Artificial Turf/ Synthetic Grass- Who's done it?

[Hernando]

We're re-doing the landscaping in our front and backyard and kicking the idea of replacing the grass with the fake stuff. For those who've done it, pro's vs. con's?

Any referrals to someone you were happy with?

FWIW,
We've got two boys, 4 and 2, and a dog who will be using the backyard.

Thanks.

 

[pronstar]

I can tell you one con: real grass is always cool, you can walk barefoot on it on even the hottest days.
Try that with artificial, and it's like walking on coals.

 

[68Schiada]

i know some one with it in their backyard. 2 young boys and a dog. It smells like piss back there all the time, especially on hot summer days. They only installed a 2"/3" base under it, if you have pets, you need a 6" thick agg. base under it minimum. It needs to be cleaned/maintained. subgrade drainage might be needed. it will hold disease if its not maintained properly and it always hotter than grass, which will bread germs/disease. i dont like it and would not recommend it, especially with pets.

i"ve designed tournament style athletic fields with materials from Field Turf and Hellas. If your dead set on it and dont want your kids heads bouncing off a 95% compacted subgrade. then go with a sports artificial turf with the rubber in-fill 3/4" to 1" min. but dont be fooled, it will need water to keep it clean and push the germs down into the base.

 

[Angler]

I was going to do it in my backyard, but after coaching
FB on it, never. Way too hot in the Summer to enjoy it.

Go the a football field that has it, before you buy it.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

We have it, love it. Two dogs piss and shit on it constantly, I usually piss on it each night while I take the dogs out. We have never had a piss problem. We spray it with vinegar two three times a year and water the hell out of it about once a month, to wash everything away, if we get a good rain than you don't need to do that.

The real grass we had was pointless with dogs. We live in Anaheim hills, it doesn't get Havasu hot, but pretty hot a few times a summer and we have not had any issues with the dogs walking on it.

 

[Halvecto]

I was just thinking about artificial turf this morning....

I have a section, approximately 3,000 sq. ft., that has 4 stamped concrete parking strips in it off the driveway. I took out the grass for a few reasons, one of which was because we park cars there often for multiple days and don't want the sprinklers running on them. Putting more concrete is not an option; just too much concrete.

Has anyone had any experience doing this job yourself? Is the process so unique that it cannot work without the "pro". There are quite a few do-it-yourselfers on here. I received one general quote for about 7.50-9.50 per square foot installed. Wondering if I can knock it out with my son and save a bundle.

 

[Tamalewagon]

Call Neb (see Traeger thread). This is right up his alley. They sell the synthetic grass. 760-594-6065.

 

[Motor Boater]

Artificial grass??? That's un American! I have a buddy that spent a shit load on it and because of his dogs it smelled like hot piss and shit all the time. He was trying everything under the sun to clean it and he finally ripped it out. To me it's like letting your dog piss and shit on your living room carpet then letting your kids roll around in it. Plus your kids will grow to be 35 years old and not even know how to start a god dam lawn mower. All the other dads in the neighborhood will laugh it him and call him a pansy. No way, not me! I'm going to teach my kid how to mow a lawn, drink a beer and not be fag when the when the weed eater kicks up a rock and shoots into his toe because real men don't follow rules on the box and dont wear closed Toed shoes to do man work!

 

[Wicky]

It's only cool if its Boise State blue!!

 

[yard dog]

i know some one with it in their backyard. 2 young boys and a dog. It smells like piss back there all the time, especially on hot summer days. They only installed a 2"/3" base under it, if you have pets, you need a 6" thick agg. base under it minimum. It needs to be cleaned/maintained. subgrade drainage might be needed. it will hold disease if its not maintained properly and it always hotter than grass, which will bread germs/disease. i dont like it and would not recommend it, especially with pets.

i"ve designed tournament style athletic fields with materials from Field Turf and Hellas. If your dead set on it and dont want your kids heads bouncing off a 95% compacted subgrade. then go with a sports artificial turf with the rubber in-fill 3/4" to 1" min. but dont be fooled, it will need water to keep it clean and push the germs down into the base.

This is the product that I use on my artificial turf ," Turf Renu" this will take of all the above problems that they have . They a have web site or call 1 800 721 5572 and ask for Jim he is the owner , it works !!

 

[pronstar]

Artificial grass??? That's un American! I have a buddy that spent a shit load on it and because of his dogs it smelled like hot piss and shit all the time. He was trying everything under the sun to clean it and he finally ripped it out. To me it's like letting your dog piss and shit on your living room carpet then letting your kids roll around in it. Plus your kids will grow to be 35 years old and not even know how to start a god dam lawn mower. All the other dads in the neighborhood will laugh it him and call him a pansy. No way, not me! I'm going to teach my kid how to mow a lawn, drink a beer and not be fag when the when the weed eater kicks up a rock and shoots into his toe because real men don't follow rules on the box and dont wear closed Toed shoes to do man work!

Winner.../close thread


2 Tapatalk 1 Cup

 

[Mandelon]

I put a turf lawn in my side yard last summer. It was a lot of work.

We had to demo out the old grass, dig down about 4 inches and then backfill with a couple yards of decomposed granite. That had to be compacted in lifts with a powered plate compactor.

I also put in the concrete curb. That was done between removing the grass and putting in the backfill. 8" of excavating, putting in a row or two of 3/8" rebar, benderboard forms and then about 3/4 yard of concrete brought in with a wheelbarrow.

The grass comes in rolls. You can buy any length, but it is only available 15' wide. I goofed on that and made mine a little over that. If you put one in, stay at 15' max.

I put in a little mound with longer grass to chip from, rather than just a flat green. That added to the cost too. The cups and flags weren't too much.

Tacking the grass down, we used 20d common box nails. They go in about 4" OC along the perimeter. Total size is about 30' long and about 18' wide. Its pretty simple, but really a lot of work.

Once it laid, you have to backfill the grass with special (expensive) colored sand. This needs to be broomed in, then redone a few times. The sand holds the grass fibers up so they don't fall over. There is a different type of grass available for the putting surface that is a little easier.....they were out, and I had a timeline to finish before a party....:

Anyway it took a couple of weekends of work plus some help from laborers to do the hard digging parts.

Honestly it hasn't helped by putting all that much.

It has cut down on watering costs. Another 650 years and it will have paid for itself. : Total cost was probably a couple grand....Water here goes up every year, so we are trying to take out lawn and put in bushes and drip irrigation.

We don't have a dog. And I just piss in the bushes so that doesn't make the lawn stink. My kids are 17 and 19, so they don't play on it. The kids do enjoy the putting green for about half an hour. It is hotter than the natural ground would be, but that is kind of nice to lay on when it is not hot out....

I have some friends who like theirs...but with two dogs....it does tend to stink like piss. The turds take a lot of work to clean up as well. If you have dogs, make sure they have somewhere else they can do their business.

 

[Flynryan]

Artificial grass??? That's un American! I have a buddy that spent a shit load on it and because of his dogs it smelled like hot piss and shit all the time. He was trying everything under the sun to clean it and he finally ripped it out. To me it's like letting your dog piss and shit on your living room carpet then letting your kids roll around in it. Plus your kids will grow to be 35 years old and not even know how to start a god dam lawn mower. All the other dads in the neighborhood will laugh it him and call him a pansy. No way, not me! I'm going to teach my kid how to mow a lawn, drink a beer and not be fag when the when the weed eater kicks up a rock and shoots into his toe because real men don't follow rules on the box and dont wear closed Toed shoes to do man work!

I need this guy as my neighbor.

 

[Wicky]

I wouldn't mind some artificial turf in the back yard even if it was green..

 

[Hernando]

looks like i'll be keeping the natural grass in the backyard. we're doing mostly hardscape in the front, the "grass" area is only about 4'x13' feet, not worth putting sprinklers and dealing with mowing so i think the fake stuff is going there.

appreciate the replies.

 

[Lavy joe]

I can tell you one con: real grass is always cool, you can walk barefoot on it on even the hottest days.
Try that with artificial, and it's like walking on coals.

Yes you are probably right about that it is not right to walk on the fake grass in a sunny days.But now in a days there are availibility of the synthetic grass who made with the advance technology and reflect the heat and not get the temprature warmer even in a hot sunny day.