Artificial grass can provide a wide range of benefits to your residence or workplace, from lowering long-term maintenance costs to boosting visual appeal all year long. However, there are certain mistakes that you’ll want to avoid while installing your turf. Fortunately, we have some artificial grass installation tips for your DIY project to help make sure you can have the beautiful lawn of your dreams.
#1 Choosing the Right Turf Product
It would seem choosing the right artificial grass for your project is somewhat easy, but in reality it can be difficult. People tend to hold an artificial turf sample and make a choice based off what is perceived as “better” or “quality.” First, most people feel & stroke the grass blades of the turf sample like they would a new puppy, and often make a decision of purchase on how soft the product feels. Which in reality, you would think you want something that’s enjoyable to the touch. But, the touch or “hand” of the product is no indicator. Realistically, once the turf is installed you’ll never pet it again. Plus, a product that is overly soft, once in warm sunlight, tends to fall over, or lay down. Buying a turf product that is a little stiff to the touch isn’t a bad idea. One of the biggest mistakes we see people make is choose a product that is too thick. Yes this goes against all that you’ve been taught that bigger and thicker is better, but in the case of synthetic lawns nothing could be further from the truth. Products that that are overly thick, tend to look like carpet, and do not have a disheveled natural grass look.
We offer the latest premium artificial grass products available on the market. The length and texture of our turf are manufactured to perform while maintaining the appearance of natural grass. The quality of the blades is superior to other brands as they hold up against high traffic and rough playdays. It also meets or exceeds all local and federal government regulations for durability and safety. Our wide selection of artificial grass is not only safe for the environment but also for children and animals. We have turf for a variety of applications, from tee lines to playgrounds to indoor sports fields, your synthetic turf project can be done right, with the latest and most proven turf installation techniques and the highest-quality materials available.
#2 Preparation & Base Work
The foundation of your installation is quite possibly the most important step. If your ground/base work is shoddy, uneven and has undulations and bumps, then this will show on the finished surface. Small bumps, depressions, and lack of contour will make your finished synthetic grass appear, well, very artificial looking. As well, making the installation surface completely pool table flat, also gives the impression of unnatural. Typically it’s best to have a slight crown to your surface. This crown can be very subtle or even prominent, and helps with water flowing and sheeting off the synthetic grass.
If you’re installing artificial grass atop well-draining soil, you’ll have little to no problems. This is because synthetic grass drains great. If on top of poorly draining soil, install an efficient drainage system. If your location experiences very light rain, drainage gaps every six inches around the perimeter should be enough. With a landscaping rake, smooth out the base material. You can make use of a string, bubble level, and ruler to grade flat surfaces to a 2–3% slope. This downslope will contribute to the efficiency of your drainage system.
Depending on where you live geographically, the material you use for your subbase and the depth in which you need to dig could vary. Places like Arizona and Nevada actually have decomposed granite and crushed rock beneath it already. Regions that experience harsh winters like Minnesota or Wisconsin, need a trench of at least 6-8 inches to accommodate the extreme weather that makes the grass expand and contract. But for an area with a mild climate, buy gravel, crushed rock, decomposed granite, or pretty much any material smaller than ⅜ inches. Pour around 3 – 4 inches of the base material to improve drainage and prevent the grass from slumping.
#3 Carefully Trim the Turf
Trim at least by 2 – 3 stitch rows out. The edges of the grass patch are the weakest parts of the turf, so as to avoid the edges of your yard caving to either side, eliminate the problem. Cut it off! You can use a utility knife or a carpet cutter to cut the underside of the turf. For long cuts, cut short distances at a time and repeatedly compare the edges to make sure there are no visible gaps. You may also use a marker to draw a line guide onto the back of the turf.
If you are cutting to prepare for a seam, always remove the outer three tufts and the factory edge. When your two pieces of grass are laying side-by-side, the joining blades want to be standing vertically, not leaning towards each other. When trimming out your project to a patio edge or garden edge, you want to make sure you have enough blade sticking out of your knife to be cutting the backing before the blades.
Cutting up to a wall or fence requires a bit more patience, but with a sharp blade and steady hand, you will make quick work of your cuts. Folding the turf back, press it tight to the corner and place your blade against the backing where it lands closest to the wall. Lift the turf up, cut 6 inches at a time, then lay it back down to check the fit.
Take your time, you don’t want the backing tight against your edges. Relief cuts are essential when cutting around corners, trees or posts. Start from the furthest outward point and cut through from the backing out to the edge of the grass. Remove any excess grass so that your next cut is more manageable. Similar to cutting against a wall or a fence, fold the turf back, eyeball the point where the backing meets the object and make small outward relief cuts. This allows you to then cut from point to point, fitting your grass to the objects exact curvature.
Take your time around curves and angles so that there are no voids when you are finished cutting. A sharp blade will give you a clean cut with out fraying the edge of the backing. When you’re finished with your cuts, the grass should lay loosely around any objects without touching them. This will make for a beautiful, more natural look around stone, block trees, or whatever perimeter you may have on your install site.
