Artificial grass has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, and has become a key growth area for merchants. However, not all grass is created equal and contractors need guidance from stockists to ensure they choose a suitable, high-quality product. Adrian Buttress, Managing Director at PermaLawn, outlines the differences between low and high-quality artificial grass options, and explains the importance of merchants recommending an upfront investment for longer-term benefits.
Artificial grass is a smart, convenient, and aesthetically pleasing alternative for homeowners who want a lawn that’s hassle-free and always looks freshly cut — but it is important to invest in a quality product up front to ensure the lawn’s longevity, whatever the British weather.
So whilst it may be tempting for contractors to go for cheaper options, if it only lasts one season before it starts to look shabby, the installation can have reputation-damaging consequences — potentially even harming their relationship with the merchant that recommended the product.
As buying habits continue to change with new products coming to market all the time, it is vital that builders’ merchants become more than just ‘stockists and sellers’; instead continuing to develop their knowledge to become a trusted source of information.
Knowing exactly how a product performs and the benefits it can provide — both during installation and to the end-user — will ensure merchants are properly assisting contractors and landscapers, and ultimately helping them choose the right product to give the best possible installation.
With this in mind, it is inaccurate to only compare price when supporting a customer or contractor in their decision-making. Cost comparison in any industry is always on a like-for-like basis, however in the grass market, that difference is far more than simply pile height and price.
There is only so far you can go when cutting production costs before you start hitting problems. When something is cheaper, it’s usually because you are getting less product — for example, while it may all looks the same when it is brand new on the roll, once the artificial grass has been exposed to the elements things can change dramatically.
Stand the test of time
To help steer contractors and landscapers away from purchasing artificial grass they may regret installing in the future, and to help them maintain their reputation, there are a few key signs that can help you spot poor quality products, ensuring homeowners enjoy the many benefits that having an evergreen and ever-mowed lawn brings for years to come.
For instance, a certain level of yarn loss is to be expected but it shouldn’t be excessive. The easiest way to test this is to try and pull the tufts from the middle of a sample — if you get good resistance and no shedding, the product is solid.
When supporting a contractor as they purchase artificial grass for a job, you should also discuss stich rate, which is the number of stitches per 10cm. As a general rule of thumb, better quality grass has a higher stitch rate.
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.
Generally, artificial grass made in Europe tends to be of much higher quality because of the EU’s stringent standards and regulations that manufacturers must 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 you can offer contractors — some cheaper options will only guarantee the product for five years, whereas PermaLawn products are guaranteed for seven.
Stock when you want it
Merchants can support contractors in making the most of demand by working in partnership with tried and tested brands. We purposefully sit on 100,000m2 of PermaLawn stock at our Derbyshire head office all year round, meaning traders won’t have to wait the usual average of up to 12-weeks for a delivery to be fulfilled and can start selling straight away while the demand is there.
Being familiar with what constitutes good quality artificial grass and advising contractors to take an intelligent approach to product selection is so important for a high-quality result. Artificial grass is a smart, convenient and aesthetically pleasing solution, so for a lawn that lasts and will make others green with envy, it is worth recommending that your customers invest upfront in a quality product.
For further information about PermaLawn’s product range and on becoming a stockist, enter the shortcode www.perma-lawn.co.uk/local-stockist
