Artificial Grass Installation In Springvale

Installed, expect an average of $70 to $120 per square metre across south-east Melbourne, including the excavation, compacted crushed rock base, sand screed, weed mat, joining, pinning and silica sand infill. A typical 60 square metre backyard averages $4,500 to $7,000. Turf supply on its own is only $25 to $55 per square metre, so a much cheaper quote is usually skipping base work rather than offering a better price. Small areas cost more per square metre because delivery and site setup do not scale down. Every job is unique, so you get a written fixed figure before any work starts.

From the bottom up: excavated ground, then 60 to 80 millimetres of compacted class 3 crushed rock, then a 10 to 20 millimetre screeded layer of granitic sand or fine screenings, then weed matting, then the turf itself. Kiln-dried silica sand infill is brushed into the pile afterwards at around 5 to 8 kilograms per square metre. The crushed rock is what stops the surface rippling and settling, and the sand screed is what makes it smooth underfoot. Laying turf straight onto soil is the single most common installation shortcut and the reason so many synthetic lawns look wavy after one summer.

Three real ones, and we would rather say them upfront. It gets hot in direct summer sun, noticeably hotter than real grass, which matters most on a north-facing area with no shade over it. It has a finite life of roughly 15 to 20 years and then needs replacing, where a real lawn renews itself. And the upfront cost is three to four times higher than turf. Against that, it uses no water, needs no mowing and stays green through February, which is why it wins in shaded, small or high-wear areas.

Good quality UV-stabilised turf on a properly built base generally gives 15 to 20 years, and most products carry a manufacturer UV warranty in that range. What shortens it is a poor base, because a surface that moves or holds water breaks down the backing far faster than sunlight does. Maintenance is minimal but not zero: brushing the pile against the lay a few times a year keeps the blades upright, and hosing it down clears dust and, for dog owners, keeps it fresh. Leaf litter should be blown or raked off rather than left to break down into the infill.

It does get hotter than real grass in direct sun, and on a 35 degree day an unshaded synthetic lawn is warm enough that you would notice it barefoot. Shade from a tree, a pergola or the house makes a large difference, and a quick hose down cools the surface within a minute or two. Lighter colour blends and shorter piles run cooler than dark long piles. For areas that are in full afternoon sun all summer and will be used barefoot, real turf or a shaded paved area is often the better call, and we will say so.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people choose it. For dogs we recommend a pet grade with a fully permeable backing so urine drains through the base rather than sitting on it, and the free-draining crushed rock base does the rest. A hose down every week or two keeps it fresh, and unlike a real lawn there are no muddy patches or dug holes. For kids, a play grade over a shock pad gives a softer fall than turf on compacted soil. The silica sand infill we use is inert and non-toxic.