19 Nov
2013

Artificial Grass – Artificial Turf Synthetic Grass – Save Water and Money

Posted by Norman F

artificial grass, artificial lawn
Many of us spend a lot of water, mowing, and hence money, keeping their grass green.   We decided to see if moving to artificial grass would be a cheaper proposition.  Some of the newer ones look pretty good.

Costco even sells artificial turf.  15′ x 25′ costs $1399.  Not exactly cheap but a lot cheaper than before. It comes with upto an 8 year warranty and is pet friendly. Many are made of recycled tires or water bottles. No more weeding, watering, or mowing. Costco surprisingly has a link to a MSDS sheet that shows it is Heavy Metal free (lead free) and is primarily made of polypropylene.

Dupont has added Forever lawn that has a 12-15 year lifetime, 8yr warranty.

There has been some controversy with regards to hazardous substances in some faux grass, primarily lead in older astroturf.  It does help people with pets tearing up grass or grass allergies.

Morningstarturf has analysis showing that synthetic grass pays for itself in 4 years.  Of course the analysis assumes you are installing new real grass. Without installing new real grass, the cost savings is faster.

We decided to stick with our lawn for now, but will be moving to something more native and water thrifty soon.

Our Water savings tips also help you reduce your water bill.

Alternately, we decided to just put paver stones over parts of our lawn. This eliminates the need to water the area and to pay a lot of money for artificial grass.

Green Permeable Paver Stones

DSC_0003-1
Creative Commons License photo credit: justinbaeder
We have some broken concrete areas that need to be repaired, so we are investigating replacing them with paver stones.  Pavers are versatile because they can be individually replaced or removed and re-leveled should the need arise.  The problem with ‘normal’ ones is that water can pool or water requires special water drainage. Water cannot soak into the ground, it runs off into storm drains.

‘Green’ or permeable paver stones eliminate standing water, allow natural drainage, and allow recharging of groundwater.  Restore the natural water cycle and reduce your properties footprint. They can also be used to divert water to rain water capture systems.

Specially designed pavers can be installed that are include gaps in the center of or between pavers. These gaps are filled with gravel, grass, or vegetation and allow for water infiltration. Maximum openings of less than 1/2″ are required for ADA regulations so this cannot be done in public areas.

Unfortunately these special green paver stones cost more than normal ones but your water management costs would be lower.  Paver stones are usually made of concrete, material that is not the most eco friendly as it takes a lot of energy to make concrete.

A lower-cost option is to leave large gaps between concrete or stone pavers. Alternately use steppingstones or pea gravel. Decomposed granite can also be used.

Posted on November 19th, 2013
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7 Responses to “Artificial Grass – Artificial Turf Synthetic Grass – Save Water and Money”

  1. FieldTurf | Artificial Turf | Synthetic Turf Says:

    Few can debate the merits of a lawn made from artificial grass. Year-round beauty, low to no maintenance, and no watering mean a pristine yard 365 days a year and more money in your pocket. Southwest Greens of Eastern Washington is a leading distributor not only of artificial backyard putting greens and indoor putting greens but also of the finest artificial grass in the industry, Envy Lawn. As such we’d like to remind you that from our golf greens to our synthetic lawns, all of our products have the great added family benefit of being exceedingly kid friendly.

  2. Brian Says:

    How about an update on the artificial turf? Which one did you use? How did you handle the install? How is it holding up? Any drainage issues? How do the kids like it? Do you have pets? If so, how do they like it?

  3. Water Saving Garden Tips - Drought Tolerant Plants | Easy Eco Blog Says:

    […] a green lawn takes a lot of care. Ditch the lawn or replace it with artificial turf. Flowers use less water than […]

  4. Mike Freemen Says:

    Artificial grass has had many improvements. Like mentioned in the article, there is no more mowing, trimming, or watering. The main thing about no more mowing is that it eliminates the amount of pollution that is produced by lawn mowers. In addition, are the elimination of pesticides and fertilizers. These are only a few of the advantages of artificial grass.

  5. Ian Says:

    Artificial grass is the way forward, keeps it colour, does not require cutting, watering, weeding. Once you have tried you will never go back. Best thing we ever did in our back garden, now we can bbq and sip gin instead of planning cutting etc

  6. Artificial grass Says:

    Hi Admin, 

    I have been just watching your blog, It’s really Impressive. Just loved the information and content of this blog. 
    Hi Admin, 

    I have been just watching your blog, It’s really Impressive. Just loved the information and content of this blog. Studies show that it takes about 55 gallons of water to sustain one square foot of natural grass each year. If, for example, you have a 1,000-square-foot yard, this means you have to use 55,000 gallons of water just to keep your lawn looking healthy and beautiful.

    Keep writing the stuff like this.

    Thanks,
    Designer Plants

    Keep writing the stuff like this.

    Thanks,
    Designer Plants

  7. Millie Hue Says:

    It got me when you said that artificial grass installations have been found helpful to those with pets who get teary or have allergies to grass. I will get a dog for Christmas as a gift to myself, since I live alone and want a companion. So choosing this material for the backyard will definitely be a safe option for any kind of breed that I might get, even if I have no idea if it has allergies or none.

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