How to Choose the Best Artificial Grass for Commercial and Public Use

How to Choose the Best Artificial Grass for Commercial and Public Use

The explosion in popularity of artificial grass has meant that it’s not just homeowners that are taking full advantage of the benefits of fake grass.

It’s also become very popular for a wide range of commercial and public applications.

Pubs, restaurants, theme parks, playgrounds, hotels and government authority public spaces are just some of the commercial areas artificial grass is being utilised in.

One of the great things about using artificial grass for this type of application is that it is hard-wearing enough to cope with frequent, heavy foot traffic from members of the public.

The low-maintenance nature of fake turf is saving many businesses significant amounts of money on expensive grounds maintenance contracts.

Another major advantage is that it looks great all year round, which will create a lasting positive effect on visitors, not least because they can use these areas of synthetic grass in all weathers, without getting covered in mud and ruining the appearance of the grass.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for real grass, and it’s quite clear why so many businesses and government authorities are deciding to have artificial grass installed.

But how do you go about choosing the best artificial grass for commercial and public use?

Well, if that’s the kind of decision you’re faced with, you’ve luckily come to the right place. The focus of this article is on helping you choose the best fake grass for this type of application.

We’ll be looking at everything from ideal pile heights and pile density, to the different types of artificial grass technology to consider, and also discussing installation methods – and hopefully answering any questions you may have along the way.

Let’s start by looking at pile heights.

What is the Best Pile Height for Commercial and Public Use?

When choosing the best artificial grass for commercial and public use, it’s normally very important to choose a turf that will be able to cope with high levels of foot traffic. But, in some instances, a fake lawn may be for purely decorative purposes and so rarely trodden on.

Of course, each pile height has its strengths and its weaknesses.

Generally, shorter pile artificial grass tends to wear better than longer pile heights.

The ideal pile height may be somewhere between 22mm–32mm.

This range of pile heights will also give your fake lawn a freshly cut appearance.

When choosing the best artificial grass for commercial and public use, you should look for a short pile for heavy use areas, whereas for ornamental lawns, you can choose whatever pile height you feel looks most aesthetically pleasing. This usually tends to be somewhere around a 35mm pile.

What is the Best Pile Density for Commercial and Public Use?

The denser the pile, the better it will cope with heavy use. This is because the densely packed fibres will help support each other to remain in an upright position.

Fibres that remain in this position look far more realistic than those that lie flat due to excessive wear.

For commercial and public use, look for a pile density between 16,000–18,000 stitches per square metre.

For ornamental lawns, a density of between 13,000–16,000 would be adequate.

Also, the fewer stitches there are per square metre, the cheaper the product will be, as less plastic is needed during the manufacturing process.

What is the Best Pile Density for Commercial and Public Use?

The denser the pile, the better it will cope with heavy use. This is because the densely packed fibres will help support each other to remain in an upright position.

Fibres that remain in this position look far more realistic than those that lie flat due to excessive wear.

For commercial and public use, look for a pile density between 16,000–18,000 stitches per square metre.

For ornamental lawns, a density of between 13,000–16,000 would be adequate.

Also, the fewer stitches there are per square metre, the cheaper the product will be, as less plastic is needed during the manufacturing process.

Will Artificial Grass for Commercial and Public Use Need a Foam Underlay?

Installing a foam underlay underneath the artificial grass for commercial and public use areas will add a touch of luxury to any fake lawn.

Walking on a foam underlay will feel soft and springy underfoot, whilst also helping to prevent – or at least, lessen –injuries from trips or falls.

This makes it ideal if you have items of play equipment, as the foam shockpad complies with the requirements of Head Impact Criteria (HIC). This is an internationally recognised measure for the likelihood of injury, should anyone suffer a fall from height.

Therefore, we highly recommend installing a 20mm foam underlay in areas with play equipment.

In most other circumstances, installing a foam underlay is certainly not essential, but it’s sure to add a touch of luxury and make for a more enjoyable experience for visitors to your outdoor space.

Conclusion

As you’ll have learnt, there’s far more to choosing the best artificial grass than just looking at aesthetics such as colour and pile height.

And it’s an important decision to get right, as provided you choose a good quality artificial grass that’s fit for purpose and installed correctly, there’s no reason why the synthetic grass will not last 20 years and prove to be a fantastic investment for your commercial or public outdoor space.

You can also request your free samples here.

If you have any questions or comments relating to this article, then we would love to hear from you.

Just leave us a comment below and we’ll be glad to help with any queries you may have.