Making your home beautiful is one of the most important roles of a homeowner. The decision to make it your home and put your own mark on it is actually one of the reasons people consider becoming a homeowner. But being a homeowner also comes with extra responsibilities that can easily eat away at your time and money.

So, when it comes time to put your stamp on your lawn, you have two choices. You can opt to do the natural grass and landscape or you can save time by going the artificial route. There are pros and cons to both sides, so the decision lies primarily with your personal needs and expectations. However, if you do decide to choose to buy synthetic grass and turf, here are just a few tips on what to look for and how to decide.

Your Budget

Most people feel that artificial turf is extremely expensive and on the surface, it can seem that way. But when you spread out the cost of maintenance, watering, mowing, and everything else you need to do to keep your grass beautiful and green, you’ll find it is much more cost-effective to use the synthetic. Think of it more as a means of long-term savings. You may have to put up much of the cost upfront but it will quickly pay for itself over time.

The Color

You next want to give your attention to the color of the grass you want. Yes, all grasses are green but if the color is off it will definitely be easier to tell if it is fake or not. Most fake grasses have that awful, dated dark green look from the sixties but the newer grasses are much harder to distinguish from the real deal.

Durability

It is also important to see just how tough the new grass will be. If you live in an area where the temperature will be extremely hot in the summertime you want to know that it can take the intense heat of the summer. Will it withstand a lump of burning hot coal that fell from your barbecue grill or will it melt under the pressure? Make sure the grass has been tested to be heat resistant so that you can reasonably expect it to last for many years.

Installation

Some people want to save money by doing the installation themselves. However, DIY turf projects are full of pitfalls. If you’re not really good at leveling yards, preparing the soil, or creating proper drainage you might want to leave that job to synthetic turf installation experts. It may cost you more upfront, but few people will be able to tell your synthetic grass from the real thing in the end.

Maintenance

Finally, you want to give careful consideration to maintaining your new grass properly. While you won’t have to worry about watering, mowing, fertilizing, and such, it does not mean that your new grass will be completely maintenance-free. You will have to make sure that leaves do not accumulate on your lawn. They create a perfect environment for the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause major problems later on. Also if you have pets and children that will be playing and using the lawn, it will need to be regularly hosed down to make sure that no toxic chemicals are allowed to eat away and corrode the material.

When you’re considering the landscaping of your yard, you have two important decisions to make, natural or artificial. This decision will depend on a lot of personal factors such as how much time you have for maintenance, the cost, and the amount of space needed to keep it up.

If you do choose to use artificial turf, it makes perfect sense for you to make sure that you are getting the best synthetic grass your money can buy. That means making sure it is heat resistant, and that it will be able to stand up to the kind of challenges you plan to put on it. By doing this you can be sure you’re going to get what you pay for.

Remember, your lawn is a reflection of the kind of person you are. So whether you choose natural or synthetic, one thing you must never neglect to do is to make it your own.

Contact Synthetic Turf Northwest for more information, we are more than happy to help!