How to Install Synthetic Grass by Yourself

If you've decided that you want to install artificial turf, it’s worth thinking about doing it yourself. Self-installation holds obvious advantages in financial terms, as it should save you the cost of bringing in a professional. For those who enjoy working with their hands, there should also be pleasure in the work. Either way, the steps described below should help your DIY project go as smoothly as possible.

The first step, of course, is to remove any existing grass. A cutter or sharp turf spade are well suited for this task. Next, you must continue digging and shifting until you reach a solid base, at which point you must compact the ground. This can be done using either a vibrating plate or the back of a spade. Most of the professionals in this line of work simply remove the original grass, only leveling the ground upon request – just one more reason to do it yourself.

Depending on how deep you have dug, you will need to back fill the area. This can be doing using granite dust, sharp sand, grit sand or limestone dust. If you have excavated more than 3 inches, use a two layer back fill. To ensure that your turf is level, use a rake or brush to level out the back fill. It is also a good idea to apply weed killer at this stage to prevent weeds or other plants growing under your artificial turf in the future.

The next step is to lay and seam your artificial lawn. When cutting the pieces, it is best to leave a margin of 20 centimeters on all sides. Once you have them in position and are seaming two pieces together, the excess can be cut off. Rather than applying glue directly, you should add tape under the seams and then apply glue to it, after which you can then fold it down. Press the Astroturf onto the tape, making sure it does not separate.

Finally, you must dress the grass. The level of dressing needed depends upon the pile height of your Astroturf. This step need not be performed if your surface is a non-sand filled fake lawn. 7kg of sand are required for every square meter of 25mm sand-filled artificial turf. Pile lengths of between 45mm and 55mm require about 25 kg of sand. You should ensure that it is applied evenly and avoid working on a rainy day. It is best to use a drop spreader for this step.

You simply need to puncture the bags and apply the sand out slowly and uniformly over the surface, making sure to work at the same rate in each area. You should avoid using a spade for this step, as you will run the risk of creating uneven sand levels if you do.

Hopefully, after reading these simple instructions, installing your artificial lawn grass on your own will not seem nearly as daunting a task as it may have at first. Good luck!