Artificial grass -- Installation & Maintenance Guides

Disclaimer

No representations or warranties are made regarding the information contained here within and/or in any Artificial grass literature. Since factors including materials used, installation techniques, environmental conditions, etc. vary for each particular installation site or area, Synthetic Grass Solutions does not guarantee the results by utilizing any of the information contained herein.

Installation Process

  1. Mark off the area that you will install with an outdoor spray can marker. Consider the dimensions of your Artificial grass to try to get as few seams as possible with your layout.
  2. Remove sod. You will need to remove approximately 25mm to 75mm of soil. Ideally, the sub base will be pitched slightly towards the best direction to allow for water drainage to run-off. Also, after the sub base and Artificial grass is installed, you will want to have the edges of the Artificial grass at an even level with the natural landscape.
  3. Cap Sprinklers. Turn off valves, compact existing ground to “firm it up fully” (you can rent a vibrating plate compactor at most rental centres). Spray weed/grass killer and place a weed barrier mesh down (not always necessary in all areas of the country).
  4. Sub-Base. It is very important to ensure the sub-base is completely dry before laying any crushed rock to reduce settling and ensure proper compaction for the surface. Once you confirm that the sub-base is dry, add a top layer of crusher dust or a 5mm crushed rock (these types are best so you don’t feel any protruding rocks when you walk on your Artificial grass) - - ask your local garden supplier or nursery what material local landscapers use under paving bricks, etc. The purpose is to firm and level your base, 25mm-75mm of base is usually enough, although in some areas of the country where soil is especially unstable you may need up to 100-150mm of base material; just ask a local expert like a nursery, landscape centre, or rock yard if you are not sure. *** Please note if more than 75mm of base material is used, you will also need to increase the amount of soil removal.
  5. Spread and then compact the sub base material twice. Use the vibrating compactor again.
  6. Finishing Sand layer (not always required if crushed rock is adequately smooth). Spread a fine layer of sand (aprox. 2-5mm using just an ordinary seed drop spreader) on the surface to make it more level, bags of “play sand” are available at garden suppliers & some hardware stores. You may also use a water-filled (250 lb) sod roller for an even more level surface
  7. Check surface for depressions. Any depression areas 10mm-20mm or deeper should be filled in and re-leveled. Although the grass also drains vertically through the drainage holes that are manufactured in the grass, it is still advisable to give the sub-base a slight slope, to avoid any pools of water (slope away from buildings).
  8. Roll out grass. Position the grass where it goes, be accurate (so you don’t cut off grass you actually need). Note: Try to avoid dragging the grass as this may dislodge some crushed rock or sand
  9. Cut the grass. Cut off excess material so it’s easier to work with. Always use a sharp blade in your utility knife! Make sure grass is still positioned where it goes. Now, trim grass more exactly with straight lines. For optimal performance and beauty, make sure the grass is installed exactly over the prepared based.
  10. Seaming part 1 Seaming. Where two pieces of grass come together you will need to make a seam. It’s really not that difficult as the Artificial grass is fairly high and seams are generally less noticeable than that of thin pile carpet. You can always pay a local synthetic grass installer or carpet layer to help you for a few hours with this process if it makes you feel more comfortable although it usually isn’t necessary for most. The seams are simply glued together with any outdoor carpet adhesive and 300mm wide seaming tape. At the joining seam, a 300mm wide piece of seaming tape should be cut to the length of the seam. The grass is to be laid seam to seam the way that it should look to ensure it fits tightly together before it is glued.

    Note: The pattern of grass stitching on the under side must run in the same direction before the two pieces are adhered. Both sides of the grass at the seam must be pulled back in order to install the seam tape.

    Note: Before adhering both pieces ensure that both edges have been properly trimmed, straight, and will match up perfectly. Lay the seam tape down on the base directly between the two pieces of grass that are to be joined. Apply gluing compound to the entire piece of seam tape with a notched trowel. Place one side of the grass in the middle of the tape (approximately 150mm) to the center of the tape. Lay the other side of the grass over the middle of the seam tape to match up exactly to the grass that has just been adhered to the tape. Mesh the fibers together with fingers or brush. Note: Allow 24 hours for glue to properly dry. The following procedures can be administered during the drying time, but grass may shift and require repositioning.

  11. Infill preperationInfill Preparation. Once glue has dried, trim off grass so your lawn fits as desired. Next, it is a good idea to nail the perimeter every 500mm-800mm with nails (80-120mm length). In order to prepare to infill the grass, rake or power broom the grass in the opposite direction that the grass is laying on the roll. This will allow the infill material to infiltrate the grass rapidly and prevent grass blades from getting trapped in the infill.The infill process will now commence using a standard seed drop spreader with either sand or crumb rubber as an infill. The infill helps to weigh the grass down, and stabilize the fibers so as to help avoid “matting”. Most use sand infill, as it is the least expensive compared to rubber infill. Of course rubber is more shock absorbent than sand, so choose what you can afford and prefer, although it is strongly advisable to have at least the top half in rubber infill. This acts as insulation & also deters weeds from sprouting in the sand. You want to calculate the amount of infill in advance, as you will want to leave around 15mm of grass blade exposed.As a general rule of thumb, approximately 10kg of kiln dried Supernatural Grass sand per square meter of grass, equals around 10mm of infill height. Then finally add a crumb rubber infill using Supernatural Grass Rubber with approximately one 25 kg bag covering 2-3 sq metre for every 10mm of infill height. Spread the infill in several passes. As you spread the infill you should make one entire pass on the surface then sweep it down into the fibres, repeating the process until all of your infill has been spread evenly.
  12. Optional Edging. Depending on your yard, you may want to install some type of edging material around your new lawn. A large range of Clay, Masonry and Natural Stone pavers, garden edging borders and retaining wall products are available from Melbourne Brick stores throughout Melbourne which will be ideal for edging your new grassed area.

Maintenance Guidelines

Routine maintenance generally includes keeping the surface clean of debris, especially that which may decay into the infill, and occasionally sweeping the fibers up to revitalize the appearance of the lawn.

Rain is your best cleanser. Rainfall gently cleans the grass fibers of dust, pollen and airborne pollutants in way that is difficult to duplicate in any other fashion. In areas where rainfall is scarce–or during prolonged periods of drought–an occasional water flush is beneficial to soak and thus cleanse the grass system. This procedure is recommended for all grass systems.

Here are some additional tips: