Most “best artificial grass” lists are written by people selling one brand. This one is written by the people who lay it. Below are the six things that actually change how a lawn looks after two winters, in the order we would check them, and the grasses we install most often at the end.
How long should the pile be?
Pile height is the length of the blades. Longer looks lusher on day one, but it flattens faster under feet and furniture and is harder to brush back up. Shorter, denser grass wears better.
- 30–40mm — where most domestic lawns land. Soft enough to sit on, short enough to stay upright.
- Under 32mm — play areas, nurseries, anywhere the grass takes a beating. Also putting greens, which use a very short 16mm pile so the ball rolls true.
- Over 40mm — showy, but expect to brush it more. Better for a front garden nobody walks on than a back garden with children.
Does density matter more than pile height?
Yes, usually. Density is how many blades are stitched into each square metre. A dense 30mm grass will look fuller and last longer than a sparse 40mm one, because there is more fibre holding itself up. Two ways to check it without a spec sheet: fold the sample back and see how much backing shows through, and hold it up to a window — light through a dense grass is patchy, through a thin one it is even.
What should the backing be like?
The backing is the fabric the blades are stitched into, sealed on the underside with latex or polyurethane so the fibres cannot pull out. Two things to look for:
- Drainage holes at regular intervals. A lawn without them puddles, and puddles are where smells and moss start.
- Whether it can be recycled. Older grass bonds polymer fibres to a latex back that cannot be separated at end of life. Newer grasses such as EcoTurf and PetComfort 40 are built to be recycled. If that matters to you, it is worth asking before you buy rather than after.
Which grass is best for dogs?
A faster-draining one. Dog urine is the thing that ruins artificial lawns, and it does so by sitting in the infill and the base rather than by damaging the grass. So the answer is less about the blade and more about what is under it: a free-draining grass such as PetComfort or DrainMax, on a base that drains, with zeolite in place of sand. We wrote up why zeolite works separately, and our pet-friendly installations page covers the base.
Does the grass need infill?
For a domestic lawn, yes. Kiln-dried sand brushed into the pile keeps the blades upright, weighs the grass down so it does not lift at the edges, and protects the backing from the sun. Without it the pile mats within a season. For dogs, swap the sand for zeolite; for putting greens and sports pitches the infill is specified by the surface, not chosen.
How much does the grass itself cost?
Supply only, a good domestic grass is roughly £15–£35 per m². That is the number most price comparisons stop at, and it is the least useful one, because the grass is a small part of the finished lawn. Installed — old lawn out, sub-base built, grass laid, edged and infilled — a garden works out at £60–£80 per m², and the choice of grass moves that figure by only a few pounds per metre. We published the real installed prices from our last 298 quotes, by garden size, in what artificial grass costs to install.
Which grass do we install most?
Three do most of the work in London gardens:
- EasyCare 30mm — dense, short, the safest choice for a garden with children and a trampoline.
- Comfort 40mm — the soft, lush look, for gardens that are looked at more than run on.
- PetComfort 35mm — the dog lawn: drains fast, stands up to claws.
Every grass we install is European-made and carries a 10-year product warranty. The full range, including the 3G and 4G sports surfaces and the putting-green grass, is in the shop.
How do I compare two samples?
We will post you up to five samples, free. When they arrive:
- Put them on the ground outside, in the light the lawn will actually get. Grass that looks right on a kitchen table often looks too green in a shaded garden.
- Press each one flat with your palm and let go. The one that springs back is the denser one.
- Turn them over and look for drainage holes.
- Run your hand against the pile. If it feels plasticky, it will feel plasticky underfoot.
- Ignore the name. Ignore the brochure photo. Pick the one that passed the first four.
Then send us the address and a photo of the garden and we will put a fixed price on it, usually the same day.
