Landscaping 101: Artificial Turf Vs. Real Grass and Sod
When purchasing a new home, most potential home owners will look for a nice exterior, including yard space. Whether you have children or just enjoy being outdoors, a good yard is sought after. Most home owners want to be able to relax outside and enjoy a little green space. But with a grassy area, comes responsibility. It takes time and effort to create a lovely lawn, something that most home owners don’t have time for.
Many times, a yard can be damaged and in need of a little TLC. When considering the lawn of your home, there are basically two options: Sod and Artificial Turf. Both have their pros and cons, and it is important to consider both options so that you can have a yard that will work well for your family. The maintenance and care of both yard types should be considered as well as how you can benefit from each option, to help you decide how to have the best yard for your home. Below is a simple comparison to help you better understand your option and choose between sod or artificial turf.
Artificial Turf
Also known as synthetic turf, artificial turf is a landscaping option often seen on sports fields. In the past, artificial turf looked fake and was never an option for home owners. However, artificial turf has changed over the years and has improved both in material type as well as aesthetically. Many artificial lawns look so real that it takes a keen eye to tell the difference.
When considering redoing your lawn, it is wise to learn more about artificial turf as this is a top option to consider. A major perk of an artificial lawn is that the grass is fake so there will be no allergens present. Many home owners, as well as their family members, are allergic to grasses. With a traditional sod lawn, grasses can cause an allergic reaction, particularly during the spring months, which leads to a runny nose, itchy eyes and just feeling lousy. There are both contact allergies and airborne allergies to grass, which an artificial lawn will eliminate.
An artificial lawn is also basically maintenance free. There will be no need to cut the grass every weekend or fertilize and water the yard in order to have a green, lush lawn. Basically, with an artificial turf lawn, you will only have to rake leaves when they fall, spray the lawn for weeds and then take care of any repairs if damage occurs.
Many yards are hard to water or unable to hold the weight of live grass, with artificial turf, you don’t have that problem. If you have pets, it makes it easier to clean up any messes as well.
Concerns of Artificial Turf
When it comes to the synthetic lawn, there are concerns that home owners may have. A big concern is the price. Upfront, home owners will have to pay a higher price as the ground must be professionally prepared and the turf installed. However, the cost can be offset when you consider the amount of water you would use to water real sod, how much gasoline you use for cutting the grass and other expenses for a traditional lawn upkeep.
Another concern is that the grass will get too hot as it is made from plastic materials, during the summer months. However, the materials used today help to control any temperature issues that might have existed in the past.
Natural Lawn
Now on to a traditional lawn. Many home owners find a natural lawn appealing due to the look and feel of the grass. There is a certain smell that natural grass evokes that reminds one of the hot summer months, that can be appealing. However, one the maintenance needs begin, many feel like they just want to get rid of the natural grass. Depending on how large your lawn is, you may end up spending hours every week with upkeep, which can take away from family time and be exhausting.
With natural grass, the lawn will need to be watered regularly to promote growth and of course cut when the grass gets too high. Grass needs to be fertilized and then treated for weeds as well as trimmed around the home and other areas of the yard. Time will need to be spent caring for the yard, time that you may not have. If you have to hire someone to care for your yard, then that is yet another expense to tack on to your monthly bills.
Are You Ready to Enjoy the Outdoors?
After comparing the two, you should be able to decide which option will work best for you. More and more home owners are opting for the artificial turf, in an effort to cut back on allergens as well as time spent caring for the lawn. With more time on your hands, you can actually enjoy the outdoors instead of constantly doing yard work!
