- Garden - Soil Floor (DIY)
- Garden - Concrete or Stone (DIY)
- Sports Fields (Professional)
- How to Install Artificial Grass? Tips and Tricks
How to Install Artificial Grass For Garden? (DIY)
How would you like to spend a weekend beautifying your garden? It does not matter whether it is soil, concrete or stone floor! By following the steps in this guide it is possible to cover your garden with artificial grass, which will remain green for years and save you from maintenance and water costs. Let’s begin!
If You Will Install Artificial Grass On Natural Soil
If you want to enjoy the fresh air in a lush garden, but your lawn is not how you want it to be, artificial lawn is just for you. Natural grass requires constant maintenance and you need to spend a lot of time, money and water. Sometimes even this is not enough. In this case, Avengrass’s synthetic turf will help you. So, how to install artificial grass? If you are in need of turf installation, Avengrass's application specialists can do it for you or you can easily handle it yourself. We have prepared a detailed guide for those who prefer “Do It Yourself” (DIY) concept.
Step 1 - Clean Up The Ground
How is the floor in your garden? If there is partially or fully grass on it, it is useful to scrape this natural grass. Mow the lawn using a lawn mower. To lay your artificial turf, you will need a height of approximately 75 mm. You may also need to remove some soil if this height will cause trouble after mowing the grass. Make your calculations. Before doing any application to the soil surface, crushed stone ground is obtained by pouring a 5 cm layer of stone chips.
Step 2 - Set The Borderlines
If your garden is not surrounded by a wall or if you are going to do artificial grass installation on a smaller area inside the wall, set the limits. You can use lumber, brick or block parquet for this process. Whichever you have… Of course we recommend the timber. Because synthetic grass installation is very easy to remove after you do. It can fit perfectly with your artificial turf even if you don't remove it.
Step 3 - Install Weed Membrane
Weed membrane, also known as weed control cover, prevents the formation of weeds on the ground, allowing artificial grass installation to last longer. Cover the area for synthetic grass installation with weed membrane with covering the borders as well. Make sure the junction of the membrane is also correct. Otherwise, weeds can find their way through the field.
Step 4 - Lay The Lower Layer
The type of material you will use for the intermediate layer is a very important point because the structural stability of the laid artificial grass will be given by this intermediate layer. You can use MOT Type 1 or granite chippings. If you ask which one is better, we can say that MOT Type 1 will form a layer which is slightly stronger than granite chips. However, if there is a problem with the drainage of your surface and your pet spends time in your garden, then granite granite chips will make more sense. The choice is yours!
Step 5 - Install the Final Layer
When it comes to artificial turf installation, the last layer after the intermediate layer and before the artificial turf is very important for the artificial grass to last for many years. However, it is not necessary if we drop it for uses for houses. At this point the decision is yours again. If you want, you can prepare a final layer by pouring a granite powder of 25 mm thickness.
Step 6 - Extra Weed Membrane Application
This application is entirely up to you, but this extra layer will help your artificial turf carpet to preserve the ground for many years as well as helpin you further for getting rid of weeds.
TIP: If you have a pet that uses the garden, definitely skip this step. Because the membrane will keep the smell of urine after a while may begin to emit malodors.
Step 7 - Lay Your Avengrass Artificial Grass
Because artificial turf is a bit heavy, you may need an aid in this step. How much ever rolls are present, place all rolls at the starting point. At this stage, make sure that each artificial grass roll is in the same direction. Before cutting anything, spread all artificial turf and remove wrinkles. As such, your artificial turf carpet will spread for several hours or even overnight, if possible, and adapt to the environment.
Step 8 - Start to Cut
We came to the most crucial point… At this point, you must have a very sharp knife or a large utility knife. You can start cutting the artificial grass in accordance with the substrates. Follow the boundaries well and set the artificial grass to the boundaries neatly. At this stage, make sure you have spare parts as your cutting tool may become dull. Use a nail or a suitable glue to secure the artificial grass to the edges.
Step 9 - How About the Junctions?
If you laid the artificial grass correctly, the points where the two artificial turf carpets meet should be invisible. However, these points should also be fixed. You can easily combine your artificial turf carpet with a high quality seaming tape or glue, and if necessary, a fastener.
Step 10 - Spread the Silica Sand and Help Yourself
Sprinkle the silica sand evenly over the artificial turf. You can use a hard brush to ensure that silica sand does not get between the artificial turf threads. Your artificial turf rug is now ready for use, but it has been wrapped for a long time, so there is a high probability that your yarns are lying on one side. For this reason, brush the grass yarns in the opposite direction from where they lay. Thus, the yarns will be vented and look exactly as they should be.
The rest is up to you! Garden furniture, sun loungers or family dining table and chairs you can put in your garden and enjoy the environment.
How to Install Artificial Grass on Concrete or Stone Surfaces?
If your garden floor is a concrete or stone floor, then your work will be a little easier. Let's face it, concrete is not a very attractive floor, especially in the case of gardens and verandas… Artificial grass installation is the best way to make your garden eye-plasing in a quick and economic way.
Moreover, you can skip many stages of applying artificial turf to a natural surface because you already have a solid substrate. Let’s begin!
Step 1 - Is the Ground Available?
First of all, evaluate whether the concrete or stone surface you are going to apply is suitable for artificial grass installation. If there are very large cracks in the concrete, you may have to rebuild the concrete surface, but if the cracks are small, your job is much easier. You can repair these cracks with materials you will get from any hardware store. In addition, if there is a difference in height on the surface and this situation bothers you, it is possible to eliminate the height difference at this stage.
Step 2 - Drainage Is Important
When it comes to the floor, the drainage should always be checked. Once the artificial grass installation is finished and you start enjoying your garden, you don't want water to accumulate on your brand new artificial grass on a rainy day. Therefore, make sure that the surface is inclined to allow water to flow.
Step 3 - Clean the Ground
Brush and clean the floor thoroughly before starting your synthetic grass installation. Otherwise, small dust and stones remaining on the ground may have a razor effect and shorten the life of artificial turf.
Step 4 - For a Softer Ground
You can apply the artificial grass directly onto the concrete floor or put a foam underlay. This foam surface will eliminate the small bumps in your concrete and make the underfoot much softer. Although artificial turf is a soft material, it will reflect the effect of concrete when applied to a hard concrete floor. So it will show the mirror effect in cases such as falling. Especially for families with children, we recommend that you apply a foam floor suitable for artificial turf on concrete. Depending on your preference, you can easily apply a 5 or 10 mm free-drain foam floor to the floor with a quality tape or glue.
Step 5 - Lay your Avengrass Artificial Grass
After spreading the appropriate foam subfloor on the artificial turf floor, it is time to lay the artificial grass… Lay the artificial grass on the surface, covering it all the way and leave it for a few hours or even overnight. After this break, you can cut off any excess edges with a knife or a utility knife. Make sure the edges and joints are perfect.
Step 6 - Fix It On The Ground
We are at the stage of fixing the artificial grass to the floor… At this point, use artificial grass glue or seaming tape again. When fixing the foam floor to concrete, this time apply to artificial turf. If you are sure that you spread the glue over the floor evenly, there will be no problem. Seaming tape is a much easier fixing material.
Your tired and pale garden now glows with lush colors. You got rid of unsightly soil or concrete. There is a garden where you can have fun with your family and loved ones, your children can play safely and your cute pets can run freely.
Step-by-Step Artificial Turf Installation for Sports Fields
Artificial grass is preferred because of its easy installation, excellent adaptability to the surface and smooth application. A fast and economical solution for the decoration of sports grounds, landscaping areas and gardens. Artificial lawn is also easy to apply to the ground, providing you with a perfect view in your backyard or sports facility, avoiding mud piles every time it rains, and maintaining maintenance easily. Of course, it requires expertise to achieve the perfect appearance by performing the applications correctly. Therefore, it is the right option to deliver the work to professionals. Avengrass’s expert teams, with years of experience in the field of synthetic turf for the installation of the professional way to make the sports fields ready to use as soon as possible.
Throughout the year, the use of all kinds of weather, high durability, low maintenance costs, environmentally friendly features and of course its being economic, making artificial turf application a few steps ahead of natural grass. Furthermore, synthetic grass installation is performed very quickly. How to install artificial grass? How to lay artificial grass and what are the stages? We asked the Avengrass professionals and prepared the perfect guide for you.
Step 1 - Preparation of The Surface
Before starting the synthetic grass installation, it is necessary to prepare the ground on which the application will be made. Obtaining a smooth surface is very important for a quality field, healthy play and artificial grass to last for many years. Infrastructure works should be carried out to correct the unevenness in the area and the uneven surface formation should be removed with the help of construction machinery.
At this stage, the drainage system should be constructed and electrical cables should be installed on the floor if needed. No investor wants water to accumulate on the floor of the site, and there will be a need for electrical parts that will be needed later.
For this reason, a drainage system is installed around the area for the discharge of stagnant water due to rain water. In addition, insulated electrical cables are passed through the places suitable for the project.
This process, which takes 2-3 days depending on the size of the field, is one of the most important stages of artificial grass installation.
Step 2 - Laying Weed Membrane
Soil is a living organism. Although gravel, granite or concrete to be poured on will prevent the formation of weeds, it is still useful to take extra precautions. Geotextile weed membrane on the ground soil where the field will be installed will help the synthetic grass installation to be more durable. Again, depending on the size of the field, this process is completed within a few hours.
Step 3 - Base Material Selection
Drainage system is installed and fixed, geotextile weed membrane is laid on the ground optionally with sand, decomposed granite or gravel coated. After the floor is filled with base materials which will improve the excavated area and prevent the risk of collapse, the process of correction and tightening is started with the construction machines. At this stage, with the help of professionals, a smooth floor with a suitable slope for drainage is obtained.
Step 4 - Installation of Shock Absorbing Layers
Shock-absorbing pads to be applied between the rigid substrate and the fake grass are important to minimize the fall or impact injury of players. As the thickness and quantity of the shock-absorbing layers vary according to the sport to be applied on, Avnegrass’s experts come in and decide on the layers. The shock-absorbing elastic layers provide softness to the field, allowing athletes to exercise more comfortably and safely.
Step 5 - Laying the Artificial Grass
After preparing the infrastructure of the ground, laying artificial grass process is started. Artificial turf coming from the production facilities in rolls starts to be laid on the field. The flatness of the substrate is maintained by proper laying on the surface. During laying artificial grass, base material sets are used to cut and plant the grass according to its technical specifications.
Step 6 - Flatting Process
After the artificial turf is laid on the field, the straightening of the edges of the artificial turf is started. This stage is important in terms of aesthetically covering the site and providing the necessary comfort. The edges of the artificial turf must be properly joined to prevent slippage after a professional leveling.
Step 7 - Taping The Edges
Another important step of the artificial turf assembly is the process of gluing the joints of the artificial turf carpet using seaming tape. Thanks to the combining process, the artificial turf fixed to the field is added to each other to provide a one-piece appearance and to provide ground stability. Due to the movements on the field, the distortion that may occur after intensive use is prevented by seaming tape.
Step 8 - Rubber Crumb Filling
The final stage of synthetic grass installation is filling operations. Artificial turf requires fillers to maintain their steepness and performance. The filler particles of crumb rubber add flexibility to the field, superior driving technique and enhancing player performance. With the help of filler particles, artificial grass fibers return to their original position and maintain their perfect appearance at all times. It provides athletes with the comfort of reducing sudden injuries and making sudden movements safely.
With the help of special machines and brushing equipment, crumb rubber is distributed to penetrate every point of the artificial turf to increase the sporting performance of the field. After this process, artificial grass installation is completed and the field is ready for use. Artificial turf is not a constant and intensive maintenance product like natural turf, but it still needs to be cared and maintained regularly to maintain optimum performance.
Brush your artificial turf at least once a month, using a stiff brush, in the opposite direction to the yarn direction, depending on the frequency of use. This prevents both the artificial turf from reaching the horizontal position and allows the exposed filler materials to land on the floor. You should also regularly check the crumb rubber that you use as a filler and complete it if there is a deficiency to affect player performance.
Depending on the weather conditions of your country, you may also need to do some special operations. To avoid the risk of freezing and frosting in very cold weather, you should prevent the game and players from being affected by applying granular sodium chloride to the entire artificial turf pitch.
You should also check your artificial turf daily for dust, soil, leaves, etc. that may come from outside and remove them from the environment. Otherwise, drainage of the site may be affected, and even further, this can lead to weed growth. Once a year, you should use a water-based algae and herbicide at a maximum pH of 8 to prevent plant growth on the surface.
Keep the animals away from your artificial turf. In the case of animal urine or feces, you should immediately wash the area with warm water and detergent. Otherwise permanent odors may occur.
How to Install Artificial Grass?
Tips and Tricks: For a safe, durable, long-lasting and healthy artificial grass installation, you should keep in mind some important tips:
A high standard sports field can only be achieved with high standard products and applications. Therefore, you should make sure that you entrust your work to professional and experienced teams. Even if you buy the highest quality artificial turf in the world, it will not be able to perform good as a result of bad application.
For long-term use, the quality of the artificial grass is as important as the correct and complete application. Otherwise joints and frequently used areas deform very quickly and affect player performance and health.
Artificial grass installation, which is not properly drained, also creates great problems. Improper drainage properties may cause weeds and algae to grow, as well as poor water performance and poor performance.
The quality, durability and correct application of shock-absorbing layers are just as important as the quality of artificial turf. This layer should be selected and applied by professionals in order to minimize the effects of the impact in case of a player slipping or falling.
