Since the introduction of artificial grass way back in the 1960s, the wide variety of uses for artificial grass has increased dramatically.
This is partly due to the advances in technology that have now made it possible to use artificial grass that has been specially designed for the purpose on balconies, in schools and nurseries, and to create your very own back garden putting green.
The introduction of Natural Look, Feelgood and Instant Recovery technology has advanced the quality and aesthetics of artificial grass no end.
In our latest article, we are going to be exploring some of the most common uses of artificial grass and explaining why the benefits of synthetic turf often outweigh those of a real lawn.
1. Residential Gardens
The most popular use of artificial grass is to install it in a residential garden to replace an existing lawn.
The popularity of artificial grass has grown at a fantastic rate and many homeowners are now realising the benefits of having artificial grass in their home.
Although it is not completely maintenance-free (as some manufacturers and installers will claim), compared to a real lawn, the maintenance involved with artificial grass is minimal.
This appeals to many people with busy lifestyles, as well as the elderly, who are often physically unable to maintain their gardens and lawns.
It’s also great for lawns that receive continual, year-round use from pets and children.
Synthetic turf is perfectly safe for both your family and your pets to use, and can even create a safer environment than real grass, as you’ll no longer need to use pesticides or fertilisers in your garden.
Many of our customers have become tired of traipsing up and down their lawn, mower in hand, instead preferring to spend their precious spare time in their garden with their feet up, enjoying a nice glass of wine.
Who can blame them?
Fake turf is also great for sheltered and shaded lawns that receive little sunlight. These conditions, no matter how much you keep seeding or applying fertilisers, just won’t allow real grass to grow.
Even those who prefer the look of real grass are choosing artificial grass for areas such as front gardens, and those small areas of grass that can be more hassle to maintain than they are worth, and, as this neglect can lead to these areas becoming an eyesore, they get the additional benefit of an aesthetic boost to their property.
2. Artificial Grass for Dogs and Pets
Another popular use of artificial grass is for dogs and pets.
Unfortunately, real lawns and dogs just don’t mix.
Many dog owners will understand the frustrations of trying to maintain a real lawn.
Urine scorched turf and bald patches of grass doesn’t make for a lawn that is particularly pleasing on the eye.
Muddy paws and mess also doesn’t make for an easy life indoors, and this quickly becomes a nightmare, particularly in winter months or after periods of heavy rainfall that can turn your real lawn into a mud bath.
For these reasons, many dog owners are turning to artificial grass as the solution to their problems.
Another fast-growing trend is for dog kennels and doggy day care centres to have artificial grass installed.
Clearly, with the large numbers of dogs these places have, real grass doesn’t stand a chance.
With a free draining artificial grass installation, the large amounts of urine will drain straight through the grass, creating a much healthier environment for dogs to play in and less maintenance for the owners.
Artificial grass offers many benefits to dog owners and it’s little wonder that many dog and pet owners are turning to fake turf.
If you would like further information regarding artificial grass for dogs, please click here, you can also check out our artificial grasses that are perfect for pets by clicking here.
3. Balconies and Rooftop Gardens
One way to brighten up rooftop gardens and balconies is to introduce some green to the area.
Concrete and paving can look very harsh, particularly on rooftops, and artificial grass can add some welcome green to the area.
Artificial grass also tends to be much cheaper to install on a rooftop than real grass, as materials are easy to transport and the ground preparation for fake turf is quick and easy to complete.
Often, even with lots of ground preparations, real grass just doesn’t grow particularly well.
It’s very easy to install artificial grass on concrete and we recommend using a 10mm artificial grass foam underlay (or 20mm for an extra soft feel) that can easily be transported in lifts and up stairwells, just as rolls of artificial grass can.
It will also make for a beautifully soft artificial lawn that you’ll just love chilling out on.
A fake lawn on a rooftop will also not require any watering, which can be an issue with rooftop gardens, as quite often there is no tap nearby.
For rooftop gardens, we recommend our DYG artificial grass, which has been specifically designed for use on rooftops and balconies.
For further suitable fake turf for your balcony or rooftop, please click here.
4. Events and Exhibitions
Artificial grass is a great way to decorate stands at exhibitions and events.
If you have ever run a stand at an exhibition you’ll know that it’s important to attract as much attention as possible, and fake grass is an excellent way to turn heads as its natural, warming look will attract passers-by.
It can easily be mounted on display stands that are used to show off your products.
It’s also easy to temporarily install fake grass on the floor of your stand and, as it can easily be rolled back up and stored after the event has finished, it can continue to be used for future events and exhibitions.
5. Schools and Nurseries
These days many schools and nurseries are turning to artificial grass.
Why?
For many reasons.
Firstly, artificial grass is very hard-wearing. Hundreds of feet running up and down patches of grass during break times puts real grass under lots of strain, resulting in bare patches.
These bare patches quickly turn into mud baths after periods of heavy rain.
Of course, artificial grass is also very low maintenance.
This means less money spent on grounds maintenance, resulting in cost savings for the school or nursery in the long term.
It also transforms and revitalises worn out, tired areas of school grounds that have become unusable.
It can be used to transform areas of patchy grass or concrete and paving quickly and easily.
Kids also love paying on artificial grass and budding footballers will feel like they are playing on the hallowed turf at Wembley.
Plus, it’s great for play areas that have climbing frames, as artificial grass can be installed with an artificial grass foam underlay.
This shockpad will ensure that your playground complies with the Head Impact Criteria set out by the government and will prevent nasty head injuries.
Lastly, during winter months, grass areas are no-go areas due to the potential for mud and mess.
However, mud will be a thing of the past with artificial grass and, therefore, it increases the potential number of playing areas available for children, rather than just restricting them to hard areas such as tarmac or concrete playgrounds.
6. Golf Putting Greens
7. Hotels
The demand for artificial grass at hotels is increasing.
Nowadays, due to the realism of synthetic turf, hotels are choosing to have artificial grass for their entrances, in courtyards and to create stunning lawn areas.
First impressions are everything in the hospitality industry and consistently good looking artificial grass is sure to leave a lasting impression on hotel guests.
Again, due to its ultra-low maintenance, fake grass can save a hotel lots of money on maintenance costs, making it a very economical solution.
Grass areas in hotels can obviously suffer from the same problems as it can in a residential garden – weeds and moss growth look very unsightly and can make a hotel appear run-down.
Couple this with the potentially heavy use that grass areas can receive in hotels and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Also, many hotels frequently host weddings and, once again, artificial grass trumps real grass here.
This is because even after a heavy downpour there is no mud or mess with artificial grass.
Mud can ruin the big day, as not many brides would be happy getting their shoes covered in mud or being faced with the potential embarrassment of slipping over whilst walking down the aisle!
8. Offices
Let’s face it, your standard office can be a boring, lifeless environment to work in.
To combat this, many businesses are beginning to use artificial grass in the workplace.
Fake grass will revitalise an office and help to make staff feel like they are working in the great outdoors and, who knows, they may even enjoy coming in to work!
Creating a better environment for staff to work in increases productivity within the workplace which, for an employer, makes artificial grass a fantastic investment.
Post time: Mar-04-2025
