Originally posted on April 24, 2020 @ 7:55 pm
If you’re living in an urban oasis or you have a home with a flat roof or a large patio area, consider artificial turf as an excellent way to raise the roof –err–value of your home. Not only does it provide a unique appearance, it can also help protect a flat roof, as well as provide insulation, without the need for additional maintenance.
This guide will take you through the benefits of installing artificial turf, as well as helping you avoid any potential missteps along the way.
The Benefits
Turf has an Attractive & Unique Appearance
One of the advantages of artificial roof turf or roof terrace grass over other types of decorative landscaping is its neat, clean appearance. With properly cut turf with an appropriate infill, they can look very appealing, and often raise the value of the home when installed properly. You can have a private oasis in the middle of an urban area, or just make a fun space to hang out on top of your house.
Turf Roofs are Safe
Artificial turf is very easy to keep clean, and due to its light weight, doesn’t pose any safety risks or hazards compared to natural grass. Creating a rooftop with sod opens up the opportunity for roots to start causing problems with your roof and can potentially absorb so much water it damages the rooftop.
Turf Provides Insulation
Artificial turf works as an effective insulator in summer and winter weather. Protecting the attic spaces and interiors of homes from extreme heat, and keeping it moisture-free means you don’t have to worry about mold, mildew, or decomposition. Keeping your attic cooler will keep your home cooler. During the winter, the artificial grass uses those insulating properties to hold in heat, and keep out the cold and damp. The improved insulation can help reduce utilities usage and lower the cost of heating and cooling your home. A bonus is you don’t have to worry as much about using tar, paper, and rubber sealants as you would with a normal flat roof. So you could say going with a green roof is going green, and saves you some green.
A Turf Roof is Less Maintenance
With the proper maintenance, artificial turf will last for the long haul, and will also require next to no upkeep if installed properly. With proper PDS tiles for drainage, you’ll only need to replace infill from time to time, or clean and disinfect occasionally if you have a lot of traffic or pets on the artificial grass.
What You Need
For those looking to add some artificial turf to your roof, you’ll need to make a few essential decisions first, namely: what type of turf you want to use, where you’re going to put it, and where you’re going to purchase it from.
Types of Turf to Put on the Roof
Polypropylene
Polypropylene turf comes in a variety of styles and is used for many different types of projects. It’s cheap, however, it has a very low melting point and is not the most durable material, so if you’ve got it on a roof that is going to be seeing a lot of use/sunlight, there are better choices to avoid frequent repair and replacement.
Polyethylene
This one is a common favorite, as it has a soft texture that’s far more durable than polyethylene. It feels natural, and is a little bit more expensive, but for roof artificial grass, you’ll likely appreciate the benefits it offers.
Nylon
If you’re looking for the standard in durability, nylon is perfect for you. It’s the most costly of the three options, which is why it isn’t often used in large applications. However, for a smaller area like a roof or deck, it might be the right choice, though some might find the texture isn’t quite what they would like to walk on.
Where to Put Turf
Determining where exactly you’re going to place your artificial turf is the first step for any artificial grass rooftop installation. A turf roof is not something you want to do a half-hearted job with, so prep work is essential. And if the roof isn’t what you had in mind, you can lay artificial grass on top of decking for a similar aesthetic.
Make sure that you take accurate measurements of the area of your roof you plan to install turf on, and that you check with a qualified professional to ensure that your roof can stand up to having regular traffic on it.
Check out one of our guides for more information on how to properly cut and measure turf for a space.
Additionally, the use of PDS drainage tiles for artificial grass will be essential for a rooftop or deck patch of artificial turf. Proper drainage is essential–you don’t want water pooling on your roof and causing leaks, mildew, and other nasty stuff. PDS tiles are easy to install and allow for excellent drainage so your artificial turf roof will remain clean and in good condition.
Though rooftop turf has a different installation process than traditional landscaping turf, you can read one of our guides on how to lay fake grass to learn more.
Where to Get Turf
Ready to get started on an artificial turf porch or artificial green roof project? Well, look no farther than Turf Factory Direct. You’ve got the elbow grease, we’ve got the artificial turf. With our enormous inventory and helpful service, we’ll make sure that you’ve got the tools and turf you need to make your next artificial turf project a success. Browse our products or get in touch with our customer service team to learn more.
