Laying synthetic turf can be a great project that gives your garden an instant new look. However, putting synthetic turf down without the proper preparation and finishing touches isn’t possible. Follow these five steps to laying synthetic turf with ease and getting the perfect looking garden – like the professionals do.
Step 1. Preparing the area
Preparing the area for laying synthetic turf is an important step in ensuring your lawn not only looks great but lasts a long time too.
Ensure the ground is stable and level. If you live in a newly-developed area, you may need to wait until the ground has settled before laying turf. You can check this by placing a spirit level on the ground and seeing if it’s level both ways.
Remove any existing lawn or surface covering by digging it up or scraping it off.
If there are any large stones or roots in the way, remove them as well. Smaller stones can be left as they will help give your turf stability once laid.
Step 2. Positioning the artificial turf
There are several ways to position the artificial turf to lay synthetic turf.
-The easiest way is to use a chalk line or ground marking paint. Draw a line along the perimeter of the area where you will be laying your artificial lawn.
-Place a straight edge perpendicular to your drawn lines and measure out from this line every 2 metres and draw another line (you can use pegs and string).
-The next step is to cut the grass into 2 metre widths and roll it out along these lines. You should leave at least 50cm overlapping on each roll.
-Once all the rolls are laid out you can start joining them. Lay them neatly so that the pile flows in one direction, ie: from left to right or from back to front. It is very important that you stagger the join as much as possible so that it does not look like a series of different pieces when completed.
Step 3. Cutting and joining the artificial turf
After you have installed the artificial turf, it will be necessary to cut and join the turf layer. This work is simple and anyone can do it, but I will give you some tips so that you do a good job and do not make mistakes.
If you want to know how to lay artificial grass, we recommend that you read our articles about the different techniques for installing synthetic grass.
When laying artificial grass on terraces or balconies, you must leave an edge of 8-10 cm between each strip of turf. Then, when you are going to cut the strips of artificial turf, always leave a margin of 2-3 cm above each strip. This way, when you join the strips, it will not be visible.
To trim the strips of artificial turf, I recommend using a Stanley knife.
Step 4. Securing turf to the ground
This is a crucial step, as it will secure the turf in place and prevent it from moving. Use nails to hold down the edges of the turf, making sure they are driven into the ground by at least one inch, or according to the directions on your adhesive product. Always use 4 inch nails at every 600mm along the perimeter and the mid sections of the turf to tie it down.
Once you have secured the edges, use a push broom to brush the turf in the opposite direction that you cut it until it lays flat on the ground. If there are wrinkles or folds in the turf, grab each side of the turf and pull upward to stretch it. You can also use your hands to smooth out wrinkles. Once flattened, additional nails or staples can be added around the perimeter and over seams to secure any loose sections.
Step 5. Filling in gaps and gaps with infill
You can also use a rubber mallet to tap the turf into position.
Once you have laid the turf down, you should fill the gaps between the sheets with infill material. When thinking about how much to use, remember that you don’t want to be able to see what is beneath the turf so plan on using a little more than you think you might need.
To keep the grass fibres from getting flat, you should brush a power broom across them. The power broom will also push some of the infill into the base of the turf.
Conclusion
The benefits of laying synthetic turf are numerous, and it’s a great choice for a number of garden applications. That said, there are many different types of synthetic turf, each with its own pros and cons. If you’re interested in installing synthetic turf in your garden, it’s best to learn about the different options first so that you can choose the best one possible.