Artificial Grass Installation - 3-Step Guide to Preparing Your Garden
The most important aspect of creating an artificial grass lawn is the preparation.
There are no shortcuts.
This article outlines the steps you should follow to assess the suitability of your ground and prepare it for installation.
This includes taking accurate measurements, assessing ground conditions and removing the existing lawn grass layer.
1.
Measuring Mark off the area to be measured.
It can help to mark off the area with a spray paint or sand.
When measuring it is essential to incorporate an overlap of 100mm over each edge for coverage over the timber perimeter.
Artificial Grass comes in 2 metre and 4 metre wide rolls and can be supplied in lengths to suit you.
It is important to measure accurately to calculate the precise length and width needed.
2.
Survey/Ground Conditions Assess whether the ground terrain is subject to poor drainage.
In such cases, to ensure a satisfactory base, measures must be taken to install adequate and appropriate drainage.
If a new sub-surface is being constructed to take artificial grass, a slight fall should be incorporated to assist drainage (1:200 is ideal).
Porous (open textured) Macadam is particularly suitable as a sub base for all types of Artificial Grass.
Paving slabs are not satisfactory as a base because after a period of time the pattern of the slabs will show on the surface of the grass.
The slabs should be removed or covered with a thick layer of coarse sand.
Well compacted unbound aggregate (stone) bases are ideal and if an artificial lawn were to be built from scratch, this type of base would be recommended.
Any unbound surface, which drains and is stable and reasonably level, however is perfectly satisfactory.
If the surface is too rough it may be screeded with coarse sharp sand, prior to laying the grass to produce a smooth flat layer.
Whilst artificial grass may be laid directly onto an existing lawn, provided the drainage is satisfactory, this is not always very satisfactory in the long term.
The natural grass will die off and the roots will decay, causing unevenness in the surface.
Removal of the grass and compaction of the resulting soil base will overcome this problem, particularly if the soil is covered with a layer of compacted grit sand.
3.
Removal of Lawn Grass Remove the grass sod and all other vegetation and materials by hand or hire a turf cutter to save time and effort.
Grade out the soil to approximate levels removing any large protruding stones and firmly compact.
You should install drainage if necessary and then compact the ground using a vibrating plate that can be hired from an equipment hire company.
Once the above preparatory steps have been completed, you will be ready to install your artificial lawn.
Our next article will outline the steps in the installation process.
There are no shortcuts.
This article outlines the steps you should follow to assess the suitability of your ground and prepare it for installation.
This includes taking accurate measurements, assessing ground conditions and removing the existing lawn grass layer.
1.
Measuring Mark off the area to be measured.
It can help to mark off the area with a spray paint or sand.
When measuring it is essential to incorporate an overlap of 100mm over each edge for coverage over the timber perimeter.
Artificial Grass comes in 2 metre and 4 metre wide rolls and can be supplied in lengths to suit you.
It is important to measure accurately to calculate the precise length and width needed.
2.
Survey/Ground Conditions Assess whether the ground terrain is subject to poor drainage.
In such cases, to ensure a satisfactory base, measures must be taken to install adequate and appropriate drainage.
If a new sub-surface is being constructed to take artificial grass, a slight fall should be incorporated to assist drainage (1:200 is ideal).
Porous (open textured) Macadam is particularly suitable as a sub base for all types of Artificial Grass.
Paving slabs are not satisfactory as a base because after a period of time the pattern of the slabs will show on the surface of the grass.
The slabs should be removed or covered with a thick layer of coarse sand.
Well compacted unbound aggregate (stone) bases are ideal and if an artificial lawn were to be built from scratch, this type of base would be recommended.
Any unbound surface, which drains and is stable and reasonably level, however is perfectly satisfactory.
If the surface is too rough it may be screeded with coarse sharp sand, prior to laying the grass to produce a smooth flat layer.
Whilst artificial grass may be laid directly onto an existing lawn, provided the drainage is satisfactory, this is not always very satisfactory in the long term.
The natural grass will die off and the roots will decay, causing unevenness in the surface.
Removal of the grass and compaction of the resulting soil base will overcome this problem, particularly if the soil is covered with a layer of compacted grit sand.
3.
Removal of Lawn Grass Remove the grass sod and all other vegetation and materials by hand or hire a turf cutter to save time and effort.
Grade out the soil to approximate levels removing any large protruding stones and firmly compact.
You should install drainage if necessary and then compact the ground using a vibrating plate that can be hired from an equipment hire company.
Once the above preparatory steps have been completed, you will be ready to install your artificial lawn.
Our next article will outline the steps in the installation process.