# Artificial turf guides

> Plain-language artificial turf guides for Canada: cost, installation, turf vs sod, dogs, winter, infill, cleaning, how long it lasts and Ontario rules.

Canonical: https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides

What artificial turf costs, how it is built and installed, how to look after it through dogs and Canadian winters, and the rules worth checking. Sourced and dated.

## Costs

- [Artificial Turf vs Sod in Ontario: Cost Now and Over 10 Years](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-vs-sod) - How artificial turf and new sod compare in Ontario: what each costs to put in, what each costs to keep up over 10 years, and when each one makes sense.
- [Playground Turf Cost in Ontario (2026): Daycares, Schools and Backyards](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/playground-turf-cost) - What playground turf with a safety pad costs installed in Ontario in 2026, from a Toronto-area installer’s published prices, for daycares, schools and backyard play areas.
- [Backyard Putting Green Cost in Ontario (2026)](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/putting-green-cost-ontario) - What a backyard putting green costs installed in Ontario in 2026, per square foot and by size, from Toronto installers’ published prices.
- [Artificial Turf Cost in Ontario (2026): Price per Square Foot, Installed](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-cost-ontario) - What artificial grass costs installed in Ontario in 2026, per square foot and for a whole yard, from Ontario installers’ published prices and HomeStars, plus pet turf and the DIY material cost.

## Choosing and installing turf

- [Artificial Turf Pros and Cons: An Honest Look for Canadian Homeowners](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-pros-and-cons) - What artificial turf does well and what it does badly, without the sales pitch, so you can decide whether it's right for your yard.
- [Indoor Putting Greens: Basements, Garages and Simulator Rooms](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/indoor-putting-green) - How to plan an indoor putting green that rolls true: how much space, what goes under the turf, how to add break, and how it fits with a simulator.
- [Costco and Home Depot Artificial Turf vs a Pro Install](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/costco-home-depot-artificial-turf) - Big-box turf can be good value, but it's the turf only. What to check on the box, what you still have to buy, and when a specialty supplier or an installer makes more sense.
- [Artificial Turf Infill: Types, How Much You Need and Which to Choose](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-infill) - What infill does, the main types and what each suits, the published rates per square foot, and how to put it down without wasting it.
- [How to Choose Artificial Turf: Pile Height, Face Weight, Fibres and Backing](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/choosing-artificial-turf) - What each number on a turf spec sheet means, which ones matter for your yard, and how to compare samples without being sold the most expensive roll.
- [How to Install Artificial Turf: A Step-by-Step Guide for Canadian Yards](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/how-to-install-artificial-turf) - The whole job in order, from utility locates to the last pass of infill, with the details that keep turf flat through a Canadian winter.

## Care, pets and winter

- [How Hot Does Artificial Turf Get? What the Research Shows](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-heat) - Turf in full sun gets much hotter than grass. What the measurements show, which fixes help and which barely do, and how to plan a yard around it.
- [How Long Does Artificial Turf Last? Lifespan, Warranties and Wear](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/how-long-does-artificial-turf-last) - What sets the lifespan of a turf lawn or field, the signs it's near the end, and the habits that add years.
- [How to Clean Artificial Turf: A Season-by-Season Routine](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/how-to-clean-artificial-turf) - A simple routine that keeps turf looking new: what to do weekly, monthly and each season, how to get rid of pet smell and stains, and what never to use.
- [Artificial Grass for Dogs: Smell, Heat, Digging and What Works](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-grass-for-dogs) - Everything dog owners ask before switching to turf: smell, heat, safety, digging, cleaning, and how a pet install differs from a normal lawn.
- [Artificial Turf in Winter: Snow, Ice and Freeze-Thaw in Canada](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-winter) - Turf survives Canadian winters fine if it's built on a draining base. How to clear snow, what to keep off it, and what to do in spring.
- [Best Artificial Turf for Dogs (2026): Backings, Infill and Prices Compared](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/best-artificial-turf-for-dogs) - Which artificial turf works best for dogs: knitted no-infill turf, permeable and hole-punched pet turf, and retail rolls, compared on drainage, infill, heat and price from makers’ own spec pages and Canadian retail listings.

## Rules and safety

- [Artificial Turf Rules in Ontario: Front Yards, Condos, Trees and Permits](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-rules-ontario) - A checklist of what to check before turf goes down in Ontario, from locates and front-yard rules to tree by-laws, conservation areas, condo boards and playground standards.