Welcome to the Lone Star Turf FAQ pageβ€”your go-to resource for honest, straightforward answers about artificial grass. Whether you’re considering turf for your home, poolside, pet area, or commercial space, we know the decision comes with a lot of questions. From durability and maintenance to cost, heat, and warranties, our goal is to clear the air and help you feel confident every step of the way. At Lone Star Turf, we pride ourselves on transparency, craftsmanship, and treating every yard like it’s our own. Dive in below to learn what makes turf the smart, sustainable choice, and why Lone Star Turf are the trusted experts to bring your vision to life.

Artificial Turf Basics

How long will artificial turf last?

You can expect your turf to look good for upwards of 20 years. Our products carry a warranty of up to 16 years covering both the turf and our installation labor, standard on every project. The industry norm is closer to two years.

Is there any maintenance involved?

Yes. Turf is low-maintenance, not maintenance-free. Blow or rinse debris off occasionally with a leaf blower or a hose. Simple Green makes a hose-attachment product that works well for a deeper clean. Heavily used areas will lay flat over time and need grooming, which a stiff bristled broom handles in a few minutes. If you would rather not do it yourself, our turf cleaning and maintenance service covers it.

Does artificial turf smell?

It can, most often in small areas with several large dogs. Rinsing with water helps, and Simple Green outdoor odor eliminator works better. For pet areas we recommend building in an antimicrobial infill from the start rather than treating odor after the fact. More on our pet turf page.

 

Do you need to clean it? How do you clean it?

Pick up solid waste and rinse the remaining residue with a garden hose. That covers most of it. In summer it is worth rinsing more often, both for cleanliness and because water brings the surface temperature down before you use the yard.

What happens to water when it rains?

All of our turf except golf turf is perforated, so water passes through the surface instead of sitting on top of it. Below the turf, water follows the same path it already took across your yard before we got there.

If your yard has spots that hold water today, turf will not fix that on its own. We look at grading during the walkthrough and address it before any turf goes down. That work is part of the estimate, not a surprise line item later.

Artificial Turf Safety

Does artificial turf get hot?

Yes. Turf runs meaningfully warmer than natural grass in direct sun. Research from Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research puts synthetic turf roughly 35 to 55 degrees hotter than natural grass in the same conditions, and direct sunlight drives that more than air temperature does.

No product changes that. Cooling infills and heat-reducing fibers get marketed as a fix, and field testing of available infill materials has not found one that resolves it. We would rather tell you that in February than have you find out in July.

Here is what does work:

  • Shade. A pergola, shade sail, or mature tree changes the surface temperature in that spot permanently. Much cheaper to plan before install than to retrofit after.
  • A rinse right before you use the yard. Water brings the surface down for a while. Research on irrigated fields found it climbs back to within about ten degrees of where it started inside three hours, so rinse ten minutes ahead rather than at breakfast.
  • Timing. Surface temperature peaks mid-afternoon. Mornings and evenings stay comfortable through most of the summer.
  • The hand check. Back of your hand flat on the surface for five seconds before kids or pets go out. Same test you would use on a sidewalk or a car seat.

For the full breakdown, see Does Artificial Turf Get Hot?

Is artificial turf safe for kids and pets?Β 

The material is. Our turf is lab-tested, lead-free, and non-toxic, and most kids prefer it to natural grass since it isn’t itchy or messy to play on. Heat is the part worth managing, which is why we recommend the five-second hand check above before anyone goes out on a hot afternoon. We can also install play padding under the turf for added protection. Our turf is perforated to allow for proper drainage, so animal urine will not damage or stain our artificial turf. The realistic look & feel of our turf makes it appealing for pets. We can also provide an antimicrobial infill to promote cleanliness and reduce odor.Β 

Will artificial turf eliminate weeds?

It reduces weeds substantially without eliminating them entirely. We remove the natural grass, compact several layers of decomposed granite, and install a weed barrier under every non-putting-green installation, which makes it close to impossible for anything to come up through the surface.

What you may occasionally see is a weed rooted in the infill or along the border. Those pull out by hand, and diluted white vinegar handles the stubborn ones. Skip salt. It does not break down, it works into the base, and it will kill whatever is planted next to your turf. Full detail in Does Artificial Grass Prevent Weeds?




Will artificial turf reduce the presence of bugs?

It helps. Turf holds no standing water and no organic matter for pests to feed on or breed in. Most of our customers report noticeably fewer mosquitoes, water bugs, and ants.

Turf Cost and Installation

How much does artificial turf cost? What makes one turf more expensive than the other?

Turf is priced by the square foot. Installed cost in Texas generally runs $10 to $25 or more per square foot, depending on turf quality, site conditions, and how much prep your yard needs. Our pricing guide walks through it by tier, and our full cost breakdown covers what drives the final number.

One thing worth knowing while you shop. Many companies buy turf from the same handful of manufacturers and relabel it under proprietary-sounding names so it seems exclusive. We do not rebrand our turf. We will tell you exactly what product is going in your yard and who makes it.

How is artificial turf installed?

Proper installation is the whole ballgame. Poor installation shows up as wrinkling, loose edges, and settling. Every one of our installs follows the same six steps:

  1. Scrape the yard. All grass, roots, and vegetation come out so the area is smooth and free of organic material.
  2. Install metal edging. Turf cannot have live edges, meaning any edge that does not terminate against a hard surface like concrete, masonry, or edging.
  3. Build and compact the base. Two to three inches of base material, compacted several times for a flat, stable surface. A slight grade is maintained so water moves off the surface rather than pooling.
  4. Arrange and secure the turf. We cut the turf to fit your space and secure it with a combination of nails, seaming tape, glue, and staples.
  5. Spread and groom the infill. A generous layer of infill goes down and gets worked in with a professional groomer.
  6. Clean up. Our crews haul off every scrap and leave the yard clean.Β 

Will I notice lines/seams in the artificial turf?

Seams are where two pieces of turf join. Our crews have gotten very good at concealing them, and you would generally have to look closely and on purpose to find one. We also offer enhanced seam blending using specialized equipment on projects where it matters.

How long does it take to install artificial turf?

It depends on the size and complexity of the project. Most of our installs run one to three days.

What areas do you serve?

We install across Central Texas and beyond, with offices serving Austin from Lakeway and San Antonio from Thousand Oaks. The full list is on our areas we serve page.

Why choose Lone Star Turf?

How is Lone Star Turf different from other artificial turf companies?

Five things, and you can hold us to all of them.

  1. Quality over volume. A lot of turf companies run production-based models built to finish as many jobs as fast as possible. That produces installs that need fixing. We would rather do fewer yards properly.
  2. Locally owned and operated. Lone Star Turf is owned by Patrick Walthall, a Texan who grew up in Lakeway. Patrick is involved in the business day to day rather than running it from somewhere else.
  3. Up to 16 years covering both product and our installation labor. Most companies in this category offer one to three years.
  4. More than turf. We also handle xeriscaping, rock beds, pavers, and outdoor lighting, so a yard project does not require three separate contractors.
  5. Honesty is the whole model. No rebranded product, no hidden fees, and no claims we cannot back up. If turf is not right for your space, we will tell you that on the walkthrough.

Still have a question we did not answer? Get a free estimate or call us at (512) 696-9392. We will walk your property and give you real numbers.

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