Artificial Grass

[helpdad]

This is going to make me look like a cheapskate, but here goes!

I want to place a smallish area of fake grass to site the grand kids slides etc in a muddy area. I thought this would be a cheap option but is looking to be dearer than anticipated - I should have priced up before telling the kids!

The classic method seems to be MOT under sand. Slightly skimping will be a bulk bag of each, plus delivery. Also the hire of a wacker plate. Then the grass.

B&M suggest that one can fit it direct to soil. Is this completely wrong?

Also, cheap stuff is about £6 per metre, if it is "recommended" for kids it tends to be over £20. has any DIYer done this on a budget?

TIA

 

[Mottie]

My neighbours had their grass replaced with artificial grass a good few years ago. The company dug down approximately 8” and there were several layers of stuff whacked down as well as a layer of sand. It still looks perfect now. Cost a fortune. My mother in law had some artificial grass laid a year ago. Bumps and lumps everywhere, weeds coming through, it crackles when you walk on it, the tree surgeons ladder had left flattened patches in it that will not stand up and you cannot place a chair or table on it for fear of ruining it. It looks like a greengrocers stall! I would expect to cut myself on it if I slid across it, as you would when coming off a slide. It cost very little. I’d say do it properly or not at all, just my opinion though.

 

[bernardgreen]

In the past ( and maybe still today ) there were two type of artificial grass,

One ( as Mottie mentioned while I was typing ) was hard wearing and designed only for being walked on when wearing shoes. It would lacerate the skin.

The other was much softer and could be slid along without skin being lacerated but it did not last long.