Challenges of Purchasing Turf to DIY

With water conservation at an all-time high, the convenience of artificial lawns is becoming more desirable for homeowners. Whether laying artificial grass on a balcony or installing it in a small yard space, DIY installation is always an option. However, often we see customers running into issues when purchasing synthetic grass materials. Hear the biggest challenges that homeowners face when buying their own turf, and our recommendations to ensure a successful installation!

Amount of Turf Purchased

The biggest mistake we see homeowners make when purchasing artificial grass to DIY is ordering either too much turf or too little. While this doesn't seem like the end of the world, this can make installation a lot trickier.

Purchasing Too Little

If you purchase too little, you'll have to buy more and seam the pieces together. When seamed incorrectly, there will be visible lines that will ruin the aesthetic and natural look you're going for. Also, because turf can typically only be purchased in 15 ft. wide rolls, ordering too little initially may mean having to order a much larger amount than needed the second time to complete installation. For this reason, we recommend measuring the space multiple times and purchasing 1 ft. of overlap that can be cut to provide you with a buffer.   

Purchasing Too Much

Turf is often non-refundable. Ordering too much artificial grass will ensure that you're stuck with the leftovers. Not only is this not cost-effective, but turf is also very heavy and can be a burden to unload. For this reason, we recommend you avoid overbuying. 

Oddly Shaped Spaces

In irregularly shaped spaces, there will often be more wasted material when installing artificial grass. Most homeowners assume they can buy one big roll of artificial grass in the exact sq. footage of their space. While this may work for yards and balconies that are square and rectangle, you will often come up short if your yard is oddly shaped. For areas that make an L-shape or have other irregularities, we'd recommend sectioning out your space and purchasing a few smaller rolls. Make sure that you're using dimensions from the widest points of the area and cutting to size from there.    

Hauling & Delivery

When purchasing artificial grass for DIY installations, customers can often underestimate the weight of turf. We'd recommend opting in for any included delivery options as this often requires a truck and multiple people to load and unload.  Even when delivery is included, this will only get the synthetic turf to the curbside. Plan ahead and make sure you have at least 3 people to haul the turf onto your property. 

Artificial Grass Quality

Purchasing synthetic turf online can be scary if you're not working with a trusted business that offers only high-quality synthetic turf materials and accessories. The life of your new artificial lawn will vary greatly depending on the quality of materials used.

Often low-quality turf will appear at a great deal that seems unbeatable, and then show up looking unnatural, shiny, and poorly made. Do your research on the company you purchase artificial grass from. Make sure that the supplier is offering warranties on their products before purchasing. We also recommend ordering samples before making the final purchase to see and feel the turf in person. This will allow you to be absolutely sure the fake grass meets your expectations before making a large investment, as these purchases are typically non-refundable.

At InstallArtificial, we're transparent with our customers. While we only offer high-quality turf from trusted suppliers, we still run a series of tests on each synthetic grass we offer to show you how they hold up. Check out our Turf Lab on each product page, where we assess temperature, softness, cushioning, recovery rate and more! 

Intended Use

Aside from making sure the artificial grass you purchase online is of high quality, it's important that you understand your needs before buying. Purchasing and installing the wrong synthetic grass for your intended use can not only affect the life of your installation but also your overall satisfaction. You wouldn't want long and plush grass for pet-friendly applications, as this is much harder to keep clean. This type of fake grass is also not ideal in areas with high foot traffic as well because long and pliable grasses become more matted quicker. Shop by intended use on our Online Turf Store to make sure you're purchasing the right turf online for your specific needs before DIY installation. 

We hope you find this article helpful when researching best practices for purchasing artificial grass for sale online. We know this process can be overwhelming considering the hundreds of options available. To speak with an expert and receive support with installation and accessories needed throughout the entire buying process, contact us below!