Pet Turf Buying Guide: 10+ Things You Need to Know
Does your four-legged friend need room to play and run? Pet turf is a fantastic solution that will keep you and your fur babies happy. It’s soft, non-toxic, ultra-durable, and won’t break the bank.
Explore our buying guide for the pros and cons of pet turf, the benefits of our top turf and infills, and helpful installation advice for your next project.
Explore our buying guide for the pros and cons of pet turf, the benefits of our top turf and infills, and helpful installation advice for your next project.
What Is Pet Turf?
Pet turf is a low-maintenance synthetic alternative to natural grass that provides a safe and comfortable surface for your furry friend to play on. While pet turf is most popular for its natural look and feel, it can also help you conserve water and save money on monthly maintenance costs.
Pet Turf Pros and Cons
Making the right decision for you and your pup is a big decision. To help out, we’ve compiled the most popular reasons pet owners choose pet-friendly artificial grass and anything extra you should know before buying.
Benefits of pet turf:
- Comfortable underfoot and paw: Pet-friendly artificial grass has a slight curl and flatter blade than traditional artificial grass. Curved blades help to decrease poking and irritation to your pet’s paws.
- Easy maintenance: Fake grass for dogs commonly features drainage perforations and antibacterial turf material that’s easy to clean. You will need to hose down your turf occasionally but will never need to mow, weed, or deal with muddy paws again.
- Natural appearance: Our pet turf comes in realistic grass colors, species, and thicknesses that look great year-round. With UV-resistant features available, you won’t have to worry about your turf fading in outdoor conditions.
- Non-toxic: Pet turf is 100% safe for animals and humans as it contains zero lead or toxic chemicals.
- No need for herbicides, fertilizers, or pesticides: Synthetic turf does not require any chemicals to keep it looking lush and green. Additionally, it does not attract bugs or insects.
Considerations of pet turf:
- Installation: While you can install pet turf yourself, it’s typically installed by a professional.
- Hotter under the sun: WArtificial turf will get warmer than natural grass in direct sunlight, but you can cool it down by hosing it off periodically. For maximum cooling power, we recommend pairing our Hydrochill infill with our Catalina Turf Rolls.
Types of Pet Turf
Artificial grass for dogs comes in rolls, which offer drainage capabilities, and extra soft texture to comfort paws. You can order pre-cut or custom-cut sizes to fit your yard perfectly.
Pet Turf Rolls
Rolls are the most common option for pet turf. They’re fantastic for larger installations, as they can unroll and quickly cover a wide space effortlessly.
Pet Turf Material
- Polyethylene: Polyethylene is one of the most popular materials for its increased resiliency. Its UV resistance makes it excellent indoors and outdoors.
- Polypropylene: One of our softest turf materials, polypropylene mimics the natural grass feel. Its non-irritating texture is comfortable underfoot and paws.
What to Look for In Pet Turf
Before looking into the unique benefits of pet turf choices, there are a couple of things to consider, such as the face weight and pile height.
Face Weight
Artificial grass and dog turf products have a face weight – the amount of material used in turf per square yard. Face weight is one of the most important factors when choosing the right dog turf. Essentially the higher the face weight, the more durable the product.
Pile Height and Thickness
Pile height or thickness adds to the turf’s full, natural appearance. The thicker the turf, the more comfortable the artificial grass will be for your pet’s paws. Our 1” to 1 1/4” turf provides the perfect amount of softness for a natural grass experience.
Where to Use Pet Turf
Whether you’re looking for an indoor or outdoor pet potty for your home or business, we’ve got excellent pet turf to do the trick.
Indoor Pet Turf
Training a puppy? We’ve got several indoor options with drainage perforations that can encourage your pup to go on a more natural-feeling surface than traditional puppy pads.
Outdoor Pet Turf
Take on the outdoor elements with our outdoor-rated pet turf! Outdoor turf is typically made of polyethylene or polypropylene material, which is highly resistant to heat, frost, and UV rays. You can place outdoor turf in your dog run, play area, or even use it for your entire lawn.
Best Pet Turf Options
If you’re looking for the highest-performance pet turf, we’ve got you covered. We’ve chosen three of our best-rated synthetic turf options that will please you and your dog. Each of these turf options comes with unique features to suit every residential and commercial need.
Pet Turf Rolls
Pet Turf Rolls are comforting to even the most sensitive of paws and perfect for heavy-duty playtime. Additionally, the short pile height helps drain liquid, keeping a sanitary environment that pups will be eager to play in. Features:
- Backed by a 15-year warranty
- Drains liquids
- Easy maintenance
- UV protected
Bow Wow Turf Rolls
Bow Wow Turf Rolls are great for anyone wanting a lush, green space for their furry friend. With drainage perforations, UV-resistant fibers, and a 15-year warranty, it doesn’t get better than this! Features:
- Extended warranty
- Indoor/outdoor rated
- Certified easy to install
- Custom sizing avaliable
K9 Turf Rolls
Transform your backyard, doggy daycare, or indoor potty space with USA-made K9 Turf Rolls. These ultra-realistic rolls feel great to the touch, are heat and frost resistant, and offer 3x the perforations for optimal drainage. Features:
- 3x the drainage perforations
- Indoor/outdoor friendly
- 15-year warranty
- Extra soft touch
How to Install Artificial Grass
Although people enjoy having professional installers lay their turf, it can be done as a DIY project. With the right equipment, helpers, and accessories, you’ll have your artificial green grass ready in no time. Before installing your pet turf, make sure you have these tools on hand.
How to Install Artificial Grass
- Remove grass, rocks, and any additional soil you won’t need for space.
- Prep and compact the base. Tip: For an extra smooth base, lightly wet your area and go over it with your compactor.
- Install your weed barrier. This will prevent weeds from growing into your turf and allow for proper drainage.
- Lay, fit, and seam the turf. Seaming options include nails, glue, and seam tape or staples.
- Tuck the turf edges. You want to ensure your edges look professional and stay put in place.
- Add your choice of infill. Infill significantly impacts the lifespan of your turf’s performance and can add cooling properties during the warmer months.
- Brush your turf. This will create a full, polished look and evenly distribute your infill for maximum coverage.
Best Pet Turf Infills
While there are various turf infills to choose from, the two most important keywords to look for in an infill are non-toxic and antimicrobial. Explore three of our highly recommended pet turf infills! Each of these top-ranked options offers unique features, such as UV resistance, deodorizing, and cooling agents.
Hydrochill
Hydrochill can help cool down your turf for days depending on your local weather conditions. Studies have shown that it can keep your turf 30-50 degrees cooler than most standard synthetic turf! Features:
- Non-toxic
- Safe for pets
- UV-resistant
- Works with your choice of turf
Durafill
Durafill is a pet-friendly, non-toxic, non-absorbent synthetic soil that prevents bacterial growth. When your dog marks his territory in the yard, Durafill ensures that liquids drain adequately. Since it doesn’t retain moisture, this product helps keep your synthetic grass sanitary for your pup and reduces pungent smells from your dog turf. Features:
- Prevents bacterial growth
- Environmentally friendly
- Cooler than black crumb rubber
- Great for both landscape and pet turf
Zeolite Max
Zeolite Max infill keeps your pet’s grass smelling clean despite your dog’s scents. This infill works wonders by trapping and neutralizing ammonia-based odors through direct contact and from the air. Features:
- Biodegradable
- Neutralizes ammonia-based odors
- One-time application
- Can be applied to turf in use
How to Clean and Maintain Artificial Grass
The best thing about pet turf is that it doesn’t require mowing, watering, or fertilizing to keep it looking lush. In just a few steps, you’ll have a fresh and clean area for your pet.
For cleaning your turf:
*You may also use a solution of household detergent and warm water, or a mixture of white distilled vinegar in an equal amount of water. Never use bleach on your pet turf.
For maintaining your turf:
Use a synthetic brush (preferably with flexible nylon bristles) to brush the surface and bring your grass back to its lively appearance. Never use a metal or wire-bristled brush as this could cause damage. Customers love our Turf Rake for its durability and wide edge to quickly groom their artificial grass.
For cleaning your turf:
- Clean up after your pet’s waste.
- Hose off your pup’s favorite bathroom spots.
- Spray your turf with our non-toxic and bacteria-killing Turf Fresh cleaner.
*You may also use a solution of household detergent and warm water, or a mixture of white distilled vinegar in an equal amount of water. Never use bleach on your pet turf.
For maintaining your turf:
Use a synthetic brush (preferably with flexible nylon bristles) to brush the surface and bring your grass back to its lively appearance. Never use a metal or wire-bristled brush as this could cause damage. Customers love our Turf Rake for its durability and wide edge to quickly groom their artificial grass.
Pet Turf FAQ
You may have additional questions on how to use artificial grass, expected installation costs, and product warranties – the great news is we have the answers.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning the ins and out of what pet-friendly artificial grass can do for you and your furry friend. It’s specifically made to comfort pets’ paws, allow liquids to drain easily, and remain resilient after endless playtimes. Shop our selection of pet turf now!
