Artificial grass was originally developed for sports applications, like the popular Astrodome. That made way for home and business owners to start taking advantage of the turf coming onto the market. Artificial grass is much different today than back in the 60s — it’s softer, more realistic, and performs better than natural grass. If you’re considering what kind of prep work you need to ensure a successful project, keep reading.
Determine Ground Conditions
Figuring out the ground conditions in the particular area you’re looking to install artificial grass is one of the first steps to prepping for artificial turf installation. Determining the soil type, how well it drains, and what aggregate will need to be added are good starting points. Bringing the professionals in for this step can help you save some hassle.
Prepare the Ground
To start preparing for an artificial lawn, you need to decide where you want it installed. Once you decide on a general outline, you should measure the ground and set boundaries where you want the turf to end. You don’t have to be totally exact in measurements, as your artificial grass installer will take more final measurements.
Remove Decorations or Plants
If you have any lawn decorations, it’s important to move these to a space out of the way for a smooth installation. If you have plants you’d like to keep, talk with your grass installer to learn how you can move them or keep them in the same place. They may need to come up with a customized plan for cutting turf around any bushes or trees you want to keep.
Consider Drainage
Artificial grass drains better than natural grass, but you should still take careful consideration if any portion of your lawn is prone to water pooling. If you have areas where that happens, you should consider installing a drainage system to keep water flowing out of your yard.
Bring in the Pros
Installing artificial grass can be done as a DYI project, but more often than not, you’ll face unexpected problems, have to buy tools you’ll only use once, or pay high rental costs on equipment. You can check out our article on why to hire professionals here.
Here is a general outline of how the installation goes.
-
Remove existing lawn and plants you don’t want
-
Install any irrigation or drainage systems necessary
-
Level the ground and add a layer of crushed aggregate for the base
-
Add a layer of cushioning for shock absorption if being used (great for play areas)
-
Next, the artificial grass material itself will be laid and secured to the ground
-
Then we add infill made from fine-coated silica sand to give it a natural feeling
-
Last, the turf will be rolled to give the feeling of true bent grass
To get a deeper understanding of how we install our turf, you can check out our guidelines on this page.
Get a Free Quote
We’d be more than happy to help you determine the scope of your artificial grass project! Contact our team today for a no-cost, no-obligation quote.