Artificial grass remains the number #1 landscaping trend in the UK, but many installers overlook the importance of artificial grass batch colour matching when laying this type of material. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this vitally important part of your landscaping project so you can avoid a mismatched lawn and create the perfect garden you have been dreaming about.
Artificial Grass for British Gardens
According to the Office for National Statistics, the average garden size in the UK is 188 square metres. Whether yours is long and narrow behind a row of Victorian terraced houses or broad and split level on a new property development, there is a good chance that you'll need more than one roll of artificial grass to landscape your lawn.
Once you have chosen the best artificial grass for your garden, you need to order enough for the project, and if you cannot get all the turf you need from one roll, you need to consider batch colour matching. Why? The colour might not match! It could be the same grass from the same manufacturer, but different batches come in slightly different colours, and while the colour difference may seem slight on the roll, it will stand out like the proverbial sore thumb on your lawn.
Why Artificial Grass Colours Vary
Artificial grass manufacturers, much like wallpaper, paint, and carpet manufacturers, produce their goods in batches and label each run with a batch number. They may use the same yarns, UV protection sprays, and dyes to make every batch, but there will always be minuscule variations in colour due to changes in temperature, humidity levels, and atmospheric pollution.
Manufacturers then cut artificial grass rolls to size (typically 2m, 4m, or 5m wide rolls) and ship them to suppliers in the UK. Further ‘discolouration’ can occur on-route, particularly if the rolls are subjected to extreme temperatures and harmful UV rays, and also in storage facilities, where they are often unwrapped and exposed to the elements.
As we’ve mentioned before, the colour difference may look minimal to the naked eye, but when you lay the two rolls alongside each other, typically during the installation stage, and brush the blades upright, they could look like two completely different grasses.
Surprisingly, many leading artificial grass suppliers do not make their customers aware of this or even guarantee batch colour matching, so if you are thinking of investing in artificial grass for your home, rental property, school, or business premises, it is essential that you choose a company that guarantees your rolls will colour match.
How Can Artificial Grass Retailers Guarantee A Batch Colour Match?
Artificial grass retailers such as Artificial Super Grass purchase 30 or 40 rolls at a time from leading manufacturers and carefully check the batch numbers to make sure they match. They then create an inventory in their warehouse, clearly labelling each batch to ensure any installer purchasing more than one roll for a single installation gets the exact same grass and a colour-match guarantee.
While this is essential for professional artificial grass installers, it is equally important for DIY enthusiasts who want to install a fake lawn. Finding out that your grass doesn’t match will typically only happen during the installation process, and by this time, you could have wasted hundreds of pounds on a landscaping material you cannot use.
Of course, suppliers can only guarantee a batch colour match while stocks last, and there is little chance that you will find artificial grass from the same batch you purchased several months ago. But any reputable provider will ensure that every roll of artificial grass you buy from them for a single project matches perfectly.
So before landscaping your lawn with artificial grass this season, ask your retailer (or installer) if they batch colour match their rolls. If not, your grass may be greener, but only on one side of your lawn!