At a glance
No mowing contract
Hard-to-maintain strips, boulevards and courtyards stay green without weekly visits.
Built for traffic
Denser, tougher turf and a deeper base where customers or tenants walk all day.
Dog daycares and kennels
Pet-grade turf with drainage and odour control sized for a pack, not one dog.
Scheduled around you
Installers who do commercial work plan around opening hours, tenants and access.
Where businesses use turf
Commercial artificial turf in Ontario mostly solves a maintenance problem. A courtyard that never gets enough sun, a steep boulevard the mowing crew hates, a rooftop terrace that can't take sod, or a rental property where nobody waters the lawn: each costs money every summer and still looks tired by August. Turf changes that into a one-time job plus light care.
- Restaurant and bar patios. Turf over concrete or decking for a garden feel, laid on a drainage layer so spills and rain run off.
- Rental and condo properties. Common areas, small front yards, courtyards and dog relief areas that look kept without a landscaping crew every week.
- Offices and hotels. Rooftop terraces, amenity spaces and entrances.
- Dog daycares, groomers and kennels. Play yards and relief areas built like a heavy-duty pet install: fast drainage, odour-control infill, daily rinsing.
- Events and retail. Temporary turf for trade shows, pop-ups, photo walls and outdoor events, laid and lifted again.
What changes for commercial work
The build is the same idea as a home lawn, a compacted base under a properly seamed turf, but the specification is heavier:
- Traffic. Areas that customers or tenants walk across all day need a denser, more resilient turf and often a deeper base along paths.
- Drainage. Large areas need a planned drainage route, especially over clay or near buildings. On roofs, the building's membrane and drains come first.
- Accessibility. If the area is part of an accessible route, a firm, level surface without loose infill matters, and the edges need to be flush.
- Documentation. Property managers and insurers often ask for product data, warranties and, indoors or on rooftops, fire test information.
Dog daycares and pet businesses
A dog daycare yard sees more urine in a day than a home yard sees in a month. That changes everything about the install: a fully permeable pet turf, a base built to drain fast, an odour-control infill such as zeolite, and a hose-down routine every day, with an enzyme cleaner on a schedule. Plan where the rinse water goes, and give the dogs shade, because turf gets hot in full sun. See pet turf for how pet installs are built.
Rental properties
Landlords with student rentals or multi-unit buildings often turf small front and back yards so the property looks kept between tenants. Check the municipality's rules on front-yard landscaping first; some cities count only soft landscaping toward front-yard requirements, and the Ontario turf rules guide has the questions to ask.
Upkeep on commercial properties
Commercial turf looks best with a simple schedule written into the property's maintenance plan: debris removal weekly, brushing of the busiest paths monthly, rinsing in dry spells, a professional deep clean and infill top-up once or twice a year, and an inspection of seams and edges each spring. For dog businesses, add daily rinsing and a regular enzyme treatment. Many installers offer maintenance visits; it's worth asking when you get the installation quote.
Timing
Commercial installs are usually scheduled around the business: early mornings, closed days, or the off-season for patios. Large areas with good access can go quickly; rooftops and courtyards reached through the building take longer. Ask the installer for a schedule in writing, including when the area will be closed.
For tenants' and customers' safety, ask the installer to flag any trip edges, transitions to other surfaces and slopes in the area before work starts.
What it costs
Commercial pricing depends on scale and access; large, simple areas cost less per square foot than small, fiddly ones. For a starting point, Ontario installers publish $5–$22 per sq ft for installed artificial grass at residential scale; the cost guide lists every figure. A local installer quotes commercial work after a site visit.
Getting a quote
Send the property type, the area, what's there now, how the space is used, and any timing constraints (opening hours, tenants, a season). We'll pass it to an installer who does commercial turf in your area.
Questions people ask
Is artificial turf good for a restaurant patio?
Yes, laid over the patio on a drainage layer so rain and spills run off. Choose a turf that cleans easily and keep it away from open flames and heaters.
What turf do dog daycares use?
Pet turf with a fully permeable backing, a fast-draining base and an odour-control infill such as zeolite, rinsed daily and enzyme-cleaned on a schedule.
Can turf go on a commercial rooftop?
Often, with the building owner's approval and a plan for the membrane, drains and fire safety. It is usually laid over a drainage layer or pavers, never fastened through the roof.
Does commercial turf need maintenance?
Less than grass: debris removal, brushing, rinsing and infill top-ups. High-traffic and pet areas need it more often.