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Artificial Turf

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Artificial turf is a plastic carpet laid on a compacted base: a shockpad or drainage layer, a permeable backing, tufted fibres and, on some systems, a loose infill of sand or rubber to hold the blades upright. It is bought in Australian gardens for the reasons you would expect — shaded courtyards where grass will not grow, small yards under permanent water restrictions, rental properties, rooftops and dog runs.

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The planning question is the one most homeowners miss. Landscaped area is a measured control in Australian planning, and the New South Wales Planning Portal describes it as the total pervious vegetated area on a site, measured directly from the development application plans. Areas to be turfed or existing lawn count; garden landscaped with hard surfaces does not. Synthetic turf is not vegetation and is not necessarily pervious, so whether it counts towards a landscaped area requirement is a live question for your council rather than an assumption to make.

The physical questions follow from the same fact. A surface that does not transpire gets hot in the sun in a way a lawn does not, and a surface that sheds rather than absorbs changes where the water goes. Both are manageable with the right base and the right location, and both are worse if the product is chosen before the site is understood.

Landscaped area, site coverage and whether synthetic turf counts

Many Australian councils set a minimum proportion of a residential lot that must be landscaped, and the definitions behind that control are about growing plants and pervious ground. The New South Wales Planning Portal's guidance on measuring landscaped area includes areas to be turfed or existing lawn, low-water-use planting, vegetable patches, fruit trees and permanent planter boxes, and areas disturbed during building that will be replanted. It excludes parts of a garden landscaped with hard surfaces, along with trellised climbers and movable pots.

Nothing in that guidance settles synthetic turf either way, which is precisely why it should be asked before the order is placed. If your approval or your local controls rely on a landscaped area figure, converting lawn to synthetic turf can put you below it. On a lot with an existing approval, ring the council's duty planner and get the answer for your site rather than taking a supplier's word for it.

What separates a good synthetic turf system from a cheap one

  • The base: a properly graded, compacted, free-draining base does more for longevity than the pile does.
  • Backing permeability and perforation spacing, which decide whether water gets through or sits on top.
  • Fibre type and pile height, which affect how quickly the surface flattens under traffic.
  • Whether the system uses loose infill, and if so what it is, because infill migrates and has to be topped up.
  • UV stabilisation, which matters more under Australian sun than under the conditions most products were developed for.
  • Joining method and edge restraint, since failed seams and lifting edges are the most visible failures.

Synthetic turf against lawn, and against the other options

  • Against natural lawn: no mowing, no watering and no seasonal dormancy, but no cooling, no soil life and a fixed replacement date.
  • Against paving: softer underfoot and cheaper to lay, but it will need replacing while paving will not.
  • Against mulched garden beds: better for play and traffic, worse for biodiversity, water infiltration and cost over decades.
  • Against a shade-tolerant groundcover: the groundcover is slower to establish but has no end of life.
  • Against gravel: kinder for children and pets, but harder to keep clean where leaf litter falls.
  • In deep shade under established trees, synthetic turf often wins simply because nothing else will grow there.

How a synthetic lawn should be installed

  • Strip the existing lawn and topsoil rather than laying over it, because organic material under the base will decompose and slump.
  • Set out falls so water moves to somewhere it can go, not to the house or the fence line.
  • Lay and compact the base in layers, since a base tipped in one lift will settle unevenly within a season.
  • Install a permanent edge restraint on every free edge, which is what stops the turf creeping and lifting.
  • Run the pile direction consistently and join sheets so the seams face away from the main view.
  • Brush in and level any infill, then power brush the surface to lift the pile before handover.

Heat, bushfire and the things to check before committing

A synthetic surface in full Australian sun becomes considerably hotter than a lawn in the same position, because it cannot transpire. That matters most where children and dogs use the surface in the middle of the day, and it is the single most common regret reported by owners of west-facing synthetic lawns. Shade, aspect and the ability to wet the surface down are worth more than any product feature.

On bushfire prone land, treat synthetic turf the way you treat any other combustible ground surface near a building. The CFA's landscaping guidance is that organic mulch can create a path of fuel that leads flames directly to a house, and recommends inorganic alternatives such as river pebbles or crushed rock in that zone. A plastic ground covering against the wall of a house in a bushfire area deserves the same scrutiny, and should be raised with your local fire authority or a bushfire consultant before it is laid.

Synthetic turf still needs looking after

  • Regular brushing against the pile direction to keep the blades upright in traffic areas.
  • Removing leaf litter, which otherwise breaks down into a layer that grows weeds on top of the turf.
  • Topping up infill where it has migrated, particularly on slopes and in high-traffic paths.
  • Rinsing pet areas, since a synthetic surface does not break anything down the way soil does.
  • Checking and re-fixing edges each year before they lift far enough to become a trip hazard.
  • Planning for replacement: unlike lawn, a synthetic surface has a finite life and a disposal problem at the end of it.

Artificial Turf: frequently asked questions

Does synthetic turf count as landscaped area for council purposes?

Ask your council, because it is not safe to assume. The NSW Planning Portal describes landscaped area as the total pervious vegetated area on a site and lists areas to be turfed or existing lawn as counting, while excluding garden landscaped with hard surfaces. Synthetic turf is neither vegetation nor reliably pervious, and councils take different positions. If a landscaped area figure supports an approval on your property, get the answer in writing before the turf is ordered.

Does artificial grass get too hot in Australia?

In full sun it gets substantially hotter than a lawn, because a plastic surface cannot cool itself by transpiring the way living grass does. The practical consequences are for bare feet and for dogs in the middle of a hot day. Aspect and shade are the main controls: the same product in a shaded courtyard behaves very differently from one on a west-facing yard. Being able to hose the surface down before use is a genuine mitigation.

Where does the rain go once the lawn is synthetic?

Through the perforated backing and into the base, if the base was built to take it, and then to wherever the falls send it. That is why the base and the finished levels matter more than the product: a synthetic lawn laid flat on clay, or laid falling towards the house, concentrates water in exactly the wrong place. Settle where the water goes before anyone talks about pile heights.

Can I lay synthetic turf over my existing lawn?

You can, and it is the most common shortcut, but the grass and topsoil underneath will break down and the surface will slump and dish within a couple of seasons. A proper installation strips the organic layer, builds and compacts a free-draining base in layers, sets the falls and restrains every edge. If a quote is dramatically cheaper than the others, the base is usually where the difference is.

How long does synthetic turf last?

Long enough that people forget it has an end date, and the honest answer depends on sun exposure, traffic and the quality of the fibre and backing, so avoid taking any headline figure at face value. What matters more for planning is that unlike a lawn it does not renew itself: at the end of its life it is a plastic product to be removed and disposed of. Ask the supplier what happens at that point before you buy.

Sources

  1. NSW Planning Portal: Measuring landscaped area
  2. NSW Planning Portal: Exempt development
  3. CFA: Landscaping for bushfire

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the cost of artificial turf

Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:

  • Size of the yard and the scope of the design
  • Grading, excavation and drainage work
  • Hardscape materials, such as stone, pavers or wood
  • Plants, sod and soil
  • Access for machinery
  • Removal of old materials, trees or stumps
  • How often visits are scheduled for ongoing services

How to compare turf installers before you hire

  • Choose a company that does the kind of work you need, since design, lawn care, tree work and hardscaping are different specialties.
  • For big projects, ask for a site plan or drawing before work starts.
  • Ask how they'll handle grading and drainage so water moves away from the house.
  • For tree removal or large pruning, look for a qualified arborist with liability insurance.
  • For ongoing services like lawn care or snow removal, get the visit schedule and what's included in writing.

Questions to ask turf installers before you hire

  • Can I see a plan or drawing before you start?
  • How will you handle drainage and grading?
  • Will you have underground utilities located before you dig?
  • Does any of this work need a permit, such as for a retaining wall, fence or tree removal?
  • What plants or materials do you recommend for our climate and my yard's sun and shade?
  • Do you guarantee plants or sod, and for what conditions?
  • Can you show me proof of liability insurance?

When to call a pro for artificial turf

  • Water that pools near the house or in the yard after rain
  • A tree that is leaning, cracked or has large dead branches over the house or a driveway
  • A retaining wall that is bulging, leaning or cracking

Artificial turf permits and local rules

Some artificial turf work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.

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