In this post, I walk you through our process for installing artificial grass (also referred to as turf), talk about our experience with it and how we care for it.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Why we chose artificial grass instead of real grass?
We live in a freehold townhome. Our home is a middle unit, meaning the only access to our small backyard is through the house. The backyard is fully fenced in and when we bought it 3 years ago, the yard was also landscaped with pavers. This was a selling feature because it was low maintenance. The front yard was also landscaped using river rock and didn’t contain any grass.
When we decided to install a playset in the backyard for my daughter, the instructions for the playset recommended not to install over concrete. I removed a few of the pavers so we could install the playset. I then researched options for ground cover. We could fill the area with:
- Real grass – add in soil and seed. This option would require regular maintenance and the purchase of a lawn mover or weed wacker. We would also have to build a storage shed in the back or carry the equipment through the house if we stored it in the garage (which is in the front of the house).
- Mulch – this would have been an easy solution, but also a messy one.
- Small pebbles – another easy solution, but not a very soft solution. We did end up placing a few bags of small pebbles near the house around a raised garden bed we added. This is now the area for our dog to do his business.
- Artificial grass – required the most install labour, but long-term requires the least maintenance and is still really pretty in the space. It’s eco-friendly alternative to grass because it doesn’t require water like real grass.
Where is the best place to install artificial grass?
Artificial grass can be laid anywhere you want a lush green ground covering that gets light to medium foot traffic. I wouldn’t recommend it as a ground covering where vehicles are driven or parked (like a driveway).
It’s a great ground cover for areas that are in the shade or where real grass or plants don’t grow well.
We installed artificial grass as the ground cover where my daughter’s playset is. It is the perfect soft underpadding to catch her falls. It also holds up well around her sandbox.
We didn’t purchase the pet-grade artificial grass because at the time we didn’t have a dog, however, the grass has held up nicely with a dog occasionally doing its business on it. It is super easy to clean.
Where to buy?
Most hardware stores carry a range of artificial grasses, turf, or carpets. A quick search on the web shows you can purchase good quality artificial grass from The Home Depot Canada, Lowes, and Amazon.
We purchased ours from The Home Depot Canada and went with Greenline Jade 50 in the back and Greenline Classic 54 in the front.
Make sure to read the fine print or ask the store/manufacturer if the product has been tested in your climate. I live in Ontario, Canada and we get all four seasons. I wanted to make sure the product was rated for a wide range of temperatures, snow, rain, and sun. So far, it’s been holding up great.
How to care for artificial grass
Caring for your artificial grass is easy… clean…rinse…brush!
- Remove any debris and spot clean areas with stains.
- Using a hose, throughly spray down the entire area. If odour is a problem, use a cleaner during this step. I’ve listed a few below.
- Using a broom, sweap against the grain. This will help fluff up the grass, especially in higher traffic areas that are seeing some wear, (in my case, this is the area under my daughter’s swing).
Between through cleanings, every time the dog goes on the artificial grass or something gets spilled on it (like food or a sticky drink) we pick up and spray down the area down right away. We do the deep clean only 1-2 times a year as needed.
Our artificial grass in the back was installed in May 2020. We haven’t had an issue with odour, however, there are a few products on the market if odour is a problem. I’ve listed them below. Before I try any of them I am going to spot clean using my go-to trusted Baking Soda and Vinegar.
What materials and tools will you need?
- Landscaping weed barrier
- Limestone screening
- Artificial turf / grass
- Artificial grass staples
- A hammer / mallot for the staples
- A rake to help spread the limestone
- A straight edge for leveling the limestone (we used a scrap piece of 2×4 lumber)
How to install artificial grass
- Prep your space by clearing the area. I laid the artificial grass down in 3 different areas on my property. One was covered with pavers and 2 had landscaping rocks. I removed both ground covers. I was lucky with the pavers because the previous owners laid the limestone under them so I didn’t have to to anything but lay the artificial grass.
- Lay down the landscaping weed barrier. Follow the instructions on the package. We overlapped seams by about a foot to make sure we had good coverage and to prevents weeds coming up through the seam.
- Cover the weed barrier with the limestone screening. We used about 1 inch of coverage.
- Use a strainght edge to level the limescreening. We used a scrap piece of wood.
- Roll out the turf. Using a sharp utility knife, cut the artificial turf to size.
- When the artificial grass is in the desired spot, hammer in a staple around the edge to keep it in place. Add a few down the middle or in areas that need it to smooth out the grass.
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This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Cleaning:
Installation
- Landscaping weed barrier
- Limestone screening
- Greenline Jade 50 – the one we purchased for the backyard
- Greenline Classic 54 – the one we purchased for the frontyard
- Artificial grass staples
- A hammer / mallot for the staples
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Well done, Leslie. A good review.
Thanks, Doris – appreciate it!