When a Savannah lawn dies under the live oaks, turns to dust in full sun, or becomes a mud pit after a dog run, homeowners face a choice: restore it with natural sod, maintain a real grass lawn, or install artificial grass. This guide compares all three honestly, explains the vocabulary that confuses most searches, teaches you to read a turf specification, and shows you how to choose the right product for dogs, kids, putting greens, pools and everyday yards. The goal is for you to finish better informed than when you arrived, and to know what questions to ask any turf installer.
Savannah's climate and yards present real challenges. Long, hot, humid summers with near-daily afternoon thunderstorms, salt air from the marsh, and sandy soil over a high water table thin centipede lawns and create soggy patches where drainage fails. Shade from Spanish moss-draped live oaks and the salt-spray stress on barrier islands add to the difficulty. This guide is written for homeowners in Savannah and the surrounding areas who are weighing their options and want to understand what they are paying for.
Turf vs Artificial Grass: Is There a Difference?
The word turf causes confusion because it describes both natural sod and synthetic turf. In everyday use, when someone says turf, they might mean rolls of freshly harvested natural grass (sod) or manufactured synthetic grass. Artificial grass, synthetic turf, and artificial turf all name the same product: a synthetic fiber surface laid over a prepared base. To avoid confusion, this guide uses artificial grass or synthetic turf for the manufactured product, sod for natural grass, and real grass for a lawn grown from seed or sod.
Artificial grass and sports turf are not the same product. Landscape artificial grass is designed to look and feel like a lawn, with softer fibers, varied color, and a natural pile height. Sports turf is built for performance on fields, courts and putting greens, with denser piles, specialized infills, and fibers chosen for resilience under heavy use. The right choice depends entirely on what the yard will do: a residential backyard needs landscape turf; a dog run needs pet-rated turf with antimicrobial infill; a putting green needs purpose-built putting turf; and a play area needs turf rated for the fall height of the equipment. Asking a turf installer which product is right for your use, and getting the answer in writing with the product name and specifications, is the first step to a good installation.
Artificial Grass vs Real Grass in Savannah: An Honest Comparison
Artificial grass and a natural lawn are fundamentally different to live with in Savannah. A real grass lawn requires regular watering, mowing, fertilizing, and pest management, especially on a full-sun yard where centipede grass struggles or dies outright. In Savannah's heat and humidity, watering in summer is heavy and frequent, and afternoon thunderstorms do not replace deep irrigation on sandy soil. Artificial grass is low-maintenance, not maintenance-free: it needs occasional rinsing to remove dust and pollen, brushing to keep the pile standing upright, and periodic infill top-up to restore cushioning and drainage. The difference is real. A real lawn in good shade, with adequate moisture and care, will always look and feel like living grass. Artificial grass in the same shade will look flatter and wear more slowly because there is no growth to refresh it.
In full sun, the comparison reverses. Savannah's summer heat means a real grass lawn on a south or west-facing yard will thin, yellow, and often fail entirely. Artificial grass will hold its color and form, though it will get warm in direct sun (never deny this). A well-installed landscape turf with a light color, good drainage, and cooling infill options will be cooler underfoot than a bare dirt yard, and a rinsing on a hot day will drop the surface temperature noticeably. For dogs, artificial grass is usually the better choice because urine does not kill it, mud does not form in heavy-traffic areas, and antimicrobial infill reduces odor. For children and play, artificial grass offers a consistent, cushioned surface year-round, while a real lawn wears thin under heavy use and becomes muddy. Real grass still makes sense on a small budget, on a lawn in real shade where it grows well, where an HOA requires living grass, or for a homeowner who enjoys the work of lawn care and has the water and time to maintain it.
Turf vs Sod: When Natural Sod Is the Better Answer
Natural sod is grass grown in a nursery, cut into rolls or squares, and laid like carpet on prepared soil. It establishes quickly, offers instant color, and is the right answer for some yards. Sod makes sense on a small budget (it is cheaper up front than artificial grass), on a lawn in real shade where it will grow and thrive, where an HOA requires living grass, or for a homeowner who enjoys lawn maintenance. We do not install natural sod; we install artificial grass. Telling a homeowner that sod is the better choice for their yard is part of honest advice, even though it means we do not get the job.
Artificial grass wins on a full-sun yard that has never held a lawn, on dog runs where urine kills sod and mud forms, on yards where water use is a concern, and on any yard where the owner wants low-maintenance green space. Sod will need regular watering, mowing, and care to survive Savannah's heat and humidity; artificial grass will not. The upfront cost of artificial grass is higher, but over five to ten years, the labor and water savings add up. If you are unsure whether your yard is a good candidate for sod or artificial grass, we offer a free estimate and will give you an honest assessment. We will not promise HOA approval for artificial grass in your front yard; HOA architectural rules vary widely, and you will need to check your rules and submit for approval before we begin work. We will help you prepare the submittal and understand what the rules require.
Polyethylene vs Nylon vs Polypropylene Artificial Grass
Artificial grass fibers come in three main types, each with different properties and costs. Polyethylene is the landscape standard: it is soft to the touch, has a natural color variation, and resists UV fading well. It is the most common fiber in residential landscape turf and offers a good balance of appearance, durability, and cost. Nylon is the most resilient and heat-tolerant fiber available. It is stiffer than polyethylene, holds its shape under heavy traffic, and is used on putting greens, sports fields, and high-traffic commercial areas. Nylon costs more than polyethylene but lasts longer under intense use. Polypropylene is the budget fiber: it is less durable, fades faster in UV light, and is commonly found in cheap roll products sold online or at big-box stores. A very low price per square foot is usually a sign that the turf is polypropylene or that the base preparation is minimal.
The fiber family alone does not determine quality or longevity. A high-quality polyethylene turf with a dense pile, good backing, and proper infill will outperform a low-grade nylon turf. The choice of fiber depends on the use: landscape turf for a residential yard is almost always polyethylene; putting greens are usually nylon; and pet turf and sports turf may be either, depending on the product. When you get a quote, ask which fiber is in the turf, and compare that fiber to the use you have in mind. No fiber is universally the best. The right fiber is the one matched to your yard, your budget, and what you will do with it.
Face Weight, Pile Height, Thatch and Backing: Reading a Turf Spec
A turf specification sheet tells you what you are buying. Face weight, measured in ounces per square yard, describes the density of the fiber pile. A higher face weight means more fiber per square yard, which usually translates to a denser, more durable turf that wears longer and hides footprints better. However, a higher face weight is not automatically better: a very dense, heavy turf may feel stiff, and a lighter turf may be softer and more comfortable underfoot. The right face weight depends on the use. Putting turf is dense and heavy; residential landscape turf is moderate; and some soft play turfs are lighter. Pile height is the length of the fibers from backing to tip, measured in millimeters. Short pile (under 20 mm) is used for putting greens and pet areas because it resists matting and is easy to clean. Longer pile (30 to 50 mm) gives a lush, lawn-like appearance but wears faster and can mat down under heavy use.
Thatch is the curly, textured under-layer beneath the pile fibers. It props the blades upright, hides wear, and adds cushioning. A good thatch layer is a sign of quality turf. Backing is the base layer that holds the fibers in place; it can be latex or polyurethane, and it can be perforated (with small holes) or fully permeable (allowing water to drain through). Permeability is stated in gallons per hour per square foot (GPH/SF). A backing that allows at least 5 to 8 GPH/SF is standard for residential and pet turf; sports turf may require higher permeability. When you get a quote, ask for the turf product name, the fiber type, the face weight in ounces per square yard, the pile height in millimeters, the thatch description, the backing type and permeability rating, the infill type and pounds per square foot, the base material and depth, and how the base will be compacted. Get all of it in writing. A turf installer who cannot or will not provide these details is not the one to hire.
The Best Artificial Grass for Dogs, Kids, Putting and Pools
The best artificial grass for your yard depends on what it will do. For pet turf and dog runs, choose a short, dense pile (under 20 mm) that resists matting and is easy to rinse. The backing must be fully permeable or well-perforated so urine drains quickly and does not pool. Infill should include antimicrobial materials such as zeolite or a coated infill product like Envirofill to reduce odor. Drainage is critical: a dog run without proper base preparation and permeability will smell and become waterlogged. For playgrounds and school turf, softness and impact cushioning are the priorities. The turf must be rated for the fall height of the equipment (usually 6 to 12 feet for playground structures), and the infill must be engineered for safety. For putting green installation, you need dedicated putting turf, not landscape turf. Putting turf has a very short, dense pile, a firm backing, and a shaped base that allows the ball to roll predictably. For pool surround turf, heat management and drainage are key. Choose a light-colored turf that stays cooler in the sun, and ensure the base is well-drained so water does not pool around the pool deck.
When you specify a use, the turf installer should recommend a product matched to that use and explain why. Materials such as SYNLawn, TigerTurf, AstroTurf, and Envirofill exist in the market and can be sourced by many installers, but no single brand is universally best. The product is best when it matches your use, your budget, and the installer's expertise in the local climate. Ask your installer which products they recommend for your use and why, and ask for references from other yards with the same product in the same use.
How to Choose, and What to Get in Writing
When you are ready to choose, use this checklist to compare quotes fairly. First, get the turf product name, fiber type (polyethylene, nylon, or polypropylene), face weight in ounces per square yard, and pile height in millimeters, all in writing. Ask what infill will be used and how many pounds per square foot will be installed. Ask how deep the base will be, what material it will be (usually crushed stone or recycled asphalt), and how it will be compacted. Ask whether a weed barrier will be installed and how seams will be joined (usually with seam tape and adhesive or a seam glue). Ask for a certificate of insurance naming general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Once you have these details from each installer, compare quotes on the same specification, not on price alone. The cheapest quote may use a cheaper fiber, a thinner base, or skip base preparation entirely. A quote that is much lower than the others should raise a question: ask what is different.
We offer a free estimate that includes an on-site measurement, a walk-through of your yard and its drainage, and a written specification with face weight, pile height, infill type and pounds per square foot, base depth and material, and a price range. See our pricing page for more detail on how we quote and what affects cost. If you have questions about any of the topics in this guide, or if you want to discuss your yard, call us at (912) 666-2653.