Artificial grass or astroturf is becoming chic and trendy as it requires less maintenance, while in contrast natural grass requires a lot of care. Natural grass requires clipping once or twice a week, that means you should be out to maintain your grass often, which is quite overwhelming for homeowners. Natural grass needs maintenance during peak growing seasons, while astroturf looks alluring 24/7 with little or no care. 

That’s why more and more people are becoming interested in installing artificial grass due to its kid and pet-friendly nature. If you are looking to install astroturf the Outdoor Living Pros is a one-dimensional artificial turf installation company that provides a variety of outdoor services to build a plush ground without lowering the quality. 

However, many of you would be interested in learning how to lay artificial turf yourself, so this step-by-step guide is best for you to scratch your head. 

Tools Required for Turf Installation

The installation of artificial turf is a hard nut to crack, and it requires various tools to start the process. Here is the list of tools to install artificial turf:

• Gloves
• Turf cutter
• Shovel
• Hammer
• Broom
• Stiff brush
• Stanley knife
• Tape measure
• Planks for compacting
• Ground pins
• Galvanized nails
• Joining tape
• Joining adhesive

Things to Do Before Turf Installation

After collecting the desired tools, the things you need to do before turf installation are:

• Eliminate weeds from the soil
• Remove the top layer of soil
• Spread gravel as a base material
• Fix waterproof lawn border at the edges of the ground
• Cut the turf of a required length and shape
• Seal the edges with tape

Complete Guide to Install Artificial Grass

Here is the complete guide to installing artificial turf.

Prepare the Area

It is the first basic step to installing artificial turf. Start by preparing the area and spraying weed killers to kill weeds and vegetation. Do this for two weeks at least to remove all vegetation down to the roots. 

Remove the top level of the Soil

Next, dig the soil about three inches to make space for a new base. Use a rototiller to dig up the soil and remove all kinds of plants, as they may cause uneven surfaces after they die. Compress down the soil with a hand tamp. 

Install a Drainage System

Install a drainage system in the lawn because turf should be permeable to water. Later, install a plastic/ concrete curb border around the edges to prevent the lawn from slouching. It is optional to add a weed barrier and resident wire to prevent earthworms, gophers, and rodents. 

Install the Base

Install the base with finely crushed gravel, granite, and rock to fill the excavated area. This will improve drainage and prevent the turf from slouching. Smooth out the base material, grade it, and lubricate it to prepare a sturdy base. For safety measures, you can install a rubber shock pad. 

Unroll the Lawn

Unroll the lawn turf to recover its shape, and make sure the base is compact before installing it. If the soil is firm and compact, install the turf, cut down the edges to fix it in the desired shape, and make sure you install the turf in one direction. 

Fix the Lawn 

Tightly place the turf and remove wrinkles with the help of a carpet stretcher or carpet kicker. To join the turf strips, seaming tapes, or glues effectively to glue the turf, spread a seaming tape on the ground and place the edges of the turf that need to be seamed on the top of the seaming tape.

Fix the Edges

In the end, fix the turf edges with galvanized stakes or landscaping anchor pins and hammer them gently to fasten them to the ground. Kiln sand is usually applied to give it a natural finishing look, which can be done using a stiff brush. In the end, water the lawn and wait until the next day to see if it is bouncy enough. If it does not meet the necessary requirements, add another infill to get the desired results. 

Conclusion

We have simplified the process of artificial turf installation into easy-to-understand steps for your convenience. You can install turf yourself by following these steps, but if you find it difficult, contact an artificial turf installation company, and their team will be delighted to help you. They can help your dreams become reality with over 10 years of expertise in the field.