How Long Does Artificial Grass Last? (And How to Extend Its Lifespan)

Artificial grass is long-lasting, provided you take care of it. It’s also important to install it properly and choose the right product for your lawn to help it last longer.

Keep reading to learn how long does artificial turf last and all your questions answered about artificial grass lifespan, durability, and maintenance.


How Long Does Artificial Turf Last?

Artificial turf has a long lifespan, lasting between 10-15 years with normal usage. It can last even longer, up to 25 years in some cases, with good maintenance. For example, removing leaves and cleaning pet messes often. 

Is Artificial Grass Durable?

When buying high-quality artificial grass, it’s highly durable. It can withstand all British weather, even heavy snow and freezing temperatures. It’s also designed to cater to heavy foot traffic, kids playing, frequent pet messes, and even wheelchairs.

Artificial grass durability is increased when it has the following features:

  • Multi-widths to create fewer joins

  • Porous backing to prevent bacteria and mud

  • UV stabilised to delay fading

  • Odour-resistant properties to prevent pests

Our range of pet-friendly, family-friendly, and luxury artificial turf includes the above features to help your grass last as long as possible. 

How to Maintain Artificial Grass to Prolong Its Lifespan

A good care routine can prolong the lifespan of artificial grass. The most important thing to do is to simply keep artificial grass clean to protect the surface as best as possible.

Here’s how to maintain artificial grass to extend its lifespan: 

Remove debris 

Gardens with surrounding trees can lead to a build-up of leaves and twigs on the artificial grass. While a couple of leaves won’t cause damage, leaving high volumes of debris on artificial turf for long periods can be problematic. When large build-ups of leaves aren’t removed, it can cause drainage problems, water logging, strong odours, and even mould.

Clean spills and pet mess

Fake grass has excellent self-draining qualities. Water spillages don’t need to be cleaned, but any other liquid, including cat urine, should be washed away.

Liquids can cause the grass to fade with prolonged sun exposure. So give the turf a quick rinse after spilling drinks or if a pet urinates on the grass.

Food should also be picked up to prevent unwanted pests, like ants. Pet mess should also be removed. Rinsing is recommended to prevent smells and make the grass immediately cleaner.

Hose down occasionally

You should hose artificial grass occasionally to keep it clean. 

This is particularly beneficial if crumbs, pet mess, or spilt liquids have gotten onto the surface.

Hosing the grass should be more frequent if you have pets that use the area or if the grass gets dirty easily (due to regular use or falling debris).

Watch for weeds

Weeds shouldn’t grow through artificial grass when it’s been installed correctly and is constructed of high-quality materials. But it can still happen.

To prevent weeds from growing on artificial turf:

  • Install a weed membrane under the grass

  • Treat the area with weed killer before installation

  • Use long-width artificial turf with fewer joins

  • Remove debris quickly during growing season (spring and autumn)

Our range of artificial turf is tightly woven and comes in a variety of extra-long widths (up to five metres) to protect it from unwanted green visitors.

  • Avoid sunlight reflections

  • Artificial turf treated with UV stabiliser offers more protection against fading, with many product guarantees lasting as long as five years.

  • However, try to avoid letting shiny objects reflect the sunlight directly onto the grass, especially in the same patch, to prevent fading. 

  • For example, a shiny garden ornament that always reflects light on the same spot in the grass can lead the patch to fade slightly in colour.

 

Summary

Artificial grass is a top choice of lawn in the UK today. It offers year-round greenery and a long-lasting surface that’s soft to the touch – which is ideal for families, pets, commercial zones, and social areas.

Choosing the right type of artificial grass is important. Explore our range of artificial turf, read our FAQs, or contact us today for expert advice on finding the right artificial grass for your premises.

If you’re a local trader, subscribe to our TradeGrass member programme for exclusive wholesale discounts and tailored customer service.

 

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