What Is Lawn Paint and Should You Use It?

The grass is greener where you paint it. Patchy, dead grass is no fun to look at, and with lawn paint, you can fix it with a few quick sprays and no water. And while lawn paint is particularly popular in places like California and Arizona where it’s nice and hot, and where water conservation rules often apply, grass paint can be used anywhere from coast to coast.

If you have spots in your yard where a pet frequently goes to the bathroom, or dead spots that don’t ever seem to get enough sun, or you’re just trying to save a little water, lawn paint may be one possible solution.

The Scoop

Grass paint is a green paint used to cover dead spots in your lawn and to make a growing (but lackluster) lawn a little greener. Though it can be used residentially, chances are that you’ve seen a golf course or public space that uses this product without even knowing that's what you were looking at.

You can pay companies to come spray your lawn, but most big box stores with home and garden centers carry lawn paint, and all you need to do is mix the concentrate with water and spray it evenly across the dead spots in your own grass.

Make sure to read the back of the box before you buy, though. Especially if you have little lawn lovers who like to run around in the grass or kick a soccer ball every now and then, you'll want to make sure your paint is biodegradable and safe.

The Trick

The trick to a great looking lawn paint job lies almost solely in the prep work. And while it's important to spray evenly, it’s just as important to make sure that you’re spraying carefully. No one wants splotchy green siding or green sidewalk splatters on the front walk. When you’re careless with lawn paint, you may end up with green splotches on hard surfaces you weren't trying to color.

Make sure to read the specific instructions on the back of your specific brand of grass paint. Pull a Santa and read them twice—it’s important to follow the steps meticulously so you end up with the right color in the right places—safely.

Before you start spraying, decide where you want the paint. If you're spraying near cement structures, cover them with tarps. Laying a tarp across your sidewalk is easy, but you may need to whip out painters tape for covering the house siding or a basement stairwell. Move all lawn furniture off the lawn and cover up any patio furniture as well.

Weather can make or break lawn paint, so do your best to paint dry grass that hasn’t been watered in a day or two—by you or by mother nature. You’re also going to want to check the forecast and make sure that it’s a nice and clear day with no wind, or you may end up green as grass yourself.

Lastly, check your mixture in a small patch to make sure your garden mister is spraying nice and fine, and that you’ve got a color that looks natural. After you’ve got the green right, spray the lawn with a fine mist and layer on the color till you achieve the look you want.

The Logistics

Different factors like weather and brand play a part in how long a lawn paint job lasts, but generally speaking, people can expect to get a few months of green grass out of an hour of spraying.

If you’re worried about mother nature, or any little feet that might wander onto your lawn, be extra vigilant in checking labels. If you decide to bring in an outside expert to spray for you, ask if the products are biodegradable, non-toxic, and safe. If you’re tackling grass paint as a DIY, make sure to do your research on all the product ingredients listed on the back of the box.

The cost of painting your lawn will also vary quite a bit. If you’re painting a big lawn, you may end up spending over two hundred dollars. Smaller lawns, or just covering spots in the lawn, will likely cost you around thirty bucks.

The Next Steps

Give yourself a leg up on landscaping by prepping next year’s lawn this year. And if you’d like grass paint to be the last option, check out a few other ways to battle the brown spots in your lawn like a pro.