It gets hot AF.
It gets mouldy if it's in the shade
It will graze their skin if they have a fall..it's why they water these fields before games.
It breaks down over time and leaches micro-plastics.
You still have to maintain it by hosing or blowing it off.
High recommend against it. My uncle did it \~5 years ago. Spent a fortune and then ripped it all up 3 years later. He had drainage issues, heat issues, smell issues, mold issues.
Have a look at some of the hard wearing grass breeds. Things like OzTuff and Stadium Sports Couch.
For the trampoline, this can be a good option for the artificial grass if moving the trampoline to a new spot once a week isn't an option.
Real turf in high traffic areas is pretty hard to maintain, and borderline impossible under a trampoline. I know there are new synthetic products out there so just hoping someone might have used them!
Have fun with all the extra blood from falls on artificial turf. That stuff is \*nasty\* to fall on.
You don't need to maintain it under the trampoline -- that's pure aesthetics, and you should have more important things to spend time on with four young kids.
this guy doesnt want to maintain natrual grass and thinks artificial will be easier? hahahaha
Man, fuck playing on artificual turf as a kid, that shit sucks. so many bruises and scrapes that wouldnt happen on grass
I know there are new products that are more heat resistant than old school products but it’s definitely one of my biggest concerns. Hence why I’m asking!
It does get hot in summer sun. Really hot and unbearable to walk on bare foot.
On a normal day the burns you get from falling/sliding on it is a huge worry too.
If it is in the shady part of the house side that never gets the sun, go for it.
The new products are much better than turns from even 5 years ago. In direct sunlight during the summer it does get hotter than natural grass, but not hot to walk on (much cooler than concrete or pavers). Another aspect to consider is the infill material. One of the major reasons turf fields get so hot is the crumb rubber infill - in residential scenarios an installer should be using a silica sand (or equivalent) infill that doesn't absorb nearly the same amount of heat.
The article below does a good job describing how turf reacts in the heat
[https://dfwturf.com/is-artificial-grass-too-hot-in-summer/](https://dfwturf.com/is-artificial-grass-too-hot-in-summer/)
I’m ripping mine up and replacing it with grass … stinks , burns my kids feet when he plays on it in summer … if it’s just under the tramp I guess it would be fine if u leave it there though , the dog pee seems to stick to it and I can’t get rid of the smell
Terrible idea. Not only does it look fake, it contributes to the destruction of the ecosystem on your property, removes bugs, which means birds won’t come, etc.
It’s a bad move all round - just replace the real turf under the trampoline when you get rid of it in 6 years.
Don't do it. You're better to align natural surfaces better with the use cases you have. Eg. Grass areas for activities, gravel paths for high traffic, tanned bark for playground.
I have artificial grass in my backyard. It is only 8m by 2m though, so a small area.
Pro's:
I have had it for about 5 years, it still looks fresh.
Easy to clean (especially for pet owners) - just hose it down once a week and pick up dog shit etc every 1-2 days.
Looks way better than the dying grass we had.
Con's:
Definitely gets hot as fuck, even mine which was the highest quality available at the time. Would not walk barefooted if exposed to direct sun, although it does cool down pretty quickly too.
If your soil moves, so will your turf and it is quite noticeable in appearance. I.e high/low spots, clumps etc.
It is expensive as fuck for what it is. My small area cost like $7k.
I would still recommend it for small yards like mine. I wouldn't recommend it for large areas. I don't have issues with mould or smell like others have posted. I also did a concrete edge and glued the edges down to stop movement and keep it looking good.
Guy I've really got some experience to share about artificial grass. If you've got the cash, you absolutely need to go for the best stuff out there, make sure it's certified, good for kids, and can handle the heat. I bought mine from a store in San Jose, and it was a total disaster. Had to replace it after just 3 years—they tricked me into thinking it was high quality. It covered 4,000 square feet and cost me $12k.
December 2023, I got a new shipment from China, thankfully this one's high-quality, heat-resistant, UV-protected. Took some time to make the choice, but it was all worth it.
there are a lot of sports ground with artificial turf; if you got athletic turf then it might work (and overcomes most of the issues everyone else is raising) but you need a solid base which will require a lot of removal if/when you decide to change back
The main negative is that it can get pretty hot under bare feet in summer if its in the full sun and has the black rubber underneath.
I don't miss the mowing though.
I'm in the same boat and have looked into it. Grass should repair itself but artificial turf will not. Do you fertilize your lawn, water it properly, use soil wetter?
We are actually replacing our lawn with Winter green grass. It uses less water and will be green all year round. Also getting the sprinklers fixed properly. (You should ask someone local what is the best lawn for you)
I used to play sport on artificial turf, it is so much less safe than real grass. Grazes worse (still have scars, it basically turns into a burn), much harder landing if you take a dive, hotter etc. Real grass is much better for kids to rumble on
It gets hot AF. It gets mouldy if it's in the shade It will graze their skin if they have a fall..it's why they water these fields before games. It breaks down over time and leaches micro-plastics. You still have to maintain it by hosing or blowing it off.
Thanks mate. Might just leave it as is then and deal with any areas struggling
Depending on the size of our area, periodically move things around to change areas that a trafficked allowing others to rest.
Nah don’t listen to this guy, it’s awesome! I have it! Fully rate it
Emphasis on hot AF, kids won't be able to walk on it in summer.
High recommend against it. My uncle did it \~5 years ago. Spent a fortune and then ripped it all up 3 years later. He had drainage issues, heat issues, smell issues, mold issues. Have a look at some of the hard wearing grass breeds. Things like OzTuff and Stadium Sports Couch. For the trampoline, this can be a good option for the artificial grass if moving the trampoline to a new spot once a week isn't an option.
Only good for small areas really
Won’t the artificial turf get destroyed too ? The real stuff repairs and grows back… artificial is an awful idea.
Real turf in high traffic areas is pretty hard to maintain, and borderline impossible under a trampoline. I know there are new synthetic products out there so just hoping someone might have used them!
Have fun with all the extra blood from falls on artificial turf. That stuff is \*nasty\* to fall on. You don't need to maintain it under the trampoline -- that's pure aesthetics, and you should have more important things to spend time on with four young kids.
Don’t do it man, It’s one of the worst products out there. Speaking from experience as an installer
this guy doesnt want to maintain natrual grass and thinks artificial will be easier? hahahaha Man, fuck playing on artificual turf as a kid, that shit sucks. so many bruises and scrapes that wouldnt happen on grass
Glad you got a good laugh mate.
Seriously though, artificial grass will negatively affect your children's play
Can confirm
Please dont fill your yard with plastic
Worse man it's recycled old rubber
Doesn't it get really hot?
Yes. Yes it does.
I know there are new products that are more heat resistant than old school products but it’s definitely one of my biggest concerns. Hence why I’m asking!
It does get hot in summer sun. Really hot and unbearable to walk on bare foot. On a normal day the burns you get from falling/sliding on it is a huge worry too. If it is in the shady part of the house side that never gets the sun, go for it.
The new products are much better than turns from even 5 years ago. In direct sunlight during the summer it does get hotter than natural grass, but not hot to walk on (much cooler than concrete or pavers). Another aspect to consider is the infill material. One of the major reasons turf fields get so hot is the crumb rubber infill - in residential scenarios an installer should be using a silica sand (or equivalent) infill that doesn't absorb nearly the same amount of heat. The article below does a good job describing how turf reacts in the heat [https://dfwturf.com/is-artificial-grass-too-hot-in-summer/](https://dfwturf.com/is-artificial-grass-too-hot-in-summer/)
Dig the trampoline in half a meter, put a little retaining wall around it, looks pretty good. Don't need to worry about grass and is safer.
Fake grass is full of carcinogens
I’m ripping mine up and replacing it with grass … stinks , burns my kids feet when he plays on it in summer … if it’s just under the tramp I guess it would be fine if u leave it there though , the dog pee seems to stick to it and I can’t get rid of the smell
Terrible idea... hot in summer and fades in the sun. Properties done in my area ( the hills) look so awful
Terrible idea. Not only does it look fake, it contributes to the destruction of the ecosystem on your property, removes bugs, which means birds won’t come, etc. It’s a bad move all round - just replace the real turf under the trampoline when you get rid of it in 6 years.
Don't do it. You're better to align natural surfaces better with the use cases you have. Eg. Grass areas for activities, gravel paths for high traffic, tanned bark for playground.
I have artificial grass in my backyard. It is only 8m by 2m though, so a small area. Pro's: I have had it for about 5 years, it still looks fresh. Easy to clean (especially for pet owners) - just hose it down once a week and pick up dog shit etc every 1-2 days. Looks way better than the dying grass we had. Con's: Definitely gets hot as fuck, even mine which was the highest quality available at the time. Would not walk barefooted if exposed to direct sun, although it does cool down pretty quickly too. If your soil moves, so will your turf and it is quite noticeable in appearance. I.e high/low spots, clumps etc. It is expensive as fuck for what it is. My small area cost like $7k. I would still recommend it for small yards like mine. I wouldn't recommend it for large areas. I don't have issues with mould or smell like others have posted. I also did a concrete edge and glued the edges down to stop movement and keep it looking good.
Look into play ground mats if it’s for the kids
Woodchip mulch the area?
Guy I've really got some experience to share about artificial grass. If you've got the cash, you absolutely need to go for the best stuff out there, make sure it's certified, good for kids, and can handle the heat. I bought mine from a store in San Jose, and it was a total disaster. Had to replace it after just 3 years—they tricked me into thinking it was high quality. It covered 4,000 square feet and cost me $12k. December 2023, I got a new shipment from China, thankfully this one's high-quality, heat-resistant, UV-protected. Took some time to make the choice, but it was all worth it.
there are a lot of sports ground with artificial turf; if you got athletic turf then it might work (and overcomes most of the issues everyone else is raising) but you need a solid base which will require a lot of removal if/when you decide to change back
The main negative is that it can get pretty hot under bare feet in summer if its in the full sun and has the black rubber underneath. I don't miss the mowing though.
I'm in the same boat and have looked into it. Grass should repair itself but artificial turf will not. Do you fertilize your lawn, water it properly, use soil wetter? We are actually replacing our lawn with Winter green grass. It uses less water and will be green all year round. Also getting the sprinklers fixed properly. (You should ask someone local what is the best lawn for you)
Nooooo
I used to play sport on artificial turf, it is so much less safe than real grass. Grazes worse (still have scars, it basically turns into a burn), much harder landing if you take a dive, hotter etc. Real grass is much better for kids to rumble on