Artificial Lawn Installation Guide
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Disclaimer on Artificial Lawn Installation
1. Identify and mark off the area that you will install Artificial Lawn with an outdoor spray can marker. Consider the dimensions of your Artificial Lawn to try to get as few seams as possible with your layout. 2. Remove sod by using shovels, using/renting a gas powered sod puller or engaging a local landscaper to remove the sod. You will wish to remove approximately 2” to 3” of soil. Ideally, the sub base will be pitched slightly towards the best direction to allow for water drainage to run-off. Also, after the sub base and Artificial Lawn is installed, you will want to have the edges of the Artificial Lawn at an even level with the natural landscape. 3. Cap Sprinklers. Turn off valves. 4. Compact existing ground to "firm it up fully" (you can rent a vibrating plate compactor at most rental centers). 5. Spray weed/grass killer and place a weed barrier mesh down (not always necessary in all areas of the country, such as in the desert). 6. Sub-Base: It is very important to ensure the sub-base is completely dry before laying any rock aggregate to reduce settling and ensure proper compaction for the surface. Once you confirm that the sub-base is dry, add a top layer of rock aggregate (1/4" minus is best so you don't feel any protruding rocks when you walk on your Artificial Lawn) - - ask your local nursery or rock yard what material local landscapers use under paving bricks, etc. The purpose is to firm and level your base. 1" -3" of base is usually enough, although in some areas of the country where soil is especially unstable you may need up to 5” of base material; just ask a local expert like a nursery, landscape center, or rock yard if you are not sure. *** Please note if more than 3” of base material is used, you will also need to increase the amount of soil removal. 7. Spread, and then compact the sub base material twice. Use the vibrating compactor again. 8. Top Based Sand. Spread a fine layer of sand (aprox. 1/8" using just an ordinary seed drop spreader) on the surface to make it more level. 50lb. bags of "play sand" are available at large home improvement stores for a low cost. You may also use a water-filled (250 lb) sod roller for an even more level surface. You can rent these for very little cost. 9. Check surface for depressions. Any depression areas 1/8" - 1/4" or deeper should be filled-in and re-leveled. Although the turf also drains vertically through the drainage holes that are manufactured in the fake grass, it is still advisable to give the sub-base a slight slope, to avoid any pools of water (slope away from buildings). 10. Roll out Turf. Position the fake grass where it goes, be accurate (so you don't cut off turf you actually need). Note: Try to avoid dragging the turf. 11. Cut the turf. Cut off excess material so it's easier to work with. Always use a sharp blade in your utility knife! Make sure turf is still positioned where it goes. Now, trim turf more exactly with straight lines. For optimal performance and beauty, make sure the turf is installed exactly over the prepared based. 12. Seaming. Where two pieces of turf come together you will need to make a seam. It's really not that difficult as the Artificial Lawn is fairly high and seams are generally less noticeable than that of thin pile carpet. You can always pay a local carpet installer to help you for a few hours with this process if it makes you feel more comfortable although it usually isn't necessary for most. The seams are simply glued together with any outdoor carpet glue (honey color glue seems to work best) and 12” wide seaming tape. At the joining seam, a 12” wide piece of seaming
tape should be cut to the length of the seam. The
turf is to be laid seam to seam the way that it
should look to ensure it fits tightly together
before it is glued. Note: The pattern of turf
stitching on the under side must run in the same
direction before the two pieces are adhered. Both
sides of the turf at the seam must be pulled back in
order to install the seam tape. Note: Before
adhering both pieces ensure that both edges have
been properly trimmed, straight, and will match up
perfectly. Lay the seam tape down on the base
directly between the two pieces of turf that are to
be joined. Apply gluing compound to the entire piece
of seam tape with a notched trowel. Place one side
of the turf in the middle of the tape (approximately
6”) to the center of the tape. Lay the other side of
the turf over the middle of the seam tape to match
up exactly to the turf that has just been adhered to
the tape. Mesh the fibers together with fingers or
brush. Note: Allow 24 hours for glue to properly
dry. The following procedures can be administered
during the drying time, but turf may shift and
require repositioning. 12. Infill Preparation. Once glue has dried, trim off turf so your lawn fits as desired. Next, it is a good idea to nail the perimeter every 1-2 feet with 40-60d nails (4-6 inch length). In order to prepare to infill the turf, rake or power broom the turf in the opposite direction that the turf is laying on the roll. This will allow the infill material to infiltrate the turf rapidly and prevent turf blades from getting trapped underneath. 13. Artificial Lawn Infill. The infill process will now commence using a standard seed drop spreader with either sand or crumb rubber as an infill. The infill helps to weigh the turf down, and stabilize the fibers so as to help avoid "matting". Most use sand infill as it is the least expensive (approx. $3 for a 50lb. bag compared to rubber infill approx. $10 for a 50lb. bag). Of course rubber is more shock absorbent than sand, so choose what you can afford and prefer, although it is advisable to have at least the top half in rubber infill. You want to calculate the amount of infill in advance, as you will want to leave 5/8” (+/- 1/8”) of grass blade exposed. As a general rule of thumb, approximately 1 ½ pounds of sand equals ½ inch of infill height. For a crumb rubber infill, use a 10-20 mesh rubber with approximately 1 pound of rubber per sq ft for every 1/2” of infill height. Depending upon the pile height of the product the infill combination varies (ask your salesperson). Spread the infill in several passes. As you spread the infill you should make one entire pass on the surface then sweep it down into the fibers, repeating the process until all of your infill has been spread. 14. Optional Edging around Artificial Lawn.
Depending on your yard, you may want to install some
type of edging material around your new artificial
lawn. Examples are natural stone, rock borders,
metal edging and plastic edging (similar to what is
used around flower beds) are popular. If not, new
natural grass may be laid around the area to provide
proper tie-in and to ensure the best appearance. We can help you select the right fake grass products for your waterless lawn or synthetic lawn needs. We go beyond competitors with our simulated grass and replicated grass systems. Our artificial grass or synthetic turf systems can also be used for many sports field turf and indoor sports fields needs. Sports field uses include football turf, soccer turf or indoor soccer. |