Fake grass

[Bennylava]

Yeah I said it. Fake grass. I want it. I am not a yard work kind of guy. I can't think of anything more thankless than dealing with all of that mess. I know some of you guys like maintaining your yards as though its nearly some sort of religious practice. We've all got our hobbies that we love. But I hate all the racket of the small engines, all the dust, all the sneezing and coughing, everything.

And thus naturally my lawn looks like that of the Adams Family. So me and the wife were at some pond and fountain place, called Whiz Q Stone in fort worth. We were admiring a patch of grass that they had, between some of their koi ponds. We stared at it for about 5 seconds thinking it was real. Then I reached down and felt it and... it was fake. It was about that time that I figured I'd win lawn of the year if I coated my post apocalyptic landscape of a front yard, in this fake grass. Cause I want it to look like I care, even if I don't.

So anyone here ever done it? What were the results? Only downside I can see is if the sun fades the green color eventually. But then, I figure that is what green paint is for.

 

[Brady1929]

Have it in my front yard and back yard. So no mowing when it's 118 degrees outside. Saves water. There are 2 small drawbacks in my opinion. Sometimes it smells and if you walk on it, it gets matted down. Two easy fixes. Hose it down. And use what they recommend to rake the grass to make it stand up again. I would do it again.

 

[jbwilkins]

Check with your HOA before you get too far (if you have one).....They my not like it.....

It's not a cheap initial investment, especially if you have a large (think 1/4+ acre)....It's great in the southwest where the 'lawns' are small (think 30'x30')......

To do it right you have to install a base for drainage, so it's not just rolling out a roll of carpet...

 

[Buckgnarly]

Looks smarter than wasting water and dumping chemicals all over your yard.

 

[Richard Cranium]

as long as it is quality fake grass like you saw.

 

[LXCam]

I posted a thread a while back and got some good answers. I almost pulled the trigger but ended up going back to the real stuff which I am now regretting.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=297464

 

[Ryan]

I have a buddy that used SYNlawn in two areas of his backyard... Probably a total of 500 square feet. He always complains that it stinks pretty bad when it gets hot in Austin. It looks gorgeous though.

 

[CoogarXR]

Speaking of fake landscaping- When I worked at a place that processed store returns, one of the hottest items returned was fake christmas trees. I thought about buying a ton of them and "fencing" in my back yard with them, lol.

 

[lis2323]

Synthetic vs natural. EACH has their pros and cons.

As a turf farm, we offer BOTH options to our customers. IF you decide to go the synthetic route DO NOT waste your time and money by "cheaping out".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PugetDude]

Put in a 18x30 patch of artificial grass in AZ 9 years ago. Still looks like new.
I did it myself, rolled it out over a compacted sand base, trimmed to fit, then swept a dozen bags of play sand over it to hold it down.

it wasn't cheap, but it's held up well in the AZ heat.

 

[ford33]

Why install grass, fake or real? Check out the large number of natural landscaping idea's available online.

Planting native shrubs, small trees, ground cover and using stones and large rocks for interest will make the property attractive to you, neighbors and potential buyers.

The trend is to move away from high maintenance, water intensive landscaping. Instead making an attractive native landscape saves time, money and natural resources. It is an easy sell to the HOA and local authorities.

 

[PugetDude]

It is an easy sell to the HOA and local authorities.

On what planet?

Most HOA's have CCR's that require a 2/3 majority vote of all homeowners to change. Getting a quorum to vote for any issue is usually a problem, let alone 2/3 to change CCR's.

Architecture, landscaping, driveways, hardscape, paint colors, etc. are usually strictly specified in the protective covenants. HOA boards can and have been sued for not enforcing the CCR's as written and recorded. Unless the authority to change landscaping requirements is specifically called out in the by-laws, The BOD can't arbitrarily change them to meet the eco-flavor of the month.

That has been my experience in AZ, might vary in other states.

 

[JRC3]

There are sellers on CL that sell sections of used turf from sports fields. I'm considering putting in a section mayby 10" wide along the deck or pavers to act as a doormat for muddy dog feet. Would also be a good buffer from the garage in case I stepped in oil or something.


For example in my area:

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/fod/d/high-quality-second-use/6609854346.html

This one says they have 50+ location nationwide.
https://columbus.craigslist.org/fod/d/2nd-use-synthetic-turf-diy/6608043779.html

 

[PelicanPines]

Garden State Parkway... middle 70's... they painted the rocks green to simulate... uhh... green.

 

[OzarkMan]

Alot of retirement communities have houses with painted gravel. Most of those homes the owners don't want to deal with maintenance. Some are as bad with only a chunk of lava rock, maybe a cactus and painted rock as their curb appeal...

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

My plan is to eventually get the fake stuff as well. I jut got sticker shock last time I looked into it. I downsized my lawn when I re-landscaped, should have downsized further. Most of my yard is desert friendly, but I need some green.

Definitely get the good stuff or don't do it all. There's some nice houses in my neighborhood that put the stuff you'd find in a Goofy Golf Course down. Awful looking.

My biggest fear to the fake stuff was having to replace all over again in like 6-8 years. I couldn't really make a good financial case for the fake stuff, I just don't like dealing with the grass.

 

[Bennylava]

Check with your HOA before you get too far (if you have one).....They my not like it.....

It's not a cheap initial investment, especially if you have a large (think 1/4+ acre)....It's great in the southwest where the 'lawns' are small (think 30'x30')......

To do it right you have to install a base for drainage, so it's not just rolling out a roll of carpet...

it wasn't cheap, but it's held up well in the AZ heat.

An HOA would have to pay me to live there lol. As for the expense, how much did it cost you guys?

 

[PugetDude]

An HOA would have to pay me to live there lol. As for the expense, how much did it cost you guys?

I was done for just under a grand, for the artificial grass, sand, tamper rental, etc... in 2009 dollars

 

[930dreamer]

Doesn't the fake grass need to be stretched and re- fit at some point in the future?

 

[PugetDude]

Doesn't the fake grass need to be stretched and re- fit at some point in the future?

Mine didn't. It had about 800 lbs of sand swept into it and it never moved.
I helped a buddy re-do his artificial turf putting green, His had the rubber crumbs for ballast instead of sand, that stuff is a ***** to work with.

 

[PugetDude]

Found this photo of my artificial grass online from the last real estate listing.
I put this down in 2009.

 

[gtabasso]

I think the stupidity is in cutting grass and raking leaves. Did someone do that for millennia before us? What a waste of time. Let the **** grow.

 

[b-boy]

My in-laws lived in Pahrump, NV. My FIL decided he had to have a nice green lawn. He spent thousands and thousands of dollars installing sod and a sprinkler system.

After that, he spent most of his time fussing over the lawn.

He complained about the jack rabbits, crickets, and varieties of mold that were destroying his lawn. It just about drove him nuts.

One day he was complaining and I said, 'What do you expect - your lawn is the only green for 50 miles. You basically build a salad bar in your back yard.'

If it was me, I'd go rocks and catci.

 

[Bennylava]

If it was me, I'd go rocks and catci.

That stuff does still have to be cleaned and tidy'd up though. The fake grass does too but to a lesser degree as there is not as much for leaves, trash, sticks, etc to catch on. Also a leaf blower takes care of it a lot easier when the whole yard is flat. So I think that the fake grass would be even less maintenance.

I've seen people do that in my part of TX (Fort Worth area) and it does work. But we still get enough rain that you'll get plenty of weeds getting in. And large native texas plants that you don't want. Seems like it would only work out well in the desert. I'm still at the edge of the grasslands.

The question is, who makes the very best fake grass? I'd hazard a guess that the DuPont brand stuff is top notch. But maybe someone else does it better? It would be nice if it didn't smell terrible when it gets hot.

 

[8mpg]

Its not cheap. My buddy has a tiny yard and most of it is taken up with a patio. I want to say he put down about 150sqft of it. It was $8/ft. They did a good job though. Excavated out 6-8" of soil, brought in crusher run, then clear rock, then sand. It needs to be able to drain.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

On what planet?

Most HOA's have CCR's that require a 2/3 majority vote of all homeowners to change. Getting a quorum to vote for any issue is usually a problem, let alone 2/3 to change CCR's.

Architecture, landscaping, driveways, hardscape, paint colors, etc. are usually strictly specified in the protective covenants. HOA boards can and have been sued for not enforcing the CCR's as written and recorded. Unless the authority to change landscaping requirements is specifically called out in the by-laws, The BOD can't arbitrarily change them to meet the eco-flavor of the month.

That has been my experience in AZ, might vary in other states.

Florida has a "Florida Friendly Landscaping" statute that states HOA's cannot prevent homeowners from planting eco friendly landscapes.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

The purpose of a lawn other than looking nice is to prevent top soil erosion, keep the ground moist and promote a healthy ecosystem. A well maintained lawn with an assortment of other plants, shrubs and trees will also zero out most peoples carbon foot print.

The argument about water waste is odd because any unused water either evaporates and help create clouds or drains back to the aquifers.

I still cannot wrap my head around anyone claiming plastic grass that will never biodegrade is "eco friendly."

 

[PugetDude]

The purpose of a lawn other than looking nice is to prevent top soil erosion, keep the ground moist and promote a healthy ecosystem. A well maintained lawn with an assortment of other plants, shrubs and trees will also zero out most peoples carbon foot print.

The argument about water waste is odd because any unused water either evaporates and help create clouds or drains back to the aquifers.

I still cannot wrap my head around anyone claiming plastic grass that will never biodegrade is "eco friendly."

I used it because I didn't have to mow it, fertilize it or weed it.
The "eco-aspects" never entered into it. I already had over 250 landscape plants on irrigation, a couple more sprinkler heads wouldn't have made much more of a difference.

 

[Bennylava]

I still cannot wrap my head around anyone claiming plastic grass that will never biodegrade is "eco friendly."

Oh it will bio degrade... eventually. Also not having to ever water it. Can you imagine how much less water that would be? Then there's no burning gas to mow it, weed eat it. Then there's less lawn equipment produced in factories. The list just goes on and on. Its probably a hell of a lot more eco friendly than regular grass. Cause people won't just let regular grass and weeds grow forever. They feel the need to maintain it to their liking. And so bugs and snakes and rodents don't get out of control.

 

[Trac]

I'm slightly embarrassed to say I might be interested in some fake grass, too... I have an area I call the "dogyard". It's where I let my dogs out when I can't go out with them. Sometimes for a quick visit, sometimes for a few hours. If I could get my dogyard done in fake grass...oh man.... I just dream of how much time I'd save on grooming!

My dogs are Cotons de Tulear, and every stick, pine cone, tree seed, etc...it all ends up in their hair. Cotons were created for manicured areas, I think...and fake grass.

 

[alexb2000]

I have fake grass in my back yard and about 1/3 of an acre of real in the front. The front cost a small car payment a month to maintain, the back nothing. The back has been down 10 years and I've never had to do anything except spray a little roundup on the edges every spring.

Go fake and spend more time in the shop.. seriously.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Oh it will bio degrade...

Plastic never bio degrades.

https://www.livescience.com/33085-petroleum-derived-plastic-non-biodegradable.html

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I have fake grass in my back yard and about 1/3 of an acre of real in the front. The front cost a small car payment a month to maintain, the back nothing. The back has been down 10 years and I've never had to do anything except spray a little roundup on the edges every spring.

Go fake and spend more time in the shop.. seriously.

Alternatively, you can go real and get outdoors and some exercise.

 

[Richard Cranium]

don't forget the fake lawn mower.

 

[TarheelMechanic]

Fake Grass? No way. I want to real stuff for sure

 

[Bennylava]

I'm slightly embarrassed to say I might be interested in some fake grass, too... I have an area I call the "dogyard". It's where I let my dogs out when I can't go out with them. Sometimes for a quick visit, sometimes for a few hours. If I could get my dogyard done in fake grass...oh man.... I just dream of how much time I'd save on grooming!

My dogs are Cotons de Tulear, and every stick, pine cone, tree seed, etc...it all ends up in their hair. Cotons were created for manicured areas, I think...and fake grass.

Its not recommended for animal use. Plus you'd have to always be cleaning up and hosing off their excrements.

Plastic never bio degrades.

https://www.livescience.com/33085-petroleum-derived-plastic-non-biodegradable.html

Ever left a piece of plastic out in the texas sun for a year? That powder that it starts becoming... that ain't supposed to be there. Granted for it to completely turn into that stuff may take 50 years, but it does happen.

 

[PugetDude]

Plastic never bio degrades.

https://www.livescience.com/33085-petroleum-derived-plastic-non-biodegradable.html

Its not recommended for animal use. Plus you'd have to always be cleaning up and hosing off their excrements.



Ever left a piece of plastic out in the texas sun for a year? That powder that it starts becoming... that ain't supposed to be there. Granted for it to completely turn into that stuff may take 50 years, but it does happen.

Photodegradation is not the same as biodegradation.

 

[JRC3]

Alternatively, you can go real and get outdoors and some exercise.

By that logic, you could ride a bicycle and not drive a Hemi.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Its not recommended for animal use. Plus you'd have to always be cleaning up and hosing off their excrements.



Ever left a piece of plastic out in the texas sun for a year? That powder that it starts becoming... that ain't supposed to be there. Granted for it to completely turn into that stuff may take 50 years, but it does happen.

That powder is simply smaller pieces of plastics in a process called photodegradation and only happens to plastics that get UV exposure. It gets in the air you breathe and the water you drink and will never revert back to it's premanufactured components. It cannot be digested or consumed by any known living organism.

( There is a claim of the discovery of a plastic eating bacteria in 2016 but it only consumes 1 type of plastic. https://www.theguardian.com/environ...g-bacteria-help-combat-this-pollution-scourge )

 

[JazzBlueRT]

By that logic, you could ride a bicycle and not drive a Hemi.

The HEMI produces CO2 that my lawn needs to grow.