Installing fake grass saves homeowners both money and time while conserving natural resources. Its installation prevents weeds while eliminating the need for gas-powered lawnmowers, thus cutting oil consumption and pollution emissions.

However, before installing synthetic turf, lay a layer of crushed rock as a base compacted with water using either a hand tap or vibrating plate. And this is only the first step, so read on to learn more about the whole, easy process.

Weed Barrier Fabric

Weed barrier fabric like this is a heavy-duty landscape fabric designed to block sunlight effectively and help stop weeds from sprouting in landscaped areas. Its UV and fade resistance makes it an excellent choice for areas subjected to high foot traffic volumes.

Fabric can be purchased either by the yard or roll and comes in various thicknesses to meet your individual needs. Thicker fabrics tend to prevent weeds from appearing underneath artificial grass better, yet may be harder to work with.

Before purchasing a weed barrier, read reviews to help determine the ideal model for your project. Many experts advise using heavy, more durable material designed to last longer while perforated versions allow water, oxygen, and nutrients to move more freely through.

When purchasing landscape fabric, always go for quality over price – cheaper varieties tend to tear more easily and won’t stand up as long. In the long run, investing in high-quality landscape fabric may often prove cheaper and simpler in protecting against future weed problems.

Before installing landscape fabric, first prepare the soil by clearing away any sticks, rocks, or other debris from its surface. Smooth out its surface to make sure it’s free from weeds and roots before laying your fabric with a fuzzy side facing down, using staples every 8-12 inches along all edges and seams where separate sections come together.

Once your fabric has been laid down, it is crucial that it is covered by a layer of mulch to block sunlight from penetrating through and reaching any potential weeds below – this will also give your garden a finished and more professional appearance.

Some experts advise laying out the weed barriers first in beds before pulling them over the plants when ready to plant. But this approach may not always be practical, especially when planting in raised beds where fabric won’t be as accessible; weeds may still sprout around its edges even if you install your barrier first; in these instances, it is wise to mulch heavily over it!

Underlayment

One of the greatest draws to fake grass, aside from its water savings capabilities, is its luxuriousness underfoot. A high-quality foam underlay can further increase this comfort, creating a springy surface similar to sod or real turf and helping hide minor elevation changes and make for more uniform surfaces. This layer also helps mask elevation changes so your surface appears uniformed.

Addition of a cushion layer is especially crucial when working on concrete or asphalt surfaces, where it can create soft fall-rated surfaces required for playgrounds and daycares. This layer may help hide cracks or low spots in existing hard surfaces as well as mask any low spots created during application of your fake lawn.

Depending on its application this step may be optional but could make all the difference in terms of comfort for users as well as longevity of its life span. Before applying a foam underlay, it’s a good idea to lightly tamp it down and level it using either a hand roller or vibrating plate. Doing this ensures the base layer will be ready for artificial grass.

Afterwards, hose down your underlay for further compression and dampening purposes; just remember not to overwater as this can wash it away and lead to slumping issues. Once your foundation is in place, it is time to install artificial grass. Make sure all the turf faces the same direction for an authentic appearance that avoids bumps or unevenness.

Once your fake grass is in place and its edges tucked under, use outdoor artificial grass glue designed specifically for use on artificial turf to secure them in place. Unlike regular construction glue, outdoor artificial grass glue used by companies like Allegiance Turf will withstand temperature variations and moisture fluctuations more effectively, keeping your artificial lawn intact over time. It’s also advisable to tamp down its edges using nails or U pins, spaced 200mm apart around its edge, in order to further ensure stability of its position.

Grass

When installing fake grass over concrete it’s wise to utilize a rubber shock pad, as this will protect both people walking or playing on your lawn as well as prevent cracking of concrete for an even finish in your garden.

Laying artificial grass for your lawn depends on its size, grading and the type of turf that’s installed; typically this process takes between one and two days for small gardens with just a few people working on them.

Once the turf has been installed and any seams joined together, it is advisable to secure its edges using nails or U pins. Nails/U pins should be spaced 200mm apart around your garden perimeter and hammered in; this will prevent your lawn becoming untidy or moving during use.

Seaming

Outdoor tape and turf glue should be used to seamlessly join artificial grass pieces together, while aligning their edges. Additional weight should be applied on top of any joints to help set their adhesiveness.

As soon as you are ready to create your first seam, remove some outer tufts from the artificial grass piece so there is a flat surface when folding it back for seaming purposes and can make more seamless seams.

Use a sharp blade to trim the turf to the length you desire, taking care to form an even and clean line around any curves or corners of the area you’re working in. Relief cuts may need to be made around any stones, blocks, trees or posts in the way – taking your time will ensure a more natural appearance for your synthetic lawn.

Once your artificial turf has been approved, the next step should be laying it onto its base layer with all blades facing in one direction for a natural appearance. If possible, allow it to settle overnight as this will help prevent wrinkles or creasing from occurring.

After you have impacted the area with your vibrating plate or roller, or by hand tapping, achieving around 95% compaction is optimal for giving a flat base for an artificial lawn to sit upon.

Before installing your turf, we advise adding a 20 mm-40 mm layer of crusher dust on top of your base, wetting and compacting this layer down for added support and drainage purposes. This will give your artificial lawn an essential foundation.