Landscape & Urban Design Issue 43 2020 | Page 41

ARTIFICIAL GRASS However, it’s important to remember that these cheap prices only come by sacrificing quality. To help you avoid purchasing an artificial grass you may regret installing in the future, there are a few key signs you can look out for to help you spot poor quality products – and ensure you can enjoy the many benefits that having an ever green and ever mowed lawn brings for years to come. A certain level of yarn loss is to be expected, but it shouldn’t be excessive. The easiest way to test this is to pull the tufts from the middle of your sample – if you get good resistance and no shedding, your product is solid. When enquiring about artificial grass, you should also ask about the stich rate, which is the number of stitches per 10cm. As a general rule of thumb, better quality grass as a higher stitch rate. Follow us @ludmagazine There’s more to artificial grass than just the plastic fibres Getting the stock you want, when you want it The secondary backing material, which tends to be made up of either latex or polyurethane, holds the tufts in place and allows the fake grass to lie flat. One of the keys to a long- lasting fake lawn is artificial grass that has been manufactured with sufficiently high quantities of latex. Many stockists will have to wait up to 12-weeks for a delivery to be imported from the manufacturer, meaning homeowners will need to plan their garden renovations months in advance. However, PermaLawn purposefully sits on 100,000m2 of stock all year round at our headquarters in Derbyshire and deliver just the amount you need for your garden. Generally, artificial grass made in Europe tends to be of much higher quality because of the European Union’s stringent standards and regulations that manufacturers have to comply with. PermaLawn works with a renowned European manufacturer with decades of proven background and experience – ensuring the artificial grass we supply is well worth the money. It’s also important to check the warranty that comes with your artificial grass – some cheaper options will only guarantee the product for five years, whereas PermaLawn products are guaranteed for seven. Artificial grass is a smart, convenient and aesthetically pleasing solution. And for a lawn that lasts and makes others green with envy, it is worth investing upfront in a quality product. For further information on PermaLawn and to find your local installer, please visit www.perma-lawn.co.uk or call 01773 441 952. www.landud.co.uk 41