Artificial Turf Installation in Sarasota: A Complete Homeowner’s Guide
Whoever decided to call it “artificial turf” wasn’t doing it justice. They should have called it “magic turf.”
Sure, “artificial” means it’s not real grass. But it’s so much more than that.
It’s a lawn you never need to mow, water, or fertilize. No weeds. No insects. No diseases. It’s always green.
Magic.
You probably have questions. How much does it cost? Is it safe for your dog? How long does it last? Do you have to clean it?
Put the mower back in the garage and let’s get right to the answers:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why Consider Artificial Turf for Your Sarasota Yard?
- Choosing the Best Artificial Grass for Your Needs
- How Much Does It Cost to Install Artificial Turf in Sarasota?
- Artificial Turf Maintenance Tips
- How Long Does Artificial Grass Last?
- What to Expect from Your Sarasota Artificial Turf Installation
- Artificial Grass Installation:Should You Do It Yourself?
- Is Artificial Turf Safe for Kids and Pets?
- Ready for Stress-Free Artificial Turf Installation? Talk to Us
Why Consider Artificial Turf for Your Sarasota Yard?
Two words: low maintenance.
That’s why most people opt for artificial turf installation in Sarasota.
Real grass can be beautiful. But it takes a lot of work.
Artificial grass is always beautiful. And it takes hardly any work. Just occasionally sweep off any debris, rinse it and brush the bristles in high-traffic areas. It never needs mowing, fertilizing, weed control or watering. Insects don’t attack it. Lawn diseases don’t kill it.
So, that’s a huge reason why homeowners choose artificial grass for residential yards.
But there are plenty more reasons people choose artificial grass over sod:
- It saves a lot of water. If you use city water to irrigate your Sarasota sod yard, you’re using 12-15 gallons of water per minute each time water. If you water for 30 minutes, that’s
450 gallons — every time you water your lawn.
Water is a precious resource that will only get more valuable with time.
- Artificial turf is good for the environment in other ways, too. While there is some concern about it shedding chemicals, it needs no lawn care chemicals for its upkeep, and you skip the noise and air pollution that mowing creates. Most artificial turf is made here in the USA in Georgia, from recycled plastic.
- It looks like real grass. Some brands even have a few brownish blades mixed in so it looks even more like living grass. You can choose from different shades of green, different lengths and textures, too. And today’s artificial turf is softer to the touch and more realistic than the AstroTurf you might remember from years ago.
- Artificial turf is pretty flexible when it comes to Sarasota landscape design.Can you mix artificial turf and real grass? Absolutely. Replace your entire lawn with artificial grass or get creative and incorporate it into just portions of your landscaping. Use it just for a dog run. While dog urine kills natural grass, artificial turf stays green. Or create a fun checkerboard area of paver squares and artificial grass for an instant landscape design boost.
- Artificial turf installation is great for shady areas where real grass struggles to grow.
- It’s soft on your feet, unlike the St. Augustine grass so popular here in Florida, which has a coarse texture, and sharp blades that can feel like little knives on your bare feet. It does get hot in the sun, though. Consider keeping your irrigation system so you can cool off your artificial grass before you head outside to walk on it. Connect your irrigation system to your phone to make this super convenient.
Choosing the Best Artificial Grass for Your Needs
The artificial turf you choose for your Sarasota yard will be the big green welcome mat you come home to for years.
You want to get it right. So, you’ll have some decisions to make. Luckily for you, we make it easy.
About 50 different manufacturers make artificial turf, but if we sat down with you at your kitchen table and dragged out 50 catalogs, your eyes would glaze over fast.
So we narrow it down for you, based on your needs, your expectations and how you’ll use your outdoor space.
We’ll present two or three choices that we recommend, but let you know there are more options if you need them.
You’ll get to see samples so you can feel the softness, see the color and get a sense of how it will look and feel.
First, get ready to answer a few questions.
Do you have kids or grandkids who will play on it? Do you have a dog? Do you want a longer, lush grass that feels great on your feet or more of a putting green feel?
Will you be installing it by your pool? You’ll want artificial turf for pool areas, with excellent drainage, UV protection, and resistance to pool chemicals.
Will you be playing a lot of corn hole out there?
Wait — why the heck does that matter?
If you play cornhole you don’t want turf that’s too thick — the boxes won’t sit level on the grass. (We try to think of everything.)
You’ll Need to Know Some Numbers
Artificial turf is described in ounces called “face weight,” which refers to how dense the grass is. The higher the weight, the more durable and long lasting it is.
You can get turf in 65 ounce, 75 oz, 90 oz or 110 oz.
High-traffic areas that see a lot of action from kids, pets or soccer practice needs denser, shorter turf with higher face weight.
Lawns that are mainly decorative can get away with a lighter option.
Since artificial grass never needs mowing, the length you choose will be the same length you look at every day. The blade length is called “pile height.” Shorter height of 1-2 inches is durable and good for high traffic, while longer blades of 3.5 inches looks lush but can mat faster.
Here at Tropical Gardens, we often recommend the 75-oz turf made by Magnolia.
They make 4-5 different shades and mix in a few brown grass blades to make it look more realistic.
You’ll love that. The old Astro turf of years ago was too green and looked fake.
The Magnolia brand drains well
in our heavy rains and when you rinse off dog urine. It feels soft on your feet and offers a good warranty.
The 75 oz is our go-to artificial grass for Sarasota.
How Much Does It Cost to Install Artificial Turf in Sarasota?
If you’re comparing the cost of artificial turf with real sod, you’ll notice right away artificial turf costs quite a bit more.
Real sod costs $2-$3 per square foot to install and add another $1 for the site preparation.
Artificial turf costs $14-$18 per square foot, including the materials, delivery and installation.
So a 15-by-20-foot area of artificial grass in Florida will cost about $5,500.
Yes, artificial turf is pricey up front, but then the maintenance cost slows way down. It doesn’t need much.
Meanwhile, real grass is really needy. It needs mowing, watering, fertilizing, weed control, insect control, treatment for occasional lawn diseases.
Add up the cost of all that, and it takes about 8-10 years of caring for sod before that equals what you spent on artificial turf.
The cost to install artificial turf in an entire yard will vary widely, not just based on the size of the yard, but based on the preparation involved.
Are there lots of plants to remove in addition to grass? They take longer, as crews have to completely remove all the roots.
Installation crews might have to deal with irrigation system issues, too, even if you decide to keep your system up and running so you can cool off the turf when it gets hot underfoot. (Artificial grass gets hotter underfoot than real grass.)
When you’re using an irrigation system on artificial turf, you want the sprinkler heads arranged around the outside perimeter of the turf, spraying in toward the grass. Then if irrigation system repairs are ever needed, crews don’t need to remove all the turf to get to the heads and lines.
When you’re shopping around for bids for artificial grass installation and you get a drastically lower bid than everybody else, don’t get too excited. Everybody loves to save a few bucks. But if somebody offers to install your artificial grass for $5-6 per square foot, beware.
How are they cutting corners to make that happen?
Inexperienced crews who make half what skilled crews earn? That will show up as sloppy seams that will drive you crazy.
No insurance or workman’s compensation? That’s no good.
You want to make sure they’re covered so they can pay for any possible damage.
Will this budget company still be in business in two years if you have a problem you need them to fix?
When your dad always told you that you get what you pay for, he was right.
Artificial Turf Maintenance Tips
If you’re saying, “Maintenance? What maintenance?” you’re right, sort of. Artificial turf needs minimal maintenance.
But there’s a bit of upkeep if you want your Sarasota artificial grass to look as great and last as long as possible.
Check out these artificial turf maintenance tips:
- Keep it clean. Regularly remove any dirt and debris with a blower or rake. If you leave debris like fallen leaves, then kids or dogs run over them, the tiny bits settle down into your infill and it’s tough to get them out.
- Brush your turf occasionally with a plastic leaf rake, a push broom with stiff bristles or a power broom. Do this in the opposite direction of the turf to help keep the blades standing up straight.
- How to clean artificial grass? Rinse your turf occasionally with water to keep it clean.
- If you spill something on your grass, clean up as much of the spill as possible with a clean cloth. Follow up with water and a mild detergent. Use a stiff-bristled brush if needed.
Artificial Turf for Dogs Needs Extra Attention
How to clean artificial turf if you have a dog?
- Spray areas of dog urine to keep your artificial turf clean.
- Scoop the poop, then spray that area with water. Any stains can be washed with mild soap and water.
- Avoid odors by hosing the turf down with a water hose weekly and treating it with bleach or vinegar.
Here at Tropical Gardens, we love a cleaner called Simple Green for dog odors. The multi-purpose cleaner is a water-based, biodegradable alternative to harsher chemicals.
All About Infill
Infill is the granular material that keeps artificial grass blades standing upright and adds weight to secure the turf, preventing wrinkles and movement.
Infill settles and wears down over time. We can tell when we power broom artificial turf and it doesn’t stand up that it needs more infill.
Plan to replenish your infill every 3-5 years as part of your artificial grass maintenance in Florida.
The cost is about $80 per bag, including labor. A 3,000-square-foot yard takes 15-20 bags of infill to replenish it.
Here at Tropical Gardens we use Envirofill, little green beads that are non-toxic, inhibit mold and are the best option for dogs and artificial turf. Anti- microbial protection is infused into Envirofill during the manufacturing process to help prevent the growth of bacteria and microbes that can cause stains and odors. Bonus: the green color blends perfectly with the turf.
How Long Does Artificial Turf Last?
Artificial turf is sturdy and holds up well to daily life, but it doesn’t last forever.
Expect artificial grass in a residential yard to last 15-20 years, depending on how much it’s used, its exposure to sunlight and how well it’s maintained with brushing, cleaning and infill replenishment.
How do you know it’s time to replace your Sarasota artificial turf? Watch for these signs:
- It’s faded. High quality artificial grass includes built-in UV ray blockers to help retain its vibrant green color, but all artificial grass will fade over time.
- The seams are coming apart. This is more likely to happen with older and lower-cost artificial grass than with high-quality newer products. Seams can also split over time if the installation wasn’t done properly by artificial grass installation companies or if the grass gets a lot of use.
- The turf fibers are splitting. When the fibers of your turf split from wear, the light reflects off them differently, making them look sort of weird in the sunlight, and not as green.
- It smells bad. If this sounds gross, you’re right. High-quality artificial turf is designed to resist stains and odors, but they can still happen over time, especially if spills or pet urine aren’t always cleaned up right away.
- Your grass is matted and the blades don’t stand up nice and straight anymore. This happens more often when artificial grass gets heavy foot traffic.
Newer Artificial Grass Looks Better and Lasts Longer
Like most things, artificial turf has gotten better as technology has advanced. Newer versions look better and last longer than turf manufactured a decade ago. Is your Florida artificial turf outdated? It won’t look as great as newer types on the market now.
What to Expect from Your Sarasota Artificial Turf Installation
If you’re away at work while your artificial grass installation happens, it might seem like magic.
One day you’re looking at struggling, brown, patchy real grass, and the next you’re gazing out at a vibrant green lawn you never have to mow or water. Pretty cool.
But if you stick around to watch, you’ll see it isn’t magic at all, but the skilled efforts of a knowledgeable and hardworking crew.
What does artificial lawn installation in Sarasota look like?
Take a look:
- Artificial turf consists of synthetic grass, its backing material, the infill materials that help the blades stand up straight, the tape that joins the seams and nails that secure the edges.
- Your installers will show up with a whole slew of tools, frombasic landscaping tools like shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows to more specialized equipment like a plate compactor and seaming tape.
- They’ll excavate the lawn area, removing several inches of sod and dirt, as well as any plant roots as needed.
- Crews will create an appropriate slope for proper drainage, add several inches of a sand and gravel base and compact it so it’s nice and firm.
- They’ll unroll the artificial turf, cut it to fit and use seam tape on the bottom side of the turf to expertly join the seams so they don’t show.
Part of expert artificial grass installation involves getting the “nap” right, which has nothing to do with resting, even though this is hard work.
In artificial turf, nap refers to the natural direction the synthetic fibers run, similar to carpet. It’s really important to lay artificial grass with the nap running the same way and toward the main viewing angle for a consistent, lush green look.
- Crews will fasten the turf around the perimeter with heavy-duty staples to poly “bender boards” to secure it, stretching it tight along the way.
While some artificial turf installation companies fold the turf over the boards and staple it, we don’t like the way that looks. The folded edges don’t look real. (We’re picky – we admit it.)
Tropical Gardens crews cut the turf and staple it on top of the boards so the turf ends in a natural-looking edge, just like real grass.
- Installers will spread infill material evenly across the turf and use a power broom to work it down into the base so the grass blades stand up nicely.
How Long Does Artificial Turf Installation in Sarasota Take?
Here at Tropical Gardens Landscape, we can usually start on your yard within three weeks of signing the contract, then the actual artificial grass installation takes 5-7 days.
You’ll be wiggling your toes in your new lawn in no time.
Artificial Grass Installation: Should You Do It Yourself?
You can DIY artificial grass, but hardly anybody does. It’s a pretty big pain. You need special tools and equipment, getting the drainage exactly right is important, and it’s tricky to connect the seams so they don’t show.
Pros have specific skills to make sure your artificial lawn installation in Sarasota looks like real grass, from compacting the surface to precisely cutting the turf to adding that important infill so the grass blades stand up straight and look natural.
No offense, but if you’re an accountant or a teacher or an electrician, you probably don’t have those skills.
The prep work involved in artificial turf installation can be pretty daunting, too.
You’ll need to dig down about three inches and remove your existing soil. If you encounter thick plant roots, a bunch of rocks or irrigation lines, you’ll soon wish you were at the movies instead.
Plenty of things can go wrong if you’ve never done this before. And you really want this to be perfect.
If your new artificial grass has sloppy seams, weird lumps or rough edges, it will be pretty obvious it isn’t real grass.
Also, if you tackle this turf task yourself, you’re on your own. Hire a reputable, experienced Sarasota artificial grass installation company and they’ll stand behind their work and be available if you have any problems.
Is Artificial Turf Safe for Your Family and Pets?
No offense, but real grass hates your dog. He pees on it, turns it yellow, digs it up and sometimes eats it.
What about artificial grass for dogs? Can artificial grass and your dog get along?
Is artificial grass safe for kids and pets?
The short answer is yes. Modern artificial turf is considered safe for kids and pets.
Most artificial grass is made of polyethylene, a widely used plastic and the same material found in children's toys and other household items.
But there are concerns about chemical leeching from older artificial turf, as well as lead, so choosing new, high-quality turf is key.
Older or imported artificial grass backings might be treated with lead, which can hurt your pet if he eats it. Make sure your installer is reputable and uses only lead-free, non-toxic artificial grass, made or inspected in the United States.
There are even varieties of artificial grass specifically designed for dogs, with shorter, stiffer grass blades, flow-through backing for better drainage and antimicrobial technology built into the blades.
Proper installation is important, too, including good drainage.
And rinse it off frequently, especially after pets use it, to control odor and bacteria.
Finally, cool hot turf down with a hose or your irrigation system to keep the temperature safe for play.
Artificial Turf for Dogs: Ask About Infill
Remember, infill is the material added to artificial turf after it’s installed to keep the turf blades standing up straight. It also acts as a weight to keep turf from shifting.
Ask what type your installer uses. Some companies use sand infill because it’s the cheapest option. But sand can encourage mold and mildew.
Rubber infill is common, too, but it’s often black and can increase the temperature of your artificial turf and be too hot for your dog’s paws.
The best artificial grass for pets has safer infill, like the Envirofill we mentioned earlier.
Ready for Stress-Free Artificial Turf Installation? Talk to Us
The most important artificial turf decision you make isn’t about nap or face weight or even what infill you use.
It’s who you hire to install it.
At Tropical Gardens Landscape, we make things easy from the very beginning, when we sit down with you not with 50 turf samples and confusing choices, but with a few solid options we know you’ll love.
We know you’ll love them, because we’ve already taken the time to discover your needs and learn about your outdoor lifestyle.
Then, we handle everything, from preparing your yard to expertly installing your artificial turf to cleaning up afterwards.
We’ll even leave you with artificial turf maintenance tips so you can keep your new lawn looking great for years to come.
Bonus: we’re a full-service Sarasota landscaping company — not just artificial turf experts. That means we can help with all your landscaping needs, from designing your outdoor space to installing and maintaining tropical plants to building a pergola or outdoor kitchen.
Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota landscaping pros can’t wait to transform your needy lawn into a beautiful, easy-care green oasis.
Go ahead, call it magic turf. You’re not wrong.
