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How To Put Down Artificial Lawn

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How Does Artificial Grass Stay In Place

How to Install Artificial Grass | The Home Depot

With the growing popularity of artificial grass, homeowners have lots of questions about the installation process, how long synthetic lawns last, and how they look, feel and function when compared to natural grass.

One question we are often asked is: How does artificial grass stay down?

Since this is a common question, we thought it might be time to address it here to help people become informed consumers as they consider this low-maintenance landscaping option.

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What Are The Good Points Of Artificial Grass

  • It saves water.
  • It’s easy to maintain.
  • Synthetic grass can be environmentally friendly.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority says a home owner saves 55 gallons of water per year for every square foot of natural grass replaced with synthetic. Plus, some water companies in drought-prone areas will offer a cash rebate for artificial grass, up to $1 per square foot.

Youve got to blow off leaves and other debris, and hose off pet waste. But theres no mowing, seeding, edging, and fertilizing — lawn maintenance chores that take the average home owner about 150 hours per year, says Ted Steinberg, author of American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn.

The Synthetic Turf Council says synthetic lawns recycled crumb rubber infill keeps 20 million rubber tires out of landfills every year.

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Choose An Artificial Grass That Stays Cool

The easiest way to keep your lawn cool is simply to choose an artificial grass that stays cool. Heres how to pick one:

Nowadays, there are plenty of artificial grass brands that are designed specifically to be resistant to heat and perform well in the hottest areas.

For example, special features like temperature controlled fibers and thatching can basically eliminate the risk of overheating your lawn.

An artificial lawn works the same way as the fibers in your clothes: The less dense the material, the more air can circulate through, giving a cooling effect.

Therefore, if you live in a hotter climate and are worried about the heat, choose an artificial grass that has a lower weight and density. A shorter pile height may also help keep the lawn cool.

Also, darker colors absorb more heat than light, and artificial grass is not an exception. The brighter the shade of your grass, the cooler your lawn is going to be.

How To Cut Turf With Obstacles Or Irregularly Shaped Areas

How To Lay Artificial Grass Like A Pro

Cutting Around Objects

Lay turf around irregular obstacles such as trees, and fold the edges of turf back. Make relief cuts every few inches around the obstacle, depending on the size. The edges of the first relief cuts should meet back up on the side of the obstacle.

Cutting Out Irregular Shapes

Cutting the base and turf to install over an irregularly shaped area is similar to cutting around objects, but sort of the reverse. Lay out the turf and trace a line of the perimeter. We recommend making relief cuts along the line to help avoid mistakes. Once the perimeter matches, trim accordingly.

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What Are The Drawbacks

  • Its not completely maintenance-free.
  • It cant absorb and break down pet urine.
  • It heats up in direct sun.
  • It cant be recycled.
  • Some HOAs and municipalities ban fake grass.

Weeds can still grow in the dust or rotted leaves that can accumulate so, youll have to spend time blowing or raking.

If you dont hose off pet runs regularly, theyll stink.

It radiates heat to surrounding people, pets, trees, and buildings. Shade trees, which prevent real grass from growing, will prevent fake grass from getting too hot.

Although the industry is working on ways to recycle old synthetic grass, currently fakes end up in landfills.

Can Dogs Pee On Artificial Grass

Yes, dogs can pee and poop on artificial grass just like they would on natural grass. The good news is that you will not have to clean urine from your artificial grass. It drains away in the same way as rainwater. It is also recommended to hose down the poop-affected area to completely eliminate any residual mess.

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Installing The Artificial Turf

Its time to bring your desired aesthetic into reality and give it life, now that youve cleared your land from organic grass, dug out the topsoil, laid the foundation and installed a weed barrier

The next thing to do is to lay it onto the dirt that you prepared for it. You now have everything organized and cleared all potential problems that would have ruined the artificial turf either from within or the outside.

Four: Apply Weed Membrane

DIY – How to Install Artificial Grass on Dirt

Once the base is compacted, apply weed membrane to the area and secure in position with 4 galvanised steel nails every 0.75m around the perimeter. This will prevent weed growth whilst allowing water drainage. Trim off any waste membrane from the edges. If any joining is needed, overlap the edges then attach them with gaffer tape.

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Looking After Your Artificial Grass

Step 1

Although its not essential, spreading an even layer of block paving sand over your new turf will provide it with additional stability. Spread at a rate of approximately 5kg/sqm. You can hire a sand spreader to do this. However its not advisable for pet owners to spread sand, in order to maintain freshness of the grass.

Step 2

You should also regularly brush your grass to keep the fibres straight and even. You can hire a mechanical brush to do this, but a stiff broom would also work. You can also remove leaves and other debris with a plastic rake.

Ensure that barbeques and other hot objects dont come into direct contact with the grass. Its also best to try and spread the load of any garden furniture.

How To Install Fake Turf On A Dirt Surface

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If you cannot get your lawn to grow no matter how much you fertilize or water it, consider installing artificial grass on dirt. Due to water conservation efforts, its become more difficult to maintain a lawn without changing the type of grass in it to meet the new standards. Artificial turf installation removes the need to water grass. Most of todays fake turf products utilize recycled products to make artificial grass eco-friendly.

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How To Fit Artificial Grass

Step 1

Roll out the grass, making sure that the entire area is covered and that there is a 50mm overlap on all outside edges, and between any sections. Because you will be joining sections together, make sure that the pile all runs in the same direction. Fake grass usually looks best with the pile facing the house.

Step 2

Now leave the grass for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow it to acclimatise.

Step 3

To join sections together, line them up with an overlap and check that the pile is running in the same direction. Then fold back one of the sections and carefully cut through the latex with a sharp retractable knife.

Step 4

Once youve cut all the way along, bring the two sections together to test the joint. There should be a consistent 1-2mm gap between the sections, and the seam shouldnt be visible from a distance.

Step 5

If you are happy then fold back the edges of the grass all the way along the length of the join. Then roll out the joining tape between the two lengths of grass, with the shiny side of the tape facing downwards.

Step 6

Apply lawn fix adhesive along the length of the seam. Then carefully work your way along the joint, sticking the turf down onto the tape.

Step 7

Once the sections are joined together, walk along the joint to firmly secure the grass in place. Repeat this process for all the joints. Then fix the turf to the sub-base with landscaping pins or nails, hammered in at regular intervals along the edges.

Step 8

Cool It Off With Water

How to Install Artificial Grass

Your artificial lawn will cool off rather quickly after a quick spray of water, even on a boiling hot day in the middle of summer.

There is no need for you to stand on your lawn with a garden hose for hours. A few minutes of sprinkling water across your yard is enough.

If you dont want to bother with doing this, you can even install a sprinkler system that is going to water your lawn for you at a set time every day.

One thing is for sure: You are going to spend thousands of gallons of water less than you would have to keep a natural lawn lush and green.

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How To Prepare For Artificial Grass Installation

Troy Scott

Youve made the decision to switch to artificial grass. Smart plan. Now, youre wondering if you could save money by installing the fake grass yourself. Seems like it would be a pretty straight-forward DIY project sort of like laying carpet, right?

No, actually, but well get to that in a minute. First, have you chosen the right artificial grass for your project? Synthetic turf comes in numerous styles, and quality can vary significantly. The product you choose will directly and significantly affect the look, longevity, and value of your installation. But did you know that how your artificial grass is installed will also determine the appearance, longevity, and value of your investment?

Sub-par installation will erase the benefits of a superior, well-chosen product. And even expert installation cannot overcome the deficiencies of a product that is mediocre quality or the wrong grass for your purpose. The only way to ensure maximum return on your investment is by choosing the right product and insisting on professional installation.

How To Install An Artificial Lawn

This article was co-authored by Jeremy Yamaguchi. Jeremy Yamaguchi is a Lawn Care Specialist and the Founder/CEO of Lawn Love, a digital marketplace for lawn care and gardening services. Jeremy provides instant satellite quotes and can coordinate service from a smartphone or web browser. The company has raised funding from notable investors like Y Combinator, Joe Montana, Alexis Ohanian, Barbara Corcoran and others.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 368,180 times.

With proper installation, an artificial lawn requires no regular maintenance apart from an occasional spray to keep it clean. The installation itself can be intense, especially for a large lawn, so recruit a few strong friends to help with the process.

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I Want To Put Down Artificial Grass

Artificial grass has become very popular as of late. It’s not hard to see why, it requires very little maintenance, looks great year round and once installed it can last for many years.

Of course if you want to replace your existing lawn with artificial grass you will have to kill off the live stuff first. This will make it easier to even the surface and install the artificial turf.

How Do You Lay Artificial Grass On Pavers

How to install artificial grass?

You will need to glue the strips of artificial lawn to the concrete base. Work in strips. Ensure that you follow the manufacturers directions properly, spread a layer of adhesive onto the concrete surface. The last step is to unroll the strips of synthetic turf over the area that is covered by adhesive.

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Optional: If One Roll Is Not Enough

Measure your artificial turf patches.

Seam your turf pieces together.

Set your mats as close as you can together. With small sections at a time, place their sides together like seaming two pieces of fabric. It should look like a tent that meets in the middle. Gaps should be kept within 1/8 of an inch to be unnoticeable. Cut off excess from the newly laid side if it overlaps with the one already fixed.

Lay your seam tape out.

Stitch.

Starting from the farther end, tent seams together little by little, with your assistants only releasing portions you need. Make sure that the turf doesnt meet ahead of you laying it down and that their fibers are away from the glue up until the end.

Apply pressure.

A step above the sides of your newly seamed areas to make sure it sticks to the seam tape.

Best Time To Start Fertilizing Your Lawn In Spring

Did you know that the best time to put fertilizer down in spring depends on whether you have cool- or warm-season grass? Its true! Cool season grasses, or lawns that thrive in cooler temperatures, are best to fertilize in the fall when growing season is at its peak. Of course, if you missed fertilizing last fall or if your lawn just doesnt seem to be doing too well, you can also add a small amount of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. For warm season grasses that like the heat, its important to fertilize once active growth starts, in the spring. So, when is the best time to fertilize grass in the spring? Fertilizing in mid to late spring is ideal. This will ensure healthy growth and discourage weeds all season long.

Ready to get your spring landscaping off to a great start? When the best time to apply fertilizer in the spring arrives, here are a few tips youll need to handle fertilizer safely and some other things you can do to encourage healthy lawn growth.

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How Do You Secure Artificial Grass To Paving Slabs

Use your jointing tape to secure all the pieces of underlay together. Once thats all done, you can start the gluing process. Fold your underlay back from the edges of the slabbed area. Then, using a spatula or filling knife, apply a generous covering of glue around 2-3mm thick around the edges of the slab base.

Lay Your Seam Tape Out

How Long Does It Take To Install Artificial Grass ...

Ask for from two people when seaming patches of turf. Cut seam tape as long as your turfs edges. Place it underneath the part where the sides meet. Keep them in place with 6-inch nails. One for each corner. Lift up the sides of your turf and ask your assistants to hold them. Pour in some glue and spread evenly through the entire tape.

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Spike To Keep The Turf In Place

Hammer nails into the ground every few inches. Remember not to trap any grass fibers underneath the nails head. Secure the turf perimeter. Use landscaping anchor pins or 4 6 inches galvanized stakes to fasten the turf in place. Place them just around the perimeter at around 6 8-inch intervals. And also along the seam. Although you need to hammer them flat, you should be extra careful and avoid excessive hammering because it can cause dips in your lawn.

Guide To Pet Turf Installation

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If your yard is looking sad, and you want to spruce it up for both your sake and your animals, installing some pet turf can be the way to go. But how do you do it? What are the important steps? Which turf is safe for pets? Dont worry, weve got the answers to those questions and even more.

Well break it down into 5 easy steps: Planning, preparing the area, base installation, turf installation, and infill.

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Can You Lay Artificial Grass On Soil

You can install artificial grass on soil but it does require some preparation to do so. You will need to clear the area of weeds and grass and remove around 3 4 inches of soil and add a sub base a geotextile membrane and sharp sand to provide a level area. You must never lay artificial turf straight onto a soil base.

Install & Compact Base Material:

How To Install Synthetic Turf

Lay 3″â4″ of either Class II Road Base or Decomposed Granite. Using a plate compactor, compact base to 95%. Be sure base surface is as level and smooth as possible. Create a slight grade for optimal drainage.

PET USE TIP: If pets will be using the area, spread a layer of Zeolite on top of the base at .5lb per sqft, and compact.

Excavate 3″â4″

Compact the Base Material

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Artificial Turf Installation A Diy Guide

Matt Wagner August 18, 2020

When asked what people are looking for when it comes to tackling the landscape remodel, most people respond with low-maintenance and when it comes to ground cover, few things are as low maintenance as artificial turf. Advancements in turf tech have come a long way from the classic green carpet days, so today Im gonna show you how you can install a beautiful artificial turf lawn at your home.

My name is Aaron Massey and welcome back to another episode of home-school. Nowadays, quality turf can be tough to distinguish from actual grass, making ita very attractive low-maintenance lawn alternative for a lot of homeowners, including myself.

I rate these projects by how many F-bombs youre likely to drop while tackling the project. This one is pretty difficult because its a pretty labor-intensive installation and requires some specialty tools depending on your application. This is one of those rare instances where Ill say that this isnt really a pure DIY job, meaning that its not really something I recommend doing on your own. Thats not to say it cant be done, as youll see, but at least having several people available to help you will make your life so much easier.

Next, I rolled out some turf seam tape and staked it in place along the length of the seam. Now I dont recommend you buy these cheap landscapes staples off of Amazon unless you want to waste half of them by bending them. Id recommend just buying 6-inch galvanized landscape spikes.

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