When it comes to your lawn, you have the option of synthetic turf or real grass but how do you choose which is best for you? Some factors to consider when weighing your options are, maintenance, look and feel, and cost.
Maintenance is an important aspect to consider when deciding between turf or grass. Beautiful, green grass does not come naturally, and it requires lots of dedication and hard work. Grass sod must be watered enough and mowed regularly. The maintenance does not stop with that; it also requires fertilization, irrigation, and weeding. Some yards may become infested with certain insects or unwanted critters. In this case, you have a whole other aspect of yard maintenance to consider. Synthetic turf requires little maintenance. Although it may need to be brushed occasionally or rinsed if dirty, there is no regular maintenance needed.
The look and feel of a lawn may be important to some people. Most of us are accustom to the look and feel of natural grass. This is something that synthetic turf simply cannot live up to, especially with cheap turf. However, expensive turf does bring a more natural look, fooling even your neighbors!
Then, we get to the cost aspect of the comparison. Is turf cheaper than grass? It depends on how you prefer to spend your money. Maintenance efforts cost money, from affording the equipment and means to power them, to insecticides and fertilizers. Many people could easily spend thousands of dollars a year on maintaining their lawn. Plus, you will typically spend a lot of time caring for your yard, and to some people their time is money.
Although synthetic turf essentially requires little to no cost to maintain, it may pack a punch to your wallet initially. To install turf your original sod has to be removed, a layer of sand is placed, then a layer of rubber pellets are installed, and finally the synthetic turf is placed as the top layer. When it comes to turf, you have more of an upfront cost but should not need to spend money maintaining your lawn. Turf can be made to last 15-20 years. So, the question to ask yourself is, do you prefer to spend money upfront, without the hassle of maintenance or would you rather spread out your cost over time and regularly maintain real grass?
Promier Landscapes serves clients in the Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee areas. Contact us today for a consultation on helping design or maintain your landscape.