Outdoor Carpet vs Artificial Grass: Which is Right for Your Home?

Crafting the perfect outdoor living space for your home can be a real challenge, particularly when you’re not sure which products are the right choice for your specific needs and goals. Your home and family are unique, and you deserve to have an outdoor living space that fits your individual style and purpose.  

House Home & More makes it easy to design the outdoor living space of your dreams with stylish, durable, and comfortable outdoor carpet and artificial turf so you and your family can spend less time focused on the “how” of creating your outdoor oasis and more time enjoying it with each other.

Deciding between a rug made of artificial turf, and an outdoor carpet can get confusing as you try to understand the different types of products. To help you get started, here's a few of our customer's frequently asked questions.

 

1. What is the difference between outdoor carpet and artificial grass?

Our outdoor carpet is usually intended for long-term use and is designed to handle heavy foot traffic. It's also durable, soft, and helpful to make your outdoor setting more comfortable and attractive. Most commonly, it’s a quick solution for an old deck or rough patio that could use a facelift. Just find a color or pattern that fits with the style you're putting together, and cover the deck with an outdoor carpet, outdoor carpet runner, or artificial turf.

Please note! Our artificial turf is not the same as the synthetic grass/ turf that's intended for permanent installation. It's a product intended for temporary use, only. You can read our guide to decorating with artificial turf to learn all the specific details about what makes these types of turf different.

You can measure and cut the carpet to fit a variety of spaces, no matter the size or shape. Or you can simply lay down an outdoor carpet runner with finished edges, and skip any trimming or customizing.

Artificial turf is often called many names: artificial grass, synthetic grass, landscaping grass, sports turf, etc. The reason for this is that there are different purposes for different types of artificial grass.

House Home & More artificial turf is designed to add comfort and style to your outdoor spaces. It’s meant for shorter-term use than carpet and adds a nice accent to everyday fun. Our artificial turf is durable but lightweight and easy to roll up and store away.

It is not intended to be used as landscaping turf or a grass surface for pets. So if that's the kind of turf you're looking for, it's better to go elsewhere!

 

2. How are outdoor carpet and artificial turf similar?

House Home & More outdoor carpet and artificial turf have a variety of similarities:

• Both have features like UV protection and mold and mildew resistance to help them tolerate different climates and weather conditions.
• Both can be used as rugs to cover large areas or as runners to highlight pathways and define your outdoor living space. This is especially useful for areas with lots of foot traffic.
• Both can be used to transform your outdoor space into an at-home getaway, or to add a touch of elegance and color as part of the flooring for events and parties.
• Both are available in a variety of colors.

If you're shopping for something to cover a large area, we recommend you explore our outdoor carpets or artificial turf. For a narrow area like a pathway, outdoor carpet runners are best. For events where you want to be certain the corners of the turf will stay in place with stakes, we recommend you use an outdoor turf rug. 

Speaking of events, one of the most common questions we get about outdoor carpet runners vs. artificial turf runners is for weddings! If you're planning an outdoor wedding ceremony, we generally recommend you use an outdoor carpet runner.

You might want to use something different though, depending on the context of your wedding venue. We have another article that might be more helpful for you in this case, and I hope reading our outdoor wedding aisle runner guide gives you the help you need!

 

3. What is the best surface to lay outdoor carpet or artificial grass on top of?

Outdoor carpet is best suited for adding padded comfort to concrete, wood, tile, and other hard surfaces. Our carpet features a durable rubber backing that can tolerate tough surfaces well. The carpet also has a medium-light weight that helps keep it from shifting too easily under your feet.

In the case of weddings, we recommend you use an outdoor carpet runner for the aisle, even if it's going to be laid down over grass. The softness of the carpet makes extra sure your dress won't get snagged, and the stiffness of the carpet helps add stability if you're walking on heels. 

Artificial turf can be placed on the same hard surfaces as carpet, but it also does well on soft surfaces like grass and dirt. Our artificial turf rugs and runners feature professional quality grommets that allow you to stake the material securely in place on soft surfaces. If you're curious about turf placement, you can learn how to attach an artificial turf runner to concrete for your event.

 

4. Can you use outdoor carpet on grass?

Our outdoor carpet is generally best suited for hard surfaces like concrete, tile, and wood. It can be used on softer surfaces, but it doesn't have corner grommets to help secure it in place.

 

If you're looking for a securely fastened rug or runner to cover grass as a temporary addition to an event space, we recommend using our artificial turf. Spectrum series turf is our most durable variety.

You can also explore outdoor turf rugs and artificial turf runners if having a finished edge with corner grommets is important to you. 

 

5. Can outdoor carpet and artificial grass rugs get wet?

House Home & More outdoor carpet and artificial turf are not waterproof, but both are mold and mildew resistant. This makes them suitable for a variety of outdoor environments, like pool decks or boat docks. It also makes them easy to clean - just hose off and let air dry!

When you need to clean your outdoor carpet or artificial grass rug, we have easy cleaning instructions ready for you.

 

6. Are outdoor carpet and artificial grass good for pets?

Our outdoor carpet and artificial turf provide comfort for your entire family, including your pets! Hard surfaces naturally heat up in the summer months and your dogs will appreciate the added protection of carpet or turf under their paws and bellies.

However, neither products feature drainage holes and are not intended as proper surfaces for your dogs to go to the bathroom on.

If you have a four-legged friend you're shopping for, go ahead and explore our guide to shopping for pet-friendly rugs. 

 

7. Which product is right for me?

When it comes to deciding between outdoor carpet vs artificial turf, the answer depends on which is best suited for your individual home. It’s even possible that your intended use of your outdoor space requires a blend of both materials!

Your family has a unique style and enjoys specific activities, and your outdoor living space should reflect these characteristics to enhance your happiness. You deserve to have the home of your dreams, and House Home & More is here to help give you the tools, resources, and support you need to create it.