We have a small enclosed concrete garden that we converted into a living space for our two rabbits. We laid artificial grass down directly on the concrete, but when it rains it gets very waterlogged.
We want to add a drainage layer under the grass to help with this. We have considered:
Foraged twigs, loose bamboo, bamboo screening, or a wooden trellis, but they might rot.
Thick wire netting, but it may not lift the grass above the ground enough.
Rubber, plastic, or treated wood interlocking decking tiles, but they are too expensive. Same with bathroom/wet-area interlocking tiles.
Artificial grass underlay layer, but it is both too expensive, and might not work as it's mostly designed as a shock absorber layer.
Pea shingle / pebbles / stones, but they are too expensive, hard to remove once we move out, and might be uncomfortable.
We think the best options are either PVC screening or a wet area rubber drainage mat roll.
PVC Screening https://amzn.eu/d/g0ATZhC
Rubber Mat https://amzn.eu/d/hDQLQtn (we will need two of these)
The rubber mat seems like it is more appropriate since this is its designed purpose, however, they are usually used in areas that already have good drainage (e.g., a tile wet room). Looking at the option I posted above, I am worried it will not lift the grass up high enough, and there is also no clear path for the water to run along to reach the drain. Each cell in the drainage mat is effectively closed off from each other. Thicker options with better drainage are too expensive.
The PVC screening is cheaper, and it is pretty much the exact size we need for the garden, but I worry it will break when we stand on it. However, it is 5mm thick, and we can lay it in the direction we want the water to flow, so I think it could work very well.
Which of these types of products would drain effectively, or is there something more effective we haven't considered?
