Pet friendly
No puddles
Low maintenance
We offer a professional artificial grass installation service in Preston, Chorley and surrounding areas.
Our skilled landscapers craft beautiful, long-lasting artificial lawns either as a stand-alone project or as part of our full landscaping service.
The free 3D design service shows you what your garden will look like. Our itemised invoices and visual plans mean you know what you are getting and there are no nasty surprises.
Choose from our selected range of quality artificial grass or select your own and we can install it.
We offer a range of artificial grass bases depending on what you are planning to use it for. For more decorative areas, a value base will be all you need. For kids, pets or frequent use a premium or finest base will stand up to punishment better.
All our work comes with clear terms and conditions and a warranty to give you total piece of mind that you are getting quality work.
All of our services are available individually or as part of a full garden design. The service includes:
Q: What kind of artificial grass do you install?
A: We tend to use 30 – 40mm pile density highly realistic but you can request anything you want and we should be able to supply it.
Q: Does artificial grass need drainage?
A: Artificial grass usually helps to improve drainage but if you have poor drainage it may not be enough to fix it. If you are unsure it’s best to find out what’s needed before getting your artificial grass installed. Please contact us and we can advise on your situation.
Want to know more about artificial grass? This guide is written by the experts at Acorn Gardening to provide all the information needed to choose the right artificial grass for your needs.
A quick search on google will reveal a vast range of options for artificial grass. This can make it fairly hard to know what to choose. All artificial grass is not made equal and quality varies hugely. To avoid getting stung you need to know what you are looking for. You don’t need to be an expert but some knowledge is essential. This section gives you enough knowledge to filter out the rubbish when it comes to purchasing.
When thinking about artificial grass there are some key attributes you should be paying attention to before buying. There are 9 key points which we think are important to make sure you get the best fake grass for you.
How you intend to use your artificial lawn should influence the type of artificial grass you go for.
Artificial grass fibres can be made of three different materials. They all differ in softness, durability and price.
To make the best choice it’s worth understanding the basic differences between the types.
Nylon
Used for high traffic areas, nylon grass us the toughest of all the types. It is highly heat resistant and will not lose its shape. There is all ways a tradeoff between feel and durability. If you go for nylon grass you will be leaning more toward durability.
Polyethylene
The most lifelike of the materials available. If you are looking for a synthetic answer to real grass this should probably be your first choice. It’s ideal for sports, play, pets and even picnics. Despite its “real feel” it is durable and requires little to no attention after being laid.
Polypropylene
Without beating around the bush, polypropylene grass only really has one selling point, cost. In terms of look and feel it is reasonable. Giving a real look and a soft touch. Durability is where this fake grass type falls down. It has a low melting point and will not last under heavy use.
Some manufacturers use combined fibres in their plastic grass, giving some of the attributes of each type.
Think about what you want your artificial grass to be used for, if you are making a long-term investment and how good you want it to look.
Cheaper is usually worse. This is not always true but it mostly is. As with most landscape gardening materials, in the long run, its best pay a little extra to get something that will last.
Artificial grass is available in many different colours with variations of brown and green in them. It also comes in many lengths.
All colours are not created equally. If you go for something too green your lawn may end up looking like a mini golf range or a school astroturf. If you go for something too brown or too long it could look dead or like it needs a trim.
It’s hard to tell when looking at grass online so it may be worth ordering a few samples or going to see some at the local DIY shop.
Something that is always advertised on the label is pile density. This is the number of fibres or stitches per square meter.
Pile density is important for two reasons. (1) higher pile density artificial grass will be harder wearing. (2) The higher the pile density the better it will look. Low pile density may look flat and thin, not giving the look of a luscious lawn that you wanted.
Higher pile density comes with a higher cost so consider how it will be viewed. If it will be highly visible you may want to go for a high pile density of 20,000 – 30,000 stitches per square meter.
Most gardens which have a small amount of use should go for 15,000 – 20,000 stitches per square meter. This generally looks really nice and is a standard pile density so it doesn’t cost too much.
Pile height depends on preference and use. Shorter pile heights of 15-25mm will look very short but this may be ideal for sports or golf. Shorter pile artificial grass is also easier to clean.
Medium length pile of 25 – 30mm will give you a freshly cut lawn look.
30 – 40mm long pile will give a natural look and can be quite soft and nice to the touch.
Artificial grass fibres do not have the structure of real grass so anything longer than 40mm will lean. This gives the lawn an uneven, matted look.
All artificial grass is harder wearing than natural grass and fake grass can even boast a lifespan of up to 20 years in some cases. However, there are a few things relating to durability that you should think about before you buy.
has been covered above but if you are planning of heavy use such as children playing or sports then you should go for the tougher materials. Make sure you know what it takes to care for your artificial grass before you buy.
One area where artificial grass loses to the real stuff is its reaction to the sun. All artificial grass will degrade over time due to UV exposure. However, there are many types which give up to 25 years with no visible discolouration from UV. It’s a good idea to check because some cheaper ones will fade within a year or two.
Food, dog mess and other things like this shouldn’t damage the grass, however, to avoid it getting stuck in the fibres, spills should be cleaned up quickly.
All three artificial grass materials are fairly benign and won’t react with much. Despite this, some chemicals will damage the grass. This can mean discolouration or deformation of the fibres. To avoid any patchiness its best to clean off anything which may damage it as fast as possible.
Sharp objects are probably the most overlooked danger to artificial grass. This doesn’t just mean knives, it also includes small chair legs and other furniture. Artificial grass will be supported by a few inches of sand. This means that any concentrated pressure will push the underlying sand out of the way risk tearing the grass on top. When using chairs it may be a good idea to spread the weight using some wood.
Artificial grass is not heat proof. It will take the hottest weather our British summer can throw at us with ease but it won’t stand up to a loose coal from a BBQ. The only advice to keep your grass looking good is to keep anything which could melt it away.
Artificial grass is typically made up of 2 layers. The first is the one which the fibres are stitched into. The second is a latex based layer which essentially glues everything together.
A good way to check how well the grass is made is to try to pull the two layers apart. Do this with a sample rather than a roll of grass that’s on sale. If it comes apart easily it’s quite likely that the fibres won’t be held in well and will come out after some wear and tear.
If the specifications are available you should look at the amount of force the grass can withstand. This is measured in Newtons. A durable grass should be able to withstand at least 20 Newtons.
Using a weed membrane depends on the surface which the artificial grass is being laid on. If it is on top on an existing surface which has no potential to grow weeds then you wouldn’t need one.
If the artificial grass is being installed in place of an old lawn it is likely that there will be dormant weeds in the soil which will spring up over time. In this case, you would need to install a membrane or risk having weeds popping up in 6 months time.
Weed membranes provide a porous layer which allows water to drain but does not let weeds push through. They do add an extra cost to the installation but we highly recommend them to keep your artificial lawn looking great.
Artificial grass is set on a compacted sand base. This means it is softer than most landscaping surfaces but it also means it can shift and deform over time. To stop this happening its essential that you have a good solid edge around all sides of the artificial grass.
A warranty is two things; (1) the manufacturer’s confidence in their product, and, (2) security for you.
We are not saying that they are a necessity but they can be a sign of a higher quality product. So much of the durability of artificial grass depends on things that are not obvious to the inexperienced. A warranty is a reassurance if you are not sure.
Acorn Construction Ltd trading as Acorn Landscape Gardening
Company number: 11898363
VAT no: 333 3171 34
81 Alderfield, Penwortham, Preston, PR1 9HA
