How to choose the artificial turf that suits you?
With the improvement of environmental awareness and the change of lifestyle, more and more families choose to use artificial turf to build gardens, balconies, children's play areas and even pet activity areas. It is not only beautiful and neat, but also greatly reduces maintenance costs. However, there are many types of artificial grass on the market, and the parameters are complicated, which makes people feel overwhelmed. This article will take you step by step to understand how to choose the most suitable lawn for you.
Why is artificial turf becoming a new choice for modern living?
Artificial turf perfectly meets the contemporary demand for convenient, efficient, and sustainable living. In today's pursuit of aesthetics and practicality, artificial turf is revolutionizing our residential and commercial spaces. It's no longer just for stadiums, but is widely used in courtyards, balconies, rooftop gardens, and even the landscape design of commercial centers. Choosing artificial turf means saying goodbye to tedious maintenance, enjoying evergreen courtyards year-round, and contributing to environmental protection.
Define the application scenarios
- Houses and Gardens: Aesthetics and practicality must be balanced, taking into account family members' activity habits.
- Balconies and Terraces: Lightweight, drainage, and UV resistance are key considerations; shorter grass height is typically chosen.
- Pet Areas: Antibacterial, easy-to-clean, tear-resistant, and the safety of the infill material must be considered.
- Children's Playgrounds: Safety is paramount; soft, cushioned, and non-toxic environmentally friendly materials are required.
- Recreational Sports Fields: Such as gateball and badminton courts, requiring moderate wear resistance and rebound.
- Professional Sports Fields: Such as soccer and rugby fields, with professional standards for grass performance, cushioning systems, and ball trajectory.
- Golf Practice Areas: Putting greens require extreme flatness and consistent ball speed.
- Commercial Displays: Shopping malls and showrooms require highly realistic and aesthetically pleasing effects.
- Kindergartens and Schools: Safety and environmental protection are top priorities, along with wear resistance.
- Office Decoration: Aesthetics and low-maintenance characteristics are emphasized.
Understand the key parameters of artificial turf
Before buying artificial turf, you need to understand several core parameters. They determine the appearance, performance and service life of the lawn.
Grass Blade Shapes
• Straight: Basic shape, prone to lodging, now rarely used.
• C-shape: Single bend, provides basic flexibility, cost-effective.
• U-shape: Double bend, better resilience and support, grass blades stand upright.
• S-shape/M-shape: Multiple bends, best resilience, highest loft, strong recovery after compression, most natural appearance. U-shaped or S-shaped grass blades are recommended for home gardens.
Face Weight
The face weight refers to the weight of the grass fiber itself per square yard (excluding the backing). The higher the face weight, the denser the grass fiber, the thicker it looks and the better the texture. But be careful: some merchants will use "total weight" (that is, the total weight of the grass fiber plus the backing) to confuse people, remember to distinguish carefully.
Recommendation
For high-end landscapes or areas with high traffic, it is recommended to choose a lawn with a face weight higher than 50 ounces.
Types and advantages and disadvantages of backing materials
The backing is the basis for supporting grass fibers and is also an important factor affecting the stability, service life and drainage capacity of the lawn. There are currently three common types on the market:
PP (polypropylene + polyethylene) backing
Advantages: light weight, low cost
Disadvantages: weak grip, not suitable for high-intensity use areas
Service life: about 6-8 years
Typical applications: temporary exhibitions, lightweight landscape decoration
Features: with drainage holes, grass height is usually not more than 3.4 cm, surface weight is not more than 50 ounces
PU (polyurethane) backing
Advantages: soft, strong bendability, high durability
Disadvantages: slightly higher cost
Service life: usually 12-15 years
Typical applications: high-end home, commercial landscape, amusement area
Features: more scientific drainage hole design
White grid backing (textile fabric)
Advantages: whole piece drainage, more environmentally friendly, easy to degrade
Disadvantages: higher price
Typical applications: rainy areas, environmental protection projects
Features: stable structure, green and friendly
How to choose pile height?
Many people think that the higher the grass, the better it looks, but the actual choice of grass height should be adapted to local conditions:
Grass height 30-40mm
suitable for home landscape, good visual effect, soft to step on
Grass height 20-30mm
suitable for areas with large traffic, easier to clean and keep the grass fibers upright
Grass height below 15mm
mostly used in special places such as golf greens and pet areas
Suggestion
Users who have requirements for beauty but also take practicality into consideration can choose a grass height of about 35mm, taking into account both visual and practicality.
Is it necessary to find a professional to install it?
Many people think that artificial turf is difficult to install and must be constructed by a professional team. In fact, many people have completed the installation of turf through online tutorials, especially for small-scale home projects:
YouTube and other platforms have a large number of step-by-step teaching videos, which are very clear from basic land preparation, paving to bonding;
As long as you prepare basic tools (knives, nails, joint tape, filling sand, etc.) and have a little patience, many people can do it themselves.
Of course, users with weak hands-on skills or high requirements for details are still recommended to hire a professional team to ensure the effect and durability.
Budget Planning
The price of artificial turf is greatly affected by the material, manufacturing process, density, and brand.
• Economy Type (approx. $7-$14/㎡): PP or low-end PE material, single color or simple two-tone, C-shaped grass fibers, low density, single-layer adhesive backing. Suitable for temporary decoration, low-intensity viewing areas, and short-term rentals. Lifespan is approximately 5 years.
• Standard Type (approx. $14-$28/㎡): Mainstream choice, high-quality PE material, two- or three-tone for a more natural look, U-shaped/S-shaped grass fibers, medium density, good UV protection, PU-coated adhesive backing. Suitable for most home patios, balconies, and commercial spaces with low to medium usage frequency. Lasts approximately 8-10 years.
• High-End Type ($28/㎡ and above): High-density PE or PA (nylon) material, multi-color mixed weave for high realism, S-shaped/M-shaped grass fibers, composite double-layer adhesive backing, top-tier UV protection and abrasion resistance, may have professional certifications. Suitable for high-end residences, areas with high pet usage, professional sports fields, and demanding commercial projects. It can be used for more than 12 years.
Points to note when choosing artificial turf
To ensure that the artificial turf you choose is worth the money, please pay special attention to the following points:
| Key factors | Notes |
| Purpose matching | Different grass species are required for landscape, pet and sports purposes, avoid mixing |
| Lawn density | The higher the density, the more resistant the lawn is to trample and the more natural it looks |
| Is it environmentally friendly | High-quality lawns are made of lead-free and non-toxic materials, especially suitable for children and pets |
| Is it UV protected | Lawns treated with UV protection are more resistant to sunlight and do not fade |
| Drainage design | White grid-type backing is preferred in rainy areas for better drainage |
| Brand and service | Choose a reputable supplier, and any quality problems can be traced back and solved |
Three Common Misconceptions
1. Lower price means better value.
Inferior turf fades and turns chalky within 2-3 years, leading to higher replacement costs and potential environmental pollution.
2. Installation is simple; I can do it myself.
Professional installation determines 50% of the turf's final appearance and lifespan, especially in large areas and complex terrain.
3. Artificial turf gets very hot in summer.
Newer generations of turf use light-colored infill sand and cooling technology, resulting in surface temperatures lower than natural turf. Choosing a light green color also effectively reflects some heat.
Choose the right artificial turf, and live a more natural life
Artificial turf is not only a decoration, but also a reflection of the quality of home life. By understanding the above key points, you will be able to make a more rational and effective choice. Whether you want to build a small green garden or provide a safe and comfortable activity area for children and pets, as long as you choose the right product and install it in the right way, artificial turf can become a bright spot in your life.
