Installation Guide

Most enthusiastic DIYer’s will be able to prepare the surface and lay the artificial grass. If you have a large area, it will require more than one person due to the weight of the artificial grass.  If you aren’t confident with DIY, landscapers and other trades people may be able to do this for you.

Fitting artificial grass on existing grass or soil

Tools required :-
Stanley knife or sharp utility knife and spare blades
Shovel and spade to remove old grass
Heavy hammer
Weed membrane
Sharp builder’s sand
Turf Cutter (For larger gardens or to save time)

1. Start by measuring up, planning is always going to save you time and money. Allow at least 5cm overlap on all sides, this gives enough material to create the perfect edge.
2. Remove the existing turf. You can obviously skip this step if there is only soil. If you have large amounts of existing grass, a turf cutter is going to speed the job up and make it a lot easier, it is not recommended that you lay your artificial grass down directly on a soil base if the soil currently holds water, it is recommended to lay your artificial grass on a stronger base, such as aggregate and sharp sand.
3. If there are no perimeters for the product to butt up against, it is recommended to install an edging system. You can use treated lengths of wood to create a frame. Knock the edging into the soil, leaving around 3cm exposed. Providing an edge to butt up against allows you to hide the edges of the backing.
4. Once the turf is stripped back, spray weed killer over the soil area and, once the base is compacted, apply weed membrane to the area, making sure it overlaps joints by 30cm. Secure in position with 4-inch 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 aggregate is required spread out a layer of aggregate and top with sharp builders’ sand or granite dust to a minimum depth of 35mm as a base to the artificial turf and to make it soft underfoot.
5. 5. The key to a great lawn is a solid foundation. Level and compact the sand evenly across the area to ensure a firm base below the grass. You can use a builder’s plank and heavy hammer to compact the sand and then smooth the sand down or if possible, use a Wacker plate. The ground doesn’t need to be entirely flat and can include gentle slopes or mounds. You can add a further weed membrane at this stage, but this is optional, this can help to get the artificial grass in place, and this can be screwed to your edging frame to keep it in place.
6. Unroll the artificial turf over the area, it is recommended to leave it unrolled in place for 2-3 hours to let it settle before fitting it. Artificial grass doesn’t stand perfectly straight, it has a slight angle to it, ideally you should lay the artificial grass with the pile leaning towards the house. By doing this you ensure that the grass has a full, natural look when viewing it from the house. Once positioned, trim the excess artificial grass by cutting through the backing material and not the grass itself to give a better finish. We recommend changing blades every 3-5 metres to ensure the blade stays sharp enough for a sharp line. You can then screw or glue the grass to the timber frame or edging.
7. When using more than one roll it is important to make sure the grass rolls are laid in the same direction and that the blades of grass all point the same way. Try and lay artificial grass rolls directly next to each other with no blades caught in-between. If you have a join, start by cutting 2-5 rows of stitching from both pieces of grass, this will leave you with a much neater seam. Place the first piece of grass loosely in position and then position the joining piece next to the first piece ensuring the pile is running the same way. Carefully move the grass into position until the joint is no longer visible. Once you are happy that these are placed correctly, roll back both sides and lay joining tape where the seam will be. Using cartridge adhesive, spread evenly in a zig zag fashion. Join the 2 pieces of grass together and press down on the tape to spread the adhesive.
8. To finish, use a stiff or mechanical brush to pull the pile of the artificial grass back to give a fuller look as it may be flattened with the weight of the roll. This step is vital to ensure the most natural-looking finish. For the best results, we recommend brushing the pile before, during and after installation.

Laying artificial grass on concrete

Laying artificial grass onto a permanent surface such as concrete or concrete paving is pretty simple as the surface has already been created for you. You will basically be measuring up and sticking it down. Before you do this you should give it a good sweep. If the level is not flat you can buy some self-levelling compound. This will ensure that you have an even and flat surface.

Tools required :-
Stanley knife or sharp utility knife and spare blades
Glue cartridges
Shock pad (optional)

1. Start by measuring up, planning is always going to save you time and money.
2. Make sure that the concrete surface is clean using a brush. If you have a jet wash you could also use this.
3. If the surface is not flat you can use some self-levelling compound
4. Cut your required size leaving no gaps between walls and grass. Always use sharp blades and change the blade regularly.
5. Laying your artificial grass onto a concrete area you are best to use adhesive to fix the artificial grass down by placing the glue on the perimeter leaving gaps for any water to run off through and placing some glue in the centre to keep the grass fixed down.

Outdoor maintenance

As your artificial grass is going to be outdoors you may find that your grass starts to accumulate things like soil, leaves and general garden waste. Don’t worry this isn’t a problem and won’t affect it at all, but it’s best to remove these as, if they are left for a long time, you may find a few weeds start to grow in the fibres. Use a Stiff brush to remove them. If you have a leaf blower this will do the trick as well.

How to tackle marks and stubborn stains

To get rid of general marks use some washing up liquid and some warm water with a scrubbing brush. Do not use a jet wash or bleach. You can also use Artificial Grass Cleaner to reduce any build-up of odours and keeping it looking pristine condition.

Roof Gardens

For any roof installation using a shock pad underneath artificial grass allows the artificial grass to be fixed to the underlay and not the roof surface. Not only that it will mean it is safer for children it will also so allow moisture to drain through and not impede the natural drainage of a flat roof.

Tips to success

Take your time – You’re not looking for quantity you’re looking for quality.
Always ensure your knife is sharp – Blunt knifes make a messy cut.
Measure and plan – This makes the job of installing a success.
Once installation is complete, regularly sweep the grass to clear any leaves and debris.