Last updated on September 6th, 2021
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Installing artificial grass means that you don’t worry about the requirements of a lawn of real grass – sunlight, watering, mowing, weeding, dethatching and fertilising. Our review looks at the Best Artificial grass available in a variety of blade lengths and grade quality.
We list the pros, cons and features of each type. Our recommendations for each product are brief as your choice really comes down to the height and look of the blades of grass and whether your selection comes in the right carpet sizes for you. The Buyer’s Guide gives some advice on how to prepare for your artificial lawn and we have included a handy video on how to install artificial grass to get the best finish.
BEST PICK
RUNNER UP
Best Fake Artificial Grass Reviews
1. ZGR Artificial Garden Grass (35mm)
BEST PICK
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ZGR Artificial Garden Grass is a premium, artificial grass due to its high pile, quality of material used and the many shades of green used in the grass.
The 35mm high grass blades give this grass carpet a lush look and a luxurious feel. The grass blades are made from a blend of polyethylene model yarn that is soft to touch. Your bare feet will enjoy walking on this. This grass carpet has a face-weight of 75oz/yd2 which is heavier than the average indoor carpet.
The grass blades are in four shades of green, including one yellow/green shade that looks like thatch. This gives a more realistic appearance to your artificial lawn as sometimes you’ll see each individual colour and other times you’ll see the overall effect.
Now often overlooked but just as important as the top finish is the backing of the grass blades which is in three layers. The layer closest to the grass is made of a polypropylene woven cloth with large holes for water to pass through. Then there is a two-layer backing and then a premium rubber final layer. All this, along with the pile height, makes for a thick grass caret that is substantial and durable.
Everything is treated to be protected from the harm of UV-rays – losing colour and becoming brittle. You can clean everything from between these long grass blades by hosing them down with your garden hose or using specially formulated artificial grass cleaner.
Pros
- High quality artifical grass with a thick realistic pile.
- Constructed of polyethylene yarn with a two-layered backing.
- Grass is in four shades of green for a more natural appearance.
- Backing is polypropylene woven cloth with drainage holes.
- Pile height is 35mm.
- UV-protected grass blades.
- Clean by hosing the grass carpet down.
Cons
- None to be reported
Our recommendation
The ZGR Artificial Garden Grass has the deepest pile of synthetic grasses in our review, plus the four backing layers add to its thickness and durability. The four shades of green for the grass give a more natural appearance which I think gives it one of the best finishes if any artificial grass I could find.
The ZGR Artificial Garden Grass is my choice for Best Pick in this review and is probably the best option for most people looking to create a realistic artificial lawn.
Why stop at artificial grass? Have you considered artificial conifer screening for your walls and fences – Learn more
2. Tuda Berlin 26mm Pile Artificial Grass
RUNNER UP
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The Berlin 26mm Pile Fake Grass has the appearance of a slightly longer, well-kept lawn that is neither shaggy nor closely cropped. Its appearance is of two shades of green, broken up by brownish strands to give some visual depth to the grass.
You still have the same choice of 47 sizes for your grass carpet as with any other Tuda grass product. If you carefully plan out your synthetic lawn areas, you can choose a selection of sizes so that you avoid having to join the grass strips. This avoids seams running across your lawn and leaves you with only strips going down the length which is the finish you want.
If you’re unsure if a grass length of 26mm is too long for your lawn, order a 10cm by 10cm sample. Better yet, check out all our reviews for this manufacturer and order a sample for each so that you can compare them.
The grass won’t succumb quickly to losing its colour or becoming brittle due to harmful UV rays as it has a UV-protection treatment. Additionally, water won’t lay on top of the grass as the backing has a series of holes for water drainage. This is good news for when you clean your artificial grass lawn using your garden hose.
Pros
- Grass height is 26mm with a realistic appearance.
- Wide selection of sizes from 2m by 1m to 4m by 20.
- Backing is of latex, is water resistant with water drainage holes.
- Contains blades of two shades of green with some brown grass blades for a more natural effect.
- UV-resistant with a protection treatment.
- Easy to cut with a Stanley knife.
- Small sample (10cm by 10cm) is available for a small cost.
- Clean by hosing the carpet down with the garden hose.
Cons
- Colours not standard across rolls.
Our recommendation
As with all the artificial grasses we review that come from Tuda, we like the large selection of sizes that are available, as well as the different shadings of green in this grass carpet. This is a good choice for you if this is the grass blade length you like best.
The Berlin 26mm Pile Artificial Grass is the Runner-up synthetic grass in our review.
An alternative to the Berlin 26mm Pile Artificial Grass is the Tuda Grass Direct Lisbon 26mm Pile Grass. The Lisbon grass has only one shade of green in its grass blades which some people might prefer.
3. Tuda Luxury 30mm Pile Artificial Grass
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The Tuda Luxury 30mm Pile Artificial Grass is considered a premium grass due to its 30mm grass blade height that gives it a plush and luxurious look. The grass is of one solid shade of green colour but the manufacturer has cleverly included some brown strands that look like dying grass. This gives a more realistic appearance to the artificial grass carpet which is a finish I personally prefer. I actually prefer real grass but this is the next best thing to that realistic finish.
The blades are woven into a latex backing that has holes in it to allow water to drain away to the ground below and not pool in the grass. You don’t need to sand fill this artificial grass, just level your ground, then lay and fasten the grass carpet down. For the home DIY’er’s reading this, it will make installation and maintenance a little easier.
The backing and grass blades are treated to protect them from UV rays. The colour doesn’t fade quickly and the plastic doesn’t become brittle. If you choose this Tuda grass, you will be able to choose the size(s) you will need as there is a large selection of 47 sizes to choose from. These range from the smallest at 2m by 1m to the largest at 4m by 20m, at a variety of prices. You will find these in a drop-down menu on the sales site.
Some online reviewers report that the grass they received is not as dense or as lush as in the photo on the sales page. This seems to be a common problem with artificial grasses. Avoid this by first ordering a 10cm by 10cm sample from the manufacturer to be sure of what you’ll be getting.
Pros
- Premium artifical grass that doesnt need sand infill.
- Backing is water-resistant latex with holes for drainage.
- Single green colour grass but with some “dead” strands included.
- Pile is 30mm high.
- Select from 47 different sizes at a variety of prices.
- Grass is UV stabilised.
- Clean using a garden hose or wait for a rainstorm.
- Easy to cut and to lay.
- Free sample of 10cm by 10cm is available for a token price.
Cons
- Not as lush or green as the photos (common problem).
Our recommendation
The Tuda Luxury 30mm Pile Artificial Grass is a great alternative to the Runner Up pick from the artificial grasses in our review. We like its longer than usual blade length and the large selection of sizes that are available.
4. GardenKraft 15mm Pile High Artificial Grass
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The GardenKraft 15mm Pile High Fake Grass is a versatile synthetic grass carpet that you can lay over many surfaces, including ageing turf, soil, concrete, tarmac and paving slabs. You don’t need to go through the hassle of lifting hardscape surfaces to have a green area in their place although personally, I would still recommend preparing the area properly first.
The colour of the grass is a mixture of emerald green and lime green, with some blades having two colours. This blend gives a more natural appearance to the grass carpet. The blades have a UV-protection coating that has the highest protection rating. The grass won’t quickly fade, even in strong sunlight.
We review the 15mm grass blade length that’s a fairly close crop. Walking on this does feel more like walking on a carpet than a lawn. You also have other choices: a 15mm pile of dark green grass and a 20mm pile in the same shade of green as this one just slightly thicker. However, all selections only come in 4m by 1m rolls. The sales website handily also lets you add metal pins and joint tape to your grass order.
Pros
- Ideal for those who want a close crop finish and a carpet like feel.
- Carpet size is 4m by 1m.
- Pile is 15mm high.
- Heavy duty stitching for extra strength.
- Colour is a blend of lime green, emerald green and a bi-colour combination.
- Protected by the highest-rated UV-resistant treatment.
- Five-year warranty against colour fading and discolouring.
Cons
- Colours don’t match up across rolls.
Our recommendation
GardenKraft 15mm Pile High Artificial Grass gives you a fairly low pile grass carpet with a blend of colours for a more natural appearance. It is a good choice if you like a short lawn but not one cropped right down to its base. Its a little closer cut than I would personally use but its certainly got the quality I look for.
5. GL Artificial Grass Turf Lawn (10mm)
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The GL Artificial Grass Turf Lawn is a carpet with short 10mm grass blades which is a very closer cut, think bowling green finish. This is a good choice if you like a close-cropped look to your lawn. The blades are made from soft yarns coated with a UV-resistant treatment. They’ll remain soft and won’t quickly lose their colour. The grass also has a fire-retardant treatment in case of sparks from your barbeque or fire pit landing on it.
As the pile of this synthetic grass carpet is so low, the carpet itself is very thin. Some online reviewers say it’s more like Astroturf or a golf green carpet. The polypropylene backing to the grass is also thin but contains holes to drain rainwater away from the top of the carpet. Between the backing and the grass blades is a layer of reinforced netting to hold everything together.
This GL Artificial Grass Turf comes only in three size choices but has a 10-year warranty to back up its quality.
Pros
- Made from UV-resistant yarns, with polyethylene fabric and latex backing.
- Backing has drainage holes to let all the water through.
- Pile height is 10mm, that’s really short.
- Fire retardant grass.
- Density is 63,000 tufts per m2.
- Easily installed using staples or grass tape.
- Sizes: 3ft by 10ft; 3ft by 15ft; and 3.3ft by 5ft.
- Warranty is for 10 years.
Cons
- Really low pile.
Our recommendation
I like the GL Artificial Grass Turf Lawn for its cropped look and I simply can’t ignore that 10-year long warranty. This is a good choice if you have a small area near your barbeque or fire pit that needs some synthetic grass coverage or simply want a very close cut finish.
Artificial Grass Buyer’s Guide
Your decisions when purchasing artificial grass come down to what length of grass blades you want and how “real” you want the lawn to look. No matter which synthetic grass you buy, preparing well before you lay it down adds to its success as a lawn.
Where can you put down fake grass
Many brands of artificial grass state that the grass carpet can be put down anywhere – on existing turf, on a balcony, on a hill, on pavement and even on soil. This is true, but these surfaces should be prepared beforehand.
Water will drain through the grass carpet to the surface below. The ground has to be excavated or changed so that water can then run away or through it. One advantage of artificial grass is that it doesn’t become soggy so don’t let water pool up underneath it.
Preventing weeds from coming through your artificial grass
Weeds can grow up through the holes in the backing of the grass carpet. And also through the seams unless they’re taped together very well. If you’re putting your artificial grass down on a softscape surface (grass, soil etc.) or anywhere else where weeds may appear, make sure to put some good landscape fabric down first.
Make sure you prepare the ground to make it as level as possable or create features
Your artificial lawn is only as flat as the ground beneath it. You may need to fill in any dips with gravel or another aggregate base to level everything off. On the other hand, this is your chance to add some contouring to your lawn area by building a hill for your kids and pets to roll down.
Measure twice, order and cut once
Measure your lawn area and draw a scale plan. This is to help you work out how to have as few seams as possible on the lawn. You will always have seams along the length of the lawn as you lay down the strips, but with careful planning of what lengths of grass carpet to buy, you can minimise the number of horizontal seams.
No matter how carefully you tape the strips together, the seams can be visible. And remember that there may be some variation in colour between rolls of artificial grass, even if they are from the same manufacturer.
Final Conclusion
Having artificial grass for some or all of the open spaces in your garden gives you the same vibrant green colour all year long. Yes, there is some maintenance with these synthetic lawns (see below), but it is minimal when compared to the time, effort and care that real grass takes. Those with balconies or small courtyards as their outdoor places can use artificial grass there for a representation of nature in their outdoor living areas.
Our Best Pick is the Lush ZGR Artificial Garden Grass. This grass carpet is thick with an impressive 35mm pile. This is for you if you like your lawn to be long and generous.
The (Tuda) Berlin 26mm Pile Artificial Grass is our Runner-up. At 26mm high, this grass carpet is a length that encourages kids and pets to roam and play freely. With two shades of green grass blades, this artificial grass looks more natural than some other choices out there.
Artificial grass is low maintenance but not no maintenance. Hosing it down only goes so far as to remove all the odours and matter found in the grass. Our 5 Best Artificial Grass Vacuums and Brushes review presents equipment that cleans right down to the base of the grass blades. In addition, our Top 5 Best Artificial Grass Cleaners to clean, disinfect and remove odours and dog urine article reviews products that keep your artificial lawn hygienic and with a pleasant odour.
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
