How to lay artificial grass
If you don’t want the hassle of mowing, or don’t have any space in the shed for a mower, an artificial lawn could be the perfect maintenance-free solution for your garden. Unlike real grass, artificial turf won’t become patchy in dry weather or muddy in wet weather, so it’s especially great for kids and pets! Artificial grass laid on concrete or in place of an existing lawn is perfect for getting the children to play outdoors whatever the season. Here's how!
Our artificial grass comes in a variety of thicknesses, so you can find the grass look and finish you’re after. Whether your backyard has paving or a lawn, artificial turf can transform the way you use your garden. If you’re ready to say goodbye to the lawnmower and relax outdoors all year round, follow our easy step-by-step guide to installing artificial grass!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Checklist
- Weed killer – for clearing the area
- Spade – for digging up any existing lawn
- Fork – for removing plants and vegetation
- Craft knife – for trimming the edges into shape
- Heavy hammer – to compact the base
- Joint Tape – for joining the rolls of artificial grass together
- Ground pins – for anchoring it in place and preventing curling
- Artificial grass – laid on concrete, tarmac, paving or soil
Make a plan
Before you touch a gardening tool, the most important step of all is to pick up a pencil and paper to start planning.
Start by drawing out a simple plan of your garden and where you’re thinking of installing artificial grass. It’s worth noting that the grass has a directional pile, so to give the best finish, you’ll need to lay the grass so the blades leans towards your main sitting or viewing area (that’ll usually be your house). Make sure the blades all face the same way.
This is important when thinking about how much grass you’ll need because you will also want to try and minimise the number of joints to give you the most seamless finish. If you’re looking at lots of sections, is there an alternative way to shape your lawn? If you’re sure you’ve got the best out of your garden space, and you’re happy with the plan, then you’re almost ready to buy your artificial grass!
The last bit of the plan is timing. Consider where you can dispose of your existing lawn (the local tip will accept garden waste, so make sure you know when they’re open!), and the weather should also ideally be dry.
Clear and prepare the area
If you already have an existing lawn, the first step is to clear the area of weeds and vegetation by spraying with weed killer. Ideally, you should do this two weeks before you lay your new artificial lawn. This will make sure all the plant material is dead down to the roots.
Next, you’ll need to dig up the lawn and break up the soil with a spade. Use a fork to remove any remaining vegetation which could make the surface uneven after the lawn has been laid. Rake the soil to spread it out evenly across your lawn area and finish off by walking the area flat with your boots, or use a lawn leveller. Take care to cover every inch.
If you’re laying artificial grass on concrete, you’ll simply need to remove any loose debris to give a nice smooth surface, and make sure the surface is dry.
Lay the weed membrane and lawn
Once your old lawn has been cleared and prepped, it’s now time to roll out your geotextile, unless you’re laying artificial grass on concrete, in which case you can skip the weed suppressant. Take care to keep all your edges in line with the border of the new grass area and make sure any new strips overlap the last by at least 300mm - this will prevent any cheeky weeds sneaking through over time.
Once the weed membrane's done, take the artificial lawn and lay it over the proposed area.
Top tip: When tackling long sections, cut 10cm wide strips into the excess grass. That way you’ll be able to fold and cut each shorter strip in turn, helping you to stay on track easier and giving you a much neater finish.
Trimming
Once the lawn is down, grab a Stanley knife (or similar) to trim any overhang. If you are finding it tricky, fold the excess carpet over and push down firmly, following the edge with your knife. It’s much easier to cut the backing than cutting the grass from above.
Top tip: When tackling long sections, cut 10cm wide strips into the excess grass. That way you’ll be able to fold and cut each shorter strip in turn, helping you to stay on track easier and giving you a much neater finish.
Installing artificial grass – joining and edge fixing
Now that that artificial grass is down, take some backing tape and lay it between the rolls of carpet (shiny side down) and secure with a couple of pins. Using a mixed adhesive, spread on the backing tape and then roll the carpet onto the joining tape. A 3mm gap between the edges is ideal.
With the artificial grass joined and in place, you can now pin the edges using 150mm galvanised ground pins. These should be hammered into the ground at an angle, approximately 200mm around the edge of the grass.
If you are laying artificial grass on concrete or paving, instead you’ll need to use some of the joining adhesive. Leave to dry for 24 hours if possible.
Finish and enjoy!
Once the grass is trimmed to size and the edges are fixed down, use a stiff brush to work against the direction of the grass pile. This will plump up and spruce up any areas that may have been flattened down during installation or transportation.
And there you have it – how to lay artificial grass on concrete or an old lawn in a few simple steps. Now, all you have to do is take a step back, put your feet up and enjoy your new lawn without having to worry about cutting the grass on hot summer days!!
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