Sometimes we all want a green lawn with lush green grass, just without all the maintenance and lawn care that having a green lawn throws at us. When that desire strikes, sometimes we decide to reach out to artificial grass, which has its own benefits. However, a very good question is raised whenever you think about how long artificial grass lasts in your backyard. How long does artificial grass last?
Thankfully, this guide will show you everything you need to know about artificial grass and how long you can expect it to last, as well as some things you will need to know to keep the longevity of the artificial lawn up.
How Long Does Artificial Grass Last in Your Backyard?
Admittedly, there isn’t a real clear answer for this. The artificial grass in your backyard can last for 5 years, or it can last for 25 years. The grass itself is pretty long lasting, but the exact number of years depends on several variables unique to the environment the grass finds itself in. The quality of the grass material, the weather, the maintenance you can provide for it, and more variables can make your grass last longer or cut its life short, and each of these variables are going to be examined in detail for the rest of this article.
Can You Buy Different Quality Artificial Grasses?
Most newcomers to artificial grasses don’t realize that artificial grass has different qualities, but the materials the grass is made out of causes a lot of changes to its durability, as well as how it will react during different environments.
What’s the Difference Between a High-Quality and a Low-Quality Artificial Grass?
There are low quality grasses that are made with very cheap plastics, and they mostly hold up in tame environments that don’t have a lot of weather changes.
Grasses made from more durable plastics, like nylon or polypropylene artificial grass, are able to withstand changes in temperature such as extreme heat or extreme cold. If you also want a green grass that isn’t susceptible to being stained, then having a high quality grass is going to keep your lawn green that much longer
Installation Matters with Artificial Grass
Installing your artificial grass properly ensures a long healthy life for artificial turf, and you certainly don’t want a grass that is of a very high quality but isn’t installed properly. If the grass is installed correctly, then you can have turf that isn’t damaged by poor drainage, weeds, and other damage.
In order to get the highest quality artificial grass, then make sure that you are having it installed by professionals. While you can install it yourself, a professional’s touch will prevent mistakes from being made, and you will get a high quality finish that looks just like having a real lawn of natural grass.
What Can Cause Natural Damage to Artificial Grass?
Of course, artificial grass isn’t immune to damage and impervious to problems, and there are a great many things that can cause damage to your lawn. Making sure to mitigate these causers of damage or preventing them from occurring can be a great thing to improve the health of your lawn.
Reflected and Direct Sunlight
Most buyers of artificial turf are worried a lot about the sun burning on their grass. While enough sunlight helps the natural grass grow and become greener, for artificial turf too much sun has the opposite effect. This can cause fears that the grass will fade and the bright green color of the lawn will be removed, however, most of the time these fears are unfounded.
Many manufacturers of artificial grass have a ‘no fade’ guarantee on their products, and most of the time direct sunlight or reflected sunlight aren’t going to cause problems for your artificial turf. The plastics that the high quality grasses are made of, are designed to be very resistant to sunlight and sun damage, which helps keep your lawn clean and green.
Snow and Ice
Natural grass also isn’t going to be damaged by light snowfall. If you have snow piled up on your lawn, play in it as normal because there is no danger. You can also brush it away and shovel it like you would with any pile of snow on your lawn, and you don’t need to worry about having problems walking on the turf, or worrying about the fibers breaking.
Frost can be a different story, as the blades can become brittle if they freeze and can break off. This doesn’t just cause problems for your lawn, but it also can cause injury if your feet are unprotected or you slip. In order to prevent this from occurring, let the ice melt fully away before going back onto your turf,
Heavy Rain
As long as you have a high quality installation of the artificial turf, you will never need to worry about rain! The high quality installation allows for water to drain through the product and then go into the soil, no matter how much it rains, the turf will drain.
What Else Can Cause Damage to Artificial Grass?
Burns
If you love to grill or have firepits in your backyard, then you might wonder what happens if an accident occurs and patches of the grass start burning. Most artificial grass is fire resistant, but it will melt and singe the grass itself. However, the sand that makes up a portion of the artificial grass also contains fires and can help to extinguish a blaze.
Heavy Furniture and Sharp Objects
If you have heavy lawn furniture, then it will not damage the grass. The artificial fibers will simply bend under the furniture, but nothing will break or get damaged. However, you need to be careful if the heavy objects are sharp, or if you are using sharp objects on the turf. Sharp objects will damage your artificial grass by slicing the turf.
Chemical Spills
Chemicals such as chlorine, adhesives, and oils are a mixed bag. Chlorine will not damage artificial turf, but adhesive substances can damage your grass and can be hard to remove, and oils can break down some of the plastics in the grass.
What Maintenance Is Required for Artificial Grass?
While one of the benefits of artificial grass is that maintenance isn’t as hard to do as with a real lawn, some work still is required. You will need to rake the lawn or use a blower to remove any debris, and also brush the lawn against the grain if any areas are bent due to heavy foot traffic.
Is Replacing Artificial Grass Difficult?
Once the lifespan of your artificial grass is up, you will need to replace it. If you do it yourself the process can be time consuming but possible, however, working with professionals again can help make the removal of old grass and the installation of new grass easy.
Related Questions
How Long Does Artificial Grass Last on a Football Field?
Even with the amount of use the turf gets once a week, artificial grass on a football field can last about eight years with proper care.
Does Owning a Dog Shorten the Life of Your Artificial Grass?
No, artificial turf is perfectly safe for all pets, dogs included. They can dig around in it, use the restroom on it, and most of the time the grass is too durable for dogs to damage when digging around or playing on it.
Will Artificial Grass Last Long Under a Playset?
Yes, and you can anchor the playset itself to the artificial turf as well, without any difficulty or problems. As long as the playset isn’t sharp, you will be all good!
Will Artificial Grass Last Long as a Driveway?
Artificial grass is durable enough for you to use on and as a driveway or walkway. They won’t break under heavy foot traffic or the pressure of a car as long as you use a strong sub base that is under the artificial grass. This helps to protect it from the heavy pressure and the wear and tear of being driven on.
The Verdict – Is Artificial Grass Worth it Compared to Real Grass?
Yes. If you want a natural grass look without having to spend hours of your weekends mowing the lawn and doing heavy amounts of yard work, then make sure to install artificial grass. However, don’t skimp on the installation. Whether the grass is going in the front or backyard, and no matter what you plan to do on the grass, make sure to get a high quality product that is well installed. That way you can have a green lawn that will last for a very long time.
Plus, if you decide to focus on maintenance and support for your new lawn, then you might see it lasting even longer than its warranty. Who doesn’t love that when it comes to having a green lawn?
Jamie is the founder of The Backyard Pros. When he was 15 years old he started working at a garden centre helping people buy plants, gardening products, and lawn care products. He has real estate experience and he is a home owner. Jamie loves backyard projects, refinishing furniture, and enjoys sharing his knowledge online.