How to Choose the Best Artificial Grass for Your Home: Irish Gardeners Guide
Introduction
A recent study of Irish gardeners – in both the countryside and cities like Dublin, Cork, and Limerick – revealed that whilst 80% of homeowners proudly view their garden as an outdoor haven, almost half of all homeowners said that gardening is just too much hassle.
Artificial grass may just be the answer to all of your gardening gripes! It looks great, feels natural, and requires next to no maintenance at all. But when it comes to choosing the right synthetic grass for your garden, it’s not as simple as just picking the grass which looks best.
We’ve drawn up this handy guide for the Irish gardener and homeowner, taking you through each of the considerations you should make when selecting the perfect artificial grass for your home.
Here at Tile Merchant, we offer four different types of quality artificial grass, as well as everything you need to maintain and install them. Check out our guide below to help you make your decision! This article explain all you need to know about artificial grass.
Table of Contents
#1 - What’s your artificial grass for?
The most important consideration to make when shopping for Irish artificial grass is what you plan to use it for.
Ornamental Lawn
If you are planning to install artificial grass for ornamental purposes, and don’t intend for it to see much footfall, then you don’t need a particularly durable grass. You can opt for a higher pile height (which tends to give a more attractive look), whilst saving money on the pile density. You also don’t need to worry about installing a shockpad underneath, or cleaning up after pets.
Family & Party Lawn
A family and/or party lawn of artificial grass is going to see lots of heavy footfall and rough wear and tear. For this purpose, you’ll need artificial grass with a thick pile density, to ensure it stays looking plush and lovely for years to come. You should also consider installing a shockpad below the grass layer, to protect yourself and children from the shock of falls. A lawn with proper drainage will allow for spillages from parties and lunches to be more easily washed away with a house, too.
Pet-Friendly Lawn
If you’ve got pets to contend with (and clean up after) then we at Tile Merchant recommend you opt for a shorter pile height of artificial grass – this will make it easier to pick up after dogs and cats. A lower pile density will also help with this – but is only advisable if the lawn is not going to receive heavy footfall in addition to the pets. It’s also important to invest in an artificial grass type with proper drainage, so that urine doesn’t build up and cause a bad smell.
#2 - What is your preferred aesthetic?
Whilst aesthetics should not be your only consideration, it is naturally an important one to make when shopping for artificial grass for your Dublin backyard, or Galway garden patch. There are three main factors contributing to the aesthetics of artificial grass. We highly recommend that you come visit us at one of our Dublin showrooms to get a real feel for the grasses we offer. Alternatively, you can always order some samples to test at home!
Artificial Grass Pile Height
Pile height refers to the lengths of the grass-fibres which the artificial rolls are made of. For people who like the look of freshly-cut grass, 15mm or 25mm pile height is ideal. For those who prefer a more ‘natural’ lawn, then we recommend opting for a 40mm pile height instead. Remember, however, that factors such as pets may impact your decision (see above).
Artificial Grass Pile Density
Pile density refers to the number of stitches (fibres) per m2 of grass. Sometimes density is measured by weight. The more stitches, or the heavier the m2, the more authentic the grass is going to look, and the more durable it’s going to be under heavy foot traffic. If you require artificial grass for ornamental reasons only, for example, then you could get away with a lower pile density, which would look good for your purposes, and save you some cash.
Colour Choice & Shade
It might surprise you to learn that artificial grass isn’t just ‘green’. After all, natural grass is many different shades of green, yellow, and brown. Plus, natural grass has different shading from different angles.
Thus, it’s important to order a few sample swatches of the artificial grasses we offer at Tile Merchant, and compare them against your current lawn at home before buying. We also recommend doing so at different times throughout the day, and in different weather conditions.
What’s more, be sure that when you do install your artificial grass, you position the pile to face toward the house, to give it the most natural look.
#3 - What is your budget?
How much is fake grass? It’s our belief at Tile Merchant that renovating your garden to make your home look the way you want it doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s our mission, therefore, to offer our services and products across a wide range of prices, to suit every budget across Ireland, from the biggest city homes to the smallest farmsteads.
Artificial grass is sold by the square meter (m2), so measuring the area you wish to cover with artificial grass is a fundamental part of assessing your budget. Our artificial grass styles start at €9.99 per square meter (Grattan) and go up to €31.99 per square meter (Powerscourt). The average size of a back garden in Ireland is approximately 30m2, meaning that the average cost to cover an entire back garden with Tile Merchant artificial grass would be between €299.70 and €959.70
#4 - How long does artificial grass last?
Artificial grass is made up of one of three types of fibre: polypropylene or polyethylene are the most common, whilst polyamide (nylon) is a little more expensive, as it’s a little more durable. Whatever the grass is made of, however, with proper maintenance it is likely to last you 15-20 years. All of the fake grass we sell here at Tile Merchant is backed by an 8-Year Warranty, though as we say, with careful cleaning and care, we are confident our grasses will last you decades.
#5 - What are the benefits of artificial grass?
Installing artificial grass in Ireland and Irish gardens comes with many benefits:
- Low-maintenance: Our grasses require no feeding, weeding or mowing
- Durable: Tile Merchant fake grass is hard-wearing and suitable for all situations
- Fade-resistant: With our UV-protected materials, the lustre of our grasses won’t fade
- Easy to clean: A little water and the occasional brush will go a long way
- Easy to install: Our fake grass can be installed anywhere you like with little difficulty
- Ideal for smaller spaces: Roof terraces, balconies, and decking can all benefit from it
- Ideal for pets: Being easy to clean means our fake grass will withstand anything pets can throw at it. Pick up after them and hose down the grass in summer, or let the rain do the work in winter.
#6 - How do you look after artificial grass?
Generally speaking, artificial grass requires little to no maintenance at all. It never needs weeding, preening, mowing, or feeding, and usually (especially with Ireland’s weather) the rain does all the cleaning for you.
Nevertheless, clearing the artificial grass of debris, rinsing regularly with a hose in summer, and brushing the grass with a plastic-bristle brush like ours will keep your new lawn looking fresh and fantastic for decades.
#7 - How do you install artificial grass?
We’ve published a whole detailed guide on how to install artificial grass on any type of surface (concrete, gravel, grass, decking, and tiling) on our blog – go check it out!
To give you a brief overview, however, installation can be done DIY, or with the help of a suggested installer, like those on our contractors page.
Typically speaking, you need to ensure that your artificial grass has a solid, well-draining sub-base, such as concrete, decking, or a mix of type-1 aggregate and sharp sand. On top of this, a weed membrane must be laid and secured to a border. Following the weed membrane, you can elect to lay a shockpad layer (especially useful for families with small children). Finally, the grass is glued and/or nailed to the border frame and shockpad/weed membrane, before an in-fill sand is added (this final sand stage depends on the requirements of your particular grass brand).
Conclusion - The ultimate guide to choosing Artificial Grass for your garden lawn
Choosing an artificial lawn doesn’t have to be difficult, and now that you’ve read our guide, you’re ready to go and choose the perfect synthetic grass for your Irish garden! Just be sure to take full advantage of Tile Merchant’s FREE sample service with FREE delivery before you decide to buy. If you have any questions on choosing the best artificial grass for your garden, please send us an email and a member of our experienced team will be happy to help.
Why Tile Merchant?
We offer extremely competitive pricing on our entire range of tiles and likewise. We stock a huge range of wall and floor tiles and our prices are competitive for retail and trade. Our stock is widely available in our showrooms in Dublin which are open 7 days a week
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Alternatively, if you’d prefer to shop our tiles online, we can supply you with samples delivered for free.
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