf to be much more durable as the individual strands will be packed tightly together.

So clearly another factor will be the durability, or wear rating, of the grass. Generally the higher the g/m2 figures the higher the wear rating as more strands provide a denser turn but be mindful that pile height can also influence this number too.

Another rating many manufacturers are starting to include is a ‘softness rating’ as more people will want to walk barefoot on their lawns and lie down without the need for a rug then a higher softness rating is going to appeal. Finally the other really important factor is how it looks to you. To make artificial grass look authentic many manufacturers have started to include some very fine thinner strands which have a subtle sandy brown thatch intermingled within the longer greener strands and indeed they mimic real turf remarkably well. However, many households will simply want a greener shade so that their fake lawn looks bright, lush and vibrant all year round.

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Fake Grass requires little to no maintenance

So this final factor is down to your personal choice. If you’ve heard that there specific pet friendly grasses that is the case to some degree. All artificial grasses are safe for your pets to run and walk on so the when this phrases is banded around it will generally refer to the ability to dog pee to drain away effectively.

It is true that some manufacturers have added more drainage holes to some grasses and label these are being pet friendly but most synthetic grasses can be pet friendly if also layers are well laid in the correct sequence.

This may seem like a lot to take in, however help is at hand. Our team has a wide choice of artificial grass types and we are confident we will be able to supply and fit the perfect artificial lawn for you and your family.

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Artificial grass versus real grass?

No mud, looks real and lasts decades

Artificial grass simply takes away all the downsides inherent in natural grass. Nobody at your home will ever have to worry about tracking mud inside again or worry about your dog digging up the lawn. Also, these days you can barely tell that fake grass isn’t natural.

Go on, check out our photos if you don’t believe that fake grass is often indistinguishable from natural turf. Our artificial turf, fake grass, false grass, whatever you want to call it will last for years, probably decades, guaranteed. So fake grass cost is well worth it, especially with us at Zest Artificial Grass where we offer some of the cheapest artificial grasses for the grades available.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • How to lay artificial grass?

    Usually, an aggregate sub-base is laid to provide efficient drainage followed by a weed membrane followed by a layer of sand. The sand is then levelled off to provide a flat base on which the artificial turf is laid out. If you have a seam, a joint tape will be laid down between the seams onto which adhesive is spread and then the grass edges are laid over the seam. Additional special fake grass pegs are also used to fix down the edges.  

  • Which artificial grass is best?

    This will all depend on how you will be using your artificial lawn. For a luxurious looking thick lawn then a 40mm+ lawn will give you a good bouncy feel - but may not be so good if you are planning on leaving lots of heavy items on your lawn. Also if you have pets - dogs, you would want to choose a 30mm height at this will make clearing up after your pooch a little easier whilst still retaining a fantastic looking lawn.

    If you looking to provide a play area or add some artificial grass to decking to provide a non-slip topping then a budget, sub 10mm pile would be best

  • How much is artificial grass?

    This all depends on your individual installation and the actual grass that is chosen. Grass prices range from the budget end, which looks like green carpet rather than grass, from around £5 per m2 to longer luxury pile grasses which can be £40+ per m2. For a supply and fit of a good mid-range grass can range from around £70 per m2, for small shape installations where they may be much wastage, to £45 per m2 where there is a large uniformed area being installed.

  • Can artificial grass be laid on decking?

    Yes, it can and we've done it several times with s special underlay. We've found that this will mostly be requested on timber decking. There a two main reasons for this firstly once the artificial grass has been fixed to the decking it means that you won't be able to get to your decking to clean it - saving you cleaning chore. Whilst this may seem like a big plus side it does mean that water will have more difficulty in draining away after a downpour. So whilst water will run through the artificial turf it will run onto the decking. If the decking is in a very slight slope to assist water run off this will help. The underlay we use will also help protect your decking If not done properly, you will run the risk of shortening the life of your decking as it will not be treated regularly. 

    The other and main reason is that fake grass is fitted onto decking is that it is visually more colourful and you don't have to work about slipping if the surface does get damp - especially if you have not been good at keeping on top of decking maintenance and moss and algae have built up. 

    Before applying artificial grass on top of decking we would recommend a final clean and good quality decking treatment is applied first.

  • What is artificial grass made from?

    The quality in terms of colour fastness, durability and realness has improved dramatically in the last 1o years.  This has progressed to such a level that at first glance it can be very hard to distinguish between real grass and fake grass. 

    Most modern grasses are made from polyethylene - this is for the actual grass blade. The base to which it is attached can be made from either  polypropylene, polyethylene or nylon. For all three the process of attaching is very similar to that used for modern carpets, which is why you can now even find artificial for sale in carpet shops. A needle, or rather large sets of needles push the blades through the base to which they are attached. Additional adhesives are also used to keep the blades in place.

  • Will artificial grass fade over time?

    With the advances in astroturf manufacturing UV inhibitors are added to the artificial grass and as a result, you should expect your artificial lawn to look good for 15-20 years depending on the intensity and duration of sun exposure.

  • Which is the best border for artificial grass?

    This again similar to the question about the best artificial grass will come down to a number of factors. Firstly it will depend on where the grass will be going and what it will be butting up to. For artificial lawns surrounding trees, timber sleepers are going to be too rigid and therefore laying of bricks or stone blocks allow circles and curved edges to be used. If this is the style and design of your landscaping you don't want to be compromising on the flow of borders and lawns so this is a popular finish. When you do have long straight edges sleepers are a good option as they allow you to have a slightly raised bed, which helps bring some different levels to a garden. It's not uncommon to use a combination of the two. Part of our service is to talk through the design aspect of your garden and what features you already have so as to complement your garden design as much as possible.

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