How to Prep For Artificial Grass Installation
Artificial grass was previously developed for sports uses, such as the famous Astrodome. That paved the way for residential and business owners to start taking advantage of the turf being available on the market. Artificial grass is much different today compared to back in the 60s — it is softer, more lifelike, and has better performance in comparison to regular grass. If you are wondering what kind of prep work you have to do to be sure of a problem-free project, read on.
Identify Ground Conditions
Determining the ground conditions in the specific location you’re considering installing artificial turf is one of the primary steps to prepping for synthetic grass installation. Determining the soil type, how good is the drainage, and what aggregate will need to be added are the right starting points. Getting the professionals in for this step can help you save some pain.
Prepare the Ground
To begin preparing for a synthetic yard, you are required to decide where it’s going to be installed. Once you decide on a rough outline, you should measure the ground and make boundaries where you desire the turf to end. You don’t have to be absolutely precise in measurements, as your artificial grass installer will take additional final measurements.
Remove Decorations or Plants
If you installed any yard decorations, it’s important to move these to a space out of the way for a fast installation. If you have plants that you would like to preserve, discuss with your turf installer to know how you can move them or leave them in the same location. They might need to come up with a special design for cutting turf around any hedges or trees you want to Retain.
Consider Drainage
Artificial turf drains better than natural grass, but you should still be cautious if any area of your lawn is subject to water pooling. If you have regions of the yard where that occurs, you should consider installing a drainage system to ensure proper water drainage out of your yard.
Call the Experts
Installing artificial turf can be undertaken as a DIY project, but more often than not, you will meet unanticipated problems, have to buy tools you’ll just use one time, or have high rental prices on equipment. You can check out our article on why to hire professionals here.
Here is a general outline of how the installation will go.
- Remove existing lawn and plants you do not want
- Install any irrigation or drainage systems if required
- Level the ground and add a crushed aggregate layer for the base
- Add a layer of cushioning for shock absorption if being used (best for play areas)
- Next, the synthetic grass material itself will be placed and fastened to the ground
- Then we add infill made with fine-coated silica sand to offer an organic feeling
- Finally, the turf will be rolled to provide the feeling of genuine bent grass
For a deeper understanding of how we install our grass, you can check out our guidelines on this page.
Get a Free Quote
We would be happy to help you determine the scope of your synthetic grass project! Call our team now for a free, no-obligation quote.