When it was just the two of you, renovation could be as eclectic and impractical as you liked. Now, with two children and a Shih Tzu, your home renovation takes on a whole new dimension. Suddenly, wallpaper is not such a great idea (think crayon party on the wall…), and having no window grills is definitely a NO NO.
So when it comes to choosing your outdoor flooring for your garden, should you go with artificial turf or natural grass? We specialise in outdoor renovation so we are familiar with both artificial turf (also known as synthetic turf) and natural grass so here are what we always put across to our customers.
As with all things concerning our loved ones, our top consideration must always be whether it is safe. And then being pragmatic people like we are, we start thinking whether the outdoor flooring is durable, easy to clean, and whether it is value for money.
Safe, Durable, Easy to Clean
- Safety
There’s always concern that artificial turf contains toxins as it is made of plastics and could be harmful for our children’s health. This could not be further from the reality today. Absolut Outdoors uses GreenTurf Artificial Turf that is made with sports-grade materials and subject to rigorous tests for absence of heavy metals. In fact, the pesticides and fertilizers used on natural grass may be more harmful to the tender skin of your kids. The folks at GreenTurf also tested the artificial turf to ensure that any fire spread (from cigarette butts) will be contained and the combustion gases from the burning turf is not toxic.
It’s unlikely you’re going to start a fire with your cigarette butt in your garden, but when it comes to your loved ones, I’m sure you’ll agree that safer is better. So that’s why the artificial turf we use is oversized in terms of safety.
If you’ve raced your kids in the park before, you’ll know that falls can be very painful, and sometimes even fatal. With natural turf, unless your garden is perfectly flat without any potholes, your children may trip over those potholes and injure themselves. With artificial turf that is installed over drain cells, the ground will be perfectly level and you won’t have such worries.
- Durability
Artificial turf is very durable and lasts for around 10 years. In Singapore, natural grass tends to require a fair bit of care due to our extremely hot weather. A lot of care and water must be put in to ensure that the grass lives through the extreme drought periods that hit us a few times a year.
- Easy to Clean
Both artificial turf and natural grass are very easy to clean up. Liquids simply drain down into the drain cells or soil; large objects picked up and thrown away; and small pieces of debris swept or vacuumed.
I hope I’ve shed some light on the ongoing debate of Artificial Turf vs Natural Turf for you here. You can always contact us here or email us at enquiry@absolutoutdoors.com for a discussion or free site visit tailored for your house.