What Are the Benefits of Artificial Grass Over Real Grass?
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If you’ve ever spent your weekend mowing, edging or weeding a natural lawn, you’ll know how much time, money and water it takes to keep it looking great all year round. The hot, dry conditions of Australia’s climate don’t help either, often making it even harder to achieve the results you want.
An increasing number of Australian homeowners and businesses are making their lives easier by switching to artificial grass and why wouldn’t they? Synthetic grass has come a long way since it was first introduced, now being so close to the look and feel of a well-kept natural lawn that it’s hard to tell the difference between the two.Â
In this blog, you’ll learn about the three key benefits of artificial turf over real grass. The time, money and water savings that come from installing artificial turf. We’ll also explore what kind of return on investment you can expect when choosing to install artificial grass over the real thing.
How does artificial turf save me time?
Take a moment to think about how much time a real lawn takes to keep looking great. Yes, it requires regular mowing, edging, fertilising and weeding, but have you considered the other things that eat away at your time? Think about the hours spent maintaining equipment, buying consumables and stocking up on lawn additives. The time spent on each of these alone quickly adds up over the course of a year.
Synthetic lawn dramatically reduces the time you need to spend on lawn maintenance, giving you back your weekends. Install artificial turf, and you eliminate the time you would need to spend on:
- Purchasing a lawnmower, edger or other equipment
- Using this equipment to maintain your lawn
- Getting your lawnmower or other equipment repaired when it breaks
- Repeatedly buying consumables like mower blades or trimming line
- Purchasing fertiliser specific to your lawn and weed killers
- Digging up and fixing broken irrigation lines
- Coordinating with lawn care professionals to maintain your lawn
- Cleaning up mud that gets tracked around your property
- Disposing of lawn clippings
- Maintaining a ground water bore
How does artificial turf save me money?
The cost of maintaining a real lawn can grow faster than the lawn itself! Between mowing, watering, fertilising and keeping weeds under control, a lot of money is required to keep a real lawn looking presentable, and that’s if you already have one. Add in the cost of buying multiple pieces of equipment, replacement parts and countless other expenses, and the total quickly starts to add up.
The total cost of artificial turf is significantly less than what you would spend on just maintaining a real lawn. Once your artificial grass installation is complete, you eliminate these expenses:
- Buying or renting multiple pieces of lawn equipment
- Maintaining and fuelling your equipment
- Repeatedly buying mower blades, trimming line and other consumables
- Fertilisers, lawn seed and weed killers
- Buying replacement sprinklers and irrigation system parts
- Hiring lawn care professionals to maintain your lawn
- Products to clean up mud tracked around your property
- Fees for disposing of lawn clippings
How does artificial turf save me water?
Keeping your lawn green throughout an average Australian summer can be challenging. The hot, dry conditions of our climate mean natural lawns need watering several times a week, and that’s before factoring in council restrictions during drought conditions. Even with efficient sprinklers, natural lawns still use considerable amounts of water just to stay alive.
Installing synthetic grass eliminates this constant use of water, with the only water you’ll ever use on your lawn being for an occasional rinse to clean up light spills. Once you switch to artificial turf, you say goodbye to:
- Regular watering to stop your grass from drying out
- Working around council watering restrictions
- Running sprinklers for hours each week
- Leaking sprinklers and reticulation lines
- Keeping new turf moist while it establishes
- Diluting fertiliser concentrate and spraying it on your lawn
What is the return on investment for artificial turf?
The time, money and water savings that come from installing artificial turf are significant, offering property owners a strong return on investment compared to maintaining a natural lawn. The example below compares 150m² of both lawn types to provide a general indication of how time, cost and water use can differ over time.*
| Â | Natural Lawn | Artificial Turf |
| Total Time (Annual) | about 60–80 hours | about 2–4 hours |
| Total Cost (Annual incl. Installation) | about $4,400–$7,400 (first year) → $1,300–$2,650 in following years | about $5,350 (first year) → under $100/year after installation |
| Total Water (Annual) | about 100–120 kL | about 200–600 L |
| Total Time (10 years) | about 600-800 hours | about 20-40 hours |
| Total Cost (10 years) | about $15,000–$25,000 | about $6,000–$7,000 |
| Total Water (10 years) | about 1000–1200 kL | about 2kL–6kL |
*All figures in this example are for demonstration purposes only and are not indicative of Termi Home & Commercial’s pricing. The total amount of time, money and water required to install and maintain either type of lawn will vary based on where you are located in Australia.
Conclusion
While the cost to install artificial grass may be higher than that of a traditional lawn, the long term savings you receive are hard to overlook. Once installed, a synthetic lawn can save you thousands of dollars, countless hours of time and kilolitres of water. Most property owners recover their artificial grass cost quickly and get to enjoy a green, natural-looking lawn with minimal maintenance for years to come.
Choosing the best artificial grass for your property starts with Termiturf artificial lawn. Whether you’re looking for inexpensive artificial grass for a small area or a full artificial grass installation for your home or business, Termiturf has a turf style to suit your needs.
If you’re considering artificial turf for your property, contact our Adelaide team for a free quote and discover how easy it is to transform your space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Will installing artificial turf really save me money in the long run?
A. Yes. Artificial turf will save you money in the long run, as its yearly maintenance costs are significantly lower than those of natural turf. Over time, these savings can add up to thousands of dollars.Â
Q. How long does artificial turf last before it needs replacing?
A. Termiturf artificial grass can last for 8–10 years when following recommended care and maintenance practices. All Termiturf artificial lawn styles come with a 10-year warranty* covering premature fading and ripping.
*Terms and conditions apply.
Q. Does artificial grass require any maintenance?
A. Termiturf artificial turf does require some ongoing maintenance to keep it fresh and fantastic, but not nearly the amount needed for a real lawn.
Leaves, dead flowers, sticks and other items can be easily removed by hand, with a leaf rake or a blower-vac. We recommend occasionally brushing or brooming your synthetic lawn to help keep the blades upright and feeling soft.
For more information, download our Termiturf Care and Maintenance Guide.Â
Q. Can artificial turf be installed on any surface?
A. Almost. Artificial grass installation works best on a stable, well-drained base such as compacted crushed rock, concrete or pavers. Termiturf artificial turf can also be installed near pools, spas, ponds and other landscaped areas.
Q. Will artificial turf fade or lose colour over time?
A. High-quality artificial turf is made with UV-stabilised fibres to prevent fading in Australia’s harsh sun. While very minor colour changes could occur over many years, premium products like Termiturf are tested to ensure long-lasting colour retention.
