Artificial turf lasts on average about 8-10 years. Even though the warranty on artificial grass is often 15 years or a lifetime. Most materials will get dirty faster...
In our opinion, most artificial turf warranties are highly overrated. Most clients will not receive an enforceable warranty on artificial grass, despite receiving all the guarantees and certificates. We will explain below how lifetime warranties work and how to protect your artificial grass project when you type artificial grass near me.
- What is an efficient artificial grass warranty?
- What are the most common defects of artificial grass?
- When do artificial turf defects appear?
- What is not covered with most artificial grass warranties?
- How to protect artificial grass projects with an enforceable warranty?
- What to consider when comparing artificial turf warranties?
- Compare artificial turf warranties from top US manufacturers
What is an efficient artificial grass warranty?
Most trustworthy artificial turf manufacturers do not provide an efficient artificial grass warranty for more than 8 years. A typical 15-year turf warranty is often a marketing trick. The warranty is diluted to 25-50% of the price of the material for the affected area.
For example, if a patch of artificial grass falls apart on year 9 and you paid $10,000 for the installation, the total amount for the claim could be limited to as little as $100 credit towards the new purchase. How does this fake turf warranty sound? This is a typical lifetime warranty situation.
The cost of artificial grass material is only about 20% of the total cost of the project. Compensation for the material will not protect your investment. Read further to find out how to get the right one.
What are the most common defects of artificial grass?
Color Fading
Color fading is the key problem with imported grasses. UV stabilizers are expensive and invisible. Cheap artificial grasses will have minimal UV stabilizer additives. Because the sun's UV rays are causing the grass to prematurely fade or change color this can greatly affect the lifespan of your artificial lawn and will look like it needs to be replaced much sooner. Most turf suppliers will require a certain percentage of fading to occur to be held liable, so check into this to make sure you're not being ripped off. It is not rare to see how a green lawn becomes yellow in one- two years after installation.
Visible lines
Visible lines and patterns are other common defects of artificial grass. Often it appears right after the turf is brushed or laid to be prepped for installation. A pro turf installer shall not proceed with the installation. Instead, the defective turf shall be replaced.
Large artificial turf installation companies might look at this scenario differently. They would proceed with the installation, ask for the final payment to grant the warranty, and then recommend dealing with their warranty department to find a solution.
Wrinkles
Wrinkles are mostly an installation defect, not the turf material. However, some artificial grass materials contain a backing system that could be stretched over the hot part of the day and then solidify during the night. Then, when stretching the next day, the wrinkles will appear. The only way to remedy this is to apply more sand infill, making the fake turf surface warmer.
Variable Height and Thatch
Yes, for some synthetic turf manufacturers it is hard to produce a consistent roll with an exact height of turf blades and thatch. As a result, such material is almost impossible to seam invisibly.
When do artificial turf defects appear?
Some defects appear right away, others over time or with a change of seasons.
Color fading appears over time. Any artificial grass will eventually be losing color. However, some artificial turf materials might become yellowish faster. For the most trustworthy artificial grass manufacturers, you shall not be able to notice a color difference with your eyes for many years since the date of artificial grass purchase. Dust will usually alter the color to a greater extent.
Visible lines appear right away. Sometimes a seam could be considered a turf defect, but it is not.
Wrinkles usually appear the next day that you install artificial grass or in the summer, when the turf was installed in the winter. Most wrinkles do not result from the defect of grass material.
What is not covered with most artificial grass warranties?
Magnification and heat damage are never covered with a warranty. Magnification appears as a burned oval spot or a stripe. If you are concerned about magnification, please consider installing a shade or selecting nylon turf materials that have a substantially higher melting temperature.
Matting of artificial grass is not covered as well. Matting is when the grass lays flat and does not recover anymore. All artificial turf materials will eventually get matter. The softer the turf the earlier it will show matting. Matting is similar to scratches on the floor. It is not covered by most warranties.
Discoloration to a certain extent is a normal thing and it is allowed, thus not covered.
How to protect artificial grass projects with an enforceable warranty
When installing artificial turf, your best shot is a trustworthy installer. The good faith installation company shall not proceed with the installation of defective artificial grass material. Type "artificial grass installation company near me" to find the pro turf installer. Most professional companies are offering proven artificial turf materials that have been tested over time. They have experience in laying, stretching, and seaming together artificial turf that they offer. That is why it is not generally a good idea to buy turf on your own. A professional fake turf installer will be hesitant to initiate the project with unknown synthetic turf material.
(This is not covered with an artificial grass warranty. This is simply a mess.)
What to consider when comparing artificial turf warranties
When buying artificial grass for a DIY turf project, it's important to do your research and understand what you're covered for under the warranty before choosing where to buy artificial grass. We recommend that you buy artificial turf from stores of well-known brands, such as the ones that we listed online on our website. There is a reason why we offer artificial turf from a limited selection of manufacturers.
Compare artificial turf warranties from top manufacturers
*Table updated on 08/2/22 - Please confirm with suppliers that no changes have been made prior to purchase. If you are a manufacturer featured on the table and see a discrepancy please reach out.
| Data as of 08/15/2022 | Imperial Synthetic Turf | Smart Turf | Synthetic Grass Warehouse | Global Syn Turf | Purchase Green |
| Warranty Length | 15 years from the date of installation | 15 years - reduced by 6.67% annually |
15 years from date of manufacture with proration Years 1-8 (100%) Years 9-12 (50%), Years 13-15 (25%) |
15 years for residential landscape grass Years 1-8 (100%); Years 9-12 (50%); Years 13-15 (25%) 8 years for putting green grass Only 3 yr warranty in Arizona due to extreme heat |
Limited lifetime warranty for residential projects. Years 1-8 (100%); Years 9-12 (50%); Years 13-15 (25%); Years 16+ (15%) |
| Change in Texture | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| UV Degradation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes - if more than 5% loss of color yearly | Yes - if thickness and strength are reduced by 50% or pile height is reduced by 25% |
| Manufacturing Defects | Yes | Yes - up to 1 year after purchase | Yes | Yes - within 30 days of purchase. | Yes |
| Significant Fading | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Premature Wear | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Damage Replacement | Will replace damaged sections only | Store credit for damaged section. Same grass or one of similar quality - no cash payment. |
Will repair or replace the damaged section without charge to the purchaser OR offer store credit for the damaged section only. No cash payment - |
Replace the affected portion of the artificial turf product with a new artificial turf product of the same quality OR they may elect to issue a credit instead of a replacement. |
They will either replace the damaged area or issue a credit of equal value. After 12 years replacement of product is not considered, and you'll be issued a credit based on the proration. |
| Are Installation Costs Included? | No | No |
No |
No | No |
| Installation Requirements | The turf must be unrolled and allowed to relax for no less than 40 minutes and be stretched to the maximum. While the turf is being stretched, it must be secured with nails. Professional installer is required. | Must be installed in a suitable location by a licensed installer to be eligible. | N/A |
N/A
|
Must register for a lifetime warranty within 60 days of purchase to be eligible. Must be installed professionally. Only eligible if you claim within 30 days of noticed issues. |
| Conclusion | The warranty from IST is clear and concise and states exactly what is covered. | Provides good coverage where it is needed, and offers clear wording. Be aware of proration over time. | This warranty appears to offer good coverage. The wording is vague and leaves room for loopholes. May be able to take advantage of the client if a problem arises. Proration over time. | This warranty really only discusses wear and tear from UV degradation and does not address any other concerns. This warranty does not appear to offer as much coverage as its competitors. Proration over time. | This warranty offers longer coverage with proration. Wording is clear however, there seem to be a lot of stipulations that may result in clients being ineligible for replacement. |
Warranty Wording
Pay attention to the wording throughout the warranty. Many have confusing terms that can throw you off. Read the document slowly and carefully to ensure you understand what they’re actually saying. There are also different ways of wording text to make their company less liable. For example, when a company uses “shall” it’s less of a commitment on their end than saying “will.”
The warranty provided by Imperial Turf is the best warranty in terms of it being easy and clear to understand. Smart Turf also has a direct warranty that is short and concise. For coverage purposes alone, Synthetic Grass Warehouse appears to offer the most overall coverage initially, but this is prorated yearly and declines over time.
Never Accept Oral Warranties
Make sure that everything is written down for your records. This protects you in case a company tries to avoid helping you if there is an issue. Oral warranties are basically spoken promises that a company usually doesn’t keep. If they tell you one thing and are hesitant to put it in writing, this is a clear sign that they will not take care of you if an issue arises.
We hope this helps you feel more confident when reading through artificial grass warranties and gives you a few things to look for when comparing multiple artificial grass manufacturers. At InstallArtificial, we make sure to work with only the best suppliers in the industry that offer high-quality turf with warranties that are fair. Get in contact with us today to get your project started!
