How to fit your artificial grass lawn
By Gavin Hall
We are now at the third and final stage of laying an artificial grass lawn. This stage will show you how we fit artificial grass on top of the groundworks.
We have shown how to choose artificial grass, and gone through the steps of how we install the groundworks. All that is left for us to do now is show you how we fit an artificial grass lawn. The way we fit artificial grass has been has been learned through 15 years of installing lawns and guarantees a long lasting, flat surface.
Here is how we do it:
We decide the best direction to lay your grass
Firstly we need to decide whether to lay the grass length ways or across the lawn. Apart from being very heavy and difficult to move my main decision is based on the layout of the lawn I want to cover. I always try and lay the grass in as small a pieces as possible i.e. if the lawn is 11m x 6m I lay three 4m x 6m sections rather than a 4m x 11m and 2m x 11m section as the joins are smaller and easier to butt together.
Make sure the pile is going the right way
Rolls of artificial grass will have a slight nap to them as they have been tightly packed for a period of time. This nap will go after a few months as the sun lifts up the fibres. However, to get the lawn looking great from the start we make sure that the nap is running towards the best view point e.g. If you are looking out on your lawn through the living room window (see above photo) we want to look into the pile of the grass and not the flat back.
Aclimatise the artificial grass
Like us going on summer holiday to a hot climate we take a day or two to aclimatise and get used to the new weather conditions. Well, believe it or not artificial grass is no different. To prevent it from creasing or wrinkling we lay it on top of the groundworks for at least 12 hours before starting to fix it down.
Cutting and fixing the grass in place
I take the first roll of artificial grass and unroll it into position in the chosen direction. I use Hook Blades on the Stanley Knife to reduce the grass to size allowing at least 10cm extra all the way round the perimeter edges (not the joining side) before we start to make the final cuts. We always cut against the lip or fence rather than from directly above. I have plenty of Hook Blades on hand as they are easily blunted. Once the sides have been cut I make sure it is fixed in place by nailing it on to the hidden timbers using an OX Tools Bolster Chisel and a Paslode Nail Gun with small headed nails. I do this so that should we ever need to lift the grass it will be easier.
Joining the artificial grass together
Seaming
Seaming (joining) is a very important process in getting a perfect looking lawn as we do not wish to see the join. To join two pieces of grass together I firstly make sure that the two pieces of grass I am joining have perfectly straight edges. To get these perfect edges I go in two seam lines on the artificial grass and cut down the line on both pieces I am intending to join together. I then lift the flap back on both pieces of grass and lay a piece of Artificial Turf Joining Tape (shiny side down) along the underside of both pieces of grass I want to join. I put 5 or 6 60mm X 2.5mm Nails down the joining tape so it doesn’t blow away when it is getting glued. Now for the tricky bit. With a base as flat as a Tesco’s car park and well cut seams I am able to butt up with no problem. To check the seams I pull the unfixed piece of grass up to the fixed piece and line them up. Once I am happy they are in line I run my thumb down between the 2 pieces making sure they are just touching but not overlapping. I recently grassed the roof of Selfridges and I put in 13 joins in a day and you could not point out where they were!
Gluing
The way we join allows this part of the lawn to be very strong. To get this strong join I lift the flaps of the grass back and run 2 good lines of Astro Pro Seaming Adhesive down either side where they meet.
Butting
I then gradually start butting the grass up going from one end to the other. I always nail my joins using 60mm X 2.5mm Nails as this holds the grass down whilst the glue sets and stops any moving of the join.
Final touches
Sometimes areas of the artificial grass will require a top dressing if the grass slightly’ puffs’ from the base. We use Kiln Sand (a very dry sand) on these areas. For the majority of lawns I simply give them a good brush with a Power Brush to make the grass stand up and we are finished. The sand can be simply shaken and rubbed in with your hands to the required areas and once brushed, lightly hose the area with water to add more weight and to remove any surface sand.
Tools we use for the work
Hopefully by seeing how we fit an artificial grass lawn will give you an idea of the work involved in such a task and why you will find professional companies like ours are happy to explain step by step how we do it.
It has taken me many years of hard work to be able to provide the type of artificial grass installation service we now offer. Because of the enduring attention to detail and the dedication of my team I am in the enviable position of receiving many requests from people all over the world looking for help with their artificial grass installations. Whilst this brings a huge smile to my face we are still only a relatively small family owned and run business with limited resources. We currently offer our services within Kent, South East London, Hertfordshire, Essex and parts of Surrey. Whilst I am happy to answer general questions in the comments section below from anyone it may take up to 1 week for me to get back to you. Please make sure you have read other readers questions and my answers first as your question may have already been asked.
Priority will be given to answering questions from people looking for Perfect Grass to fit and supply our own artificial grass products. Please fill out the quotation form or call us on 020 81664168
For others looking for a priority response to a specific question relating to their own installation a £50 consultation fee is charged. My goal is to respond within 48 hours in these circumstances. For this specific online assistance please email me at info@perfectgrassltd.co.uk with your questions. I often require photographs to accompany your question in order to provide the best answer.
Hi Gavin
Do you use a carpet kicker to stretch out your artificial grass?
I am thinking of using 10 millimeter heavy duty stainless steel Staples to fix the grass to my timber border do you think that this will hold sufficiently.
The primary use of the artificial grass I’m putting down an area approximately 4m by 7m, for my children to basically play football on. Do you have any recommendations to give that will optimize my installation for such use?
Many thanks
Simon
Hi there , no we don’t use a carpet stretcher, as they wont work on artificial grass, due to the thicker backing . If you lay the grass out in the sun, it should settle down nicely to the base, push any puffing or creasing out before you fix to the sides. If you cant get the grass to sit down on the base , brush in some kiln sand to the areas , try to spread evenly as it will feel lumpy under foot.
We use staples , they are fantastic to fix the grass , 10 mm should be ok. regards.
Hi Gavin.
Just wanted to say, what a great job you do of replying to peoples questions. Very helpful site as well
Thank you , thats very kind
Good evening I am about to lay my artificial turf after completing the groundwork’s. I have two joins to do and want to obviously get these right. Do I cut along the seam line in both pieces that are to be joined together or do I cut along one of the seam lines on one piece and away from the seam line on the other piece? I hope that makes sense. Also do I need to spread the adhesive out along the joining tape or is it fine without spreading? Thanks in advance Neil.
Hi there , we go in three seam lines on both and cut a really clean line not crossing the stitching on both . Once this is done lay your tape under and but the grass up so they are as close as possible without over lapping . Once happy glue the grass evenly , you can use a spreader to smooth but dont over do it as you dont want the glue pushing up between the join .The grass should be put down carefully , get someone to hold far end and feed in slowly , do not get any fibres caught underneath. regards
Hi Gavin, when joining 2 pieces, do you cut inside the seem line on 1 piece of turf and then outside the seem line on the other piece? E.g cut the 1st piece of turf inside the 2nd seem line and 2nd piece of turf on the outer side of the 2nd seem line so that when you join the 2 pieces the seem lined would basically look as they would if it were 1 whole piece of turf? Hope that makes sense
Hi there , alot depends on grass depth and product , this is why we only ever fit our own . There is loads of companies selling grass now and they have no idea how they join or fit which I find disgusting. My advice would be to cut both of them as close to the inside bead as possible leaving as little backing showing, then line the joins up and play around with them before glueing. regards
Thanks Gavin appreciate the response
Hi
If you are putting in a tanalised timber fixing frame along a length of existing flags/slabs, how many mm below the flags would you position the top of the timber for fixing a good quality 45mm grass?
Many Thanks
Hi Gavin
I was just about to order my grass for an area of 7.2m long x 5.95m wide and then read this very informative guide where you mention that you prefer to lay smaller sections. However, in your example (an 11m long x 6m wide area) if the 11m length is also the best view point and where you want the nap to run towards i.e. a window/patio doors etc, then if you go with the 3 smaller lengths then wouldn’t you be joining on the widths i.e. across the view point from side to side and therefore not on the length from the window to the end of the area/garden? Is it ok to make the join across the width or should the join also run in the direction towards the window along the length?
Also, if you were ordering turf for an area of 7.2m long (the best viewpoint) x 5.95m wide, what size/measurement would you order? I was planning on ordering a 4m x 7.5m and a 2m x 7.5m, which I know doesn’t allow for a lot of contingency and error but if I ordered 2 lots of the 4m x 7.5m i’d end up with almost a half as waste.
Hope that makes sense, thanks in advance
Hi there we lay both ways across and length ways , don’t forget you can have viewpoints at both ends of the gardens and also it may work out much more cost effective to lay across ways. The decision is yours ideally 4×7.5 and 2 x 7.5 , however you should always go in 3 seam lines on either cut of the join to remove any sideways pointing fibres , so this may be tight . If this is too tight for comfort you may wish to consider 4 x6.25 twice which gives you more to play with . regards
Your guides are so good for following along, thank you for taking the time to create them. I’ve got a few questions about my install coming up soon if that’s ok…?
What are the dimensions of the timber framing you use please?
Do you lay a membrane on top of the grano dust just below the grass as well as under the sub base?
Some grass suppliers tell me the kiln dried sand is not required for some particular grass due to the weight and design of the grass, have you come across this before and what is your advice?
Do you tuck the weed membrane under the framing or add it after the framing is in and do you secure it down in the centre with anything?
Due to the pandemic and delivery times there may be some time when the turf and soil is dig out before the aggregate is delivered.
Is it ok to spray with weed killer and leave this hole for a while before the aggregate arrives or would it fill up with rain water and cause issues?
Does the artificial grass require a run off for heavy rain in any direction?
What do you use to secure the grass and at what intervals along the framing do you secure them?
I have some fence posts around the area I want to grass. would you frame around these or just stop at each and then carry on the other side?
They are cemented in so it may be tricky to frame around them.
They are around 100mm wide and protrude around 50mm.
Sorry for all the questions but you guys are just so helpful and clearly know your stuff.
Thank-you,
Charlie
Hi there
– 3/2 treated
– no membrane under type one
– Totally agree we only use kiln now if the grass doesn’t sit down onto the base.
– We nail the membrane into the ground using 4 inch nails, we don’t tuck under timbers as it makes them weak.
– Thats fine to do however weed killer won’t really be effective this time of year and also you may end up having to remove more soil if it gets very wet.
– A run off isn’t a bad idea in very heavy storms, however the drainage holes are very affective.
– We use nail guns as the heads are smaller and it means it easier to lift if there are any issues underneath.
– We stop the timber at them and then put in a concrete haunch to link them and then simply cut the grass round.
cheers
Thank you so much, superb answers as always.
Hi Gavin, I have just laid Enka Flex underlay in my barn (on a concrete floor), There are about 5 strips of 9m x 1m – I joined by butting them together and carpet taping over the top (I don’t want to stick them to the floor, incase I ever need to remove and convert back). The turf, inlay of sand and wooden sleepers on top will all weigh down everything .
I have noticed this morning that they have ridged up – guessing the temp/damper conditions has caused this. Any advice before I lay the artificial turf on top ? I will probably leave it until next weekend before laying turf and adjust the underlay just before – but I wanted to make sure I don’t make any terminal adjustments to the underlay, that may cause an issue !
Thx
Hi yes it can be a pain trying to get them all flat , we used to gaffer tape the strips in areas together . The kiln sanding at the end will sort any issues out , however I dont see why a few handfuls of sand lightly spread on top of the underlay would do any harm. regards
Hi there
I have been looking at the information relating to joining 2 pieces of grass and the gluing information for the joining tape.
The joining tape I have got is self adhesive and have noticed when looking around, that several brands are, so am wondering if I put extra glue on the joining tape for added adhesion, would this work or will the adhesion of the tape itself be sufficient without the need for additional glue.
If there are only positives to adding additional glue to the tape then I am happy to do that. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi there, we have attempted to use the self adhesive tape once and gave up. It defeats the purpose of having a tape that enables you to line the join up and play around with, before carefully adding the glue. Imagine lining a join up on a windy day and then trying to use this tape (I assume you peel the layer off) also it doesn’t allow you to gently kick it in, if it needs it . Personally I would use separate tape and glue all day long. Regards
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the info. Thanks!
Hi Gavin,
Thank you for the detailed blogs, they’ve been very insightful. I have a small yard (3.7m x 4.7m) I plan to artificially grass. It’s currently patio, but I aim to pull this up, last a weed membrane, timber around the edges as in your guide and lay a granite dust base before laying the turf.
However, target centrally in the yard is a rectangular inspection cover. Do you have any recommendations for this? Ideally I would like to ‘hide’ it, so I’m considering a recessed cover and filling with the artificial turf. Have you any suggestions? My concern is that the edge of the recessed drain cover would be a trip hazard and painful to stand on accidentally. Also, I’m not sure how I would attach the grass around the drain, as even if I installed a timber frame around the cover and nail it, I wouldn’t be able to tuck it down as it would be very obvious.
Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Kyle
Hi there drains are a pain in the neck . A recessed drain would only work if you can get the top of it to the same level as the rest of the area and simply drop a bit in the middle at same height, after filling the recess with concrete. We generally try and get the drain flat and put normal fixings around ie a timber if you can or a concrete fillet. If we are going to stick on top and the drain is smooth enough, without becoming a trip hazard, we set the fixing at the top of the drain , if not we set them at same height as around the edge. Drains can be raised and dropped but we don’t usually get too involved in this as this leads to complications if its not done correctly , however a builder would. regards
Thank you for your quick response! It occurred to me after I posted that using a recessed drain cover may affect drainage since the water would have nowhere to go if it was filled with concrete or the subbase? If I used concrete, would I use glue to stick the grass down? I was thinking of adding a shock pad too.
You’re right; this drain is a pain in the neck and I’m not sure whether to just cut my losses and leave it and simply install the grass around it. It would be a shame because aesthetically it wouldn’t be very nice!
Thank you again,
Kyle
Would you ever recommend a floating lawn? Just thinking that perhaps a floating lawn butted against the edges, tucked under the door sills and weighted down with sand would mean that I could just lay it over the inspection cover and it could be accessed if necessary?
Thank you!
Hi ok I assume its an open drain where water drains directly ? or is it a simply an inspection chamber ? regards
An inspection chamber 660×510
Hi there, if you concrete in timber fixings around the side and use nails with small heads then you can simply lay over the top. If you ever need to access it you can simply pull the grass off the nails and access the drain. Regards
I think I follow – So timber fixings around the outside of the drain cover. Cut out a section for the drain cover, slightly larger than 660×510 so it can be attached to the timber fixing on around the outside of the drain. Use nails to attach both the main piece and the drain piece to the timber around the drain. Try and join as best possible.
If I have this correct, would it matter that the grass edges around the drain aren’t butted up against an edge or joined with tape/glue? Would they peel up easily or look very obvious?
Sorry for all of the questions! Thank you again for your time and expertise.
Hi you can put fixings around and cut out and re-stick on top, make sure fixings are level with surface , or you can set them below and leave drain uncovered or you can totally cover with no fixings around the drain as if it wasn’t there , however if you do need to access in the future it could be accessed by pulling the grass off the perimeter fixings. regards
Wonderful. Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it 🙂
Kind regards,
Kyle
Hi Gavin, I am massively impressed with your website, guides and your attention to detail on your work. My property is flat roofed and is designed to be a terrace, around 44sqm and is timber joists consctruction. I’ve recently had it all taken up, timbers repaired/replaced and relayed with a single ply membrane (previously asphalt and promenade tiles) and took lath and plaster ceiling down and replaced with plasterboard so i dont think weight of the grass is going to be an issue and its already loads lighter than it was, but I am just wondering what materials would be needed and the process would be for installing? Layers, drainage, fixings etc.
Hi there, I personally believe you should be talking to a builder as it is more a question of what you are allowed to put up there.
You could simply have a timber frame with marine ply with drilled drainage holes or depending on the load bearing of the joist create an aggregate sbuild up which I doubt. regards
Hi Gavin,
Thank you very much for all the helpful info.
I am planning an install of a 7 x 4m rectangle and wondering about the need for the power brushing stage. Does using one of these make a big difference? They do not seem easy to hire. Do you think stiff broom or lawn rake and blower will do the job?
Many Thanks
Mark
Hi there , in this hot sunny weather you really don’t need much more than to lay it out for the morning and it will stand up on its own.
regards
Hi – I’ve read your artical with interest, along with all the comments – very helpful !!
I was lucky enough to be given some fab quality grass, which after weekends of taking tons out and putting tons back in, my garden now has the grass on it ! As yet, it has not been joined, secured or had the final cuts done !
But what I have noticed from your posts is that because of what I was given, I have had to make the cuts the other way on the seams. I have one piece that is 4m deep by 5m wide – my garden is just under 4m deep by 8m wide, so I have laid the large piece out and have two 3m wide by 2m deep pieces to join to it. I’m guessing join the two 2m bits together will be ok, but the front to back join to the other piece is where I think it will be joining incorrectly. I don’t really have any other options, but is there a way of trying to make this join as seamless as possible ?
Also, should I trim back the two metres bits, so they are not joining on the manufacturers cut ?
Any help would be most appreciated
Thanks in advance
Tracey
Hi unfortunately the straight answer is no. There is a reason the grass is bought in specific sizes to fit the area. Joins are always done down the seams so they can be 95% invisible.
It isn’t possible to put together 3 or 4 pieces across the joins to create one area without it looking like a patch work quilt I am afraid…. sorry.
Good Morning Gavin,
I’ve been reading through your blog and it’s been very helpful, I just have one question really if you wouldn’t mind helping.
I have been looking at the Grano for my sub base, I read in an earlier comment that the Grano from B&Q wasn’t the correct one.
I have been looking at Travis Perkins as they are the only other company near me in Northampton that supply this but I can’t really see any difference in them. They sell two types but they don’t seem any different.
I have added the links in below and wondering which product you think would be the correct one to use. I didn’t want to order it and get the wrong one when I need 3 bulk bags.
Any help is much appreciated.
Hi Adam , its very difficult to tell from pictures. The granno ideally needs to be 0-5mm ,however if you get larger 6mm – 10mm it still works but you will need to top dress the grass to pin into base otherwise it will crunch. regards
Hi Gavin,
Thanks for the quick reply. I will get in touch with Travis Perkins and see if they can tell me what the difference is and go from there.
One last thing – So is it best to use 6mm Grano if that’s all I can get and then dress the artificial grass on top with the kiln dried sand?
Thanks again for the help.
Hi I prefer the 0-5 mm as it goes rock hard. The 6mm is more free draining but can be slightly less hard and cause crunching issues if not properly sanded. regards
I’ve used granno from and b and q and it’s fine
Hi Gavin,
i hope to install my artificial grass next weekend. i have followed your instructions with regards to the groundworks. Your instructions for fitting the artificial grass state “to reduce the grass to size allowing at least 10cm extra all the way round the perimeter edges”. Do you tuck this 10cm excess down the side of the timbers? Do you nail on top of the timber, or from the side where the tuck will be?
Thanks
Adrian
Hi there , the reason I say to reduce down around the edges is because it makes lining up joins easier. When you are ready to tuck reduce the grass down as much as you can before bolster chiselling the grass behind the timber. Then simply nail into the top of the timber which in turn will remove any puffing. regards
Hi. I am having artificial grass laid in my back garden for my boys to play football on. My garden is 27m x 8m. The company has said that they will do one join from top to bottom of the garden. Is this the correct approach? Also, if the purpose of the grass is to play football on, what height, density, soft/hard would you recommend?
Hi there 95 percent of grass rolls are made to 25m in length so I have no idea how they are doing a 27m length.
The grass is so heavy getting this in place would be very very difficult, approx. weight 300 kg.
I would fit this grass across ways every time 4×8 (7 times) as a 27m join would test the most experienced installer.
I would advise a shorter pile around 25 -30 mm however any installer worth their salt should be helping with this.
regards
Hi Gavin,
Thanks for such an informative website. I fitted artificial grass in my last garden and was very happy with the job I did. My garden now is slightly bigger, its a rectangle 7.8m wide and 7 metres long with a 6m2 shed base in the top left corner.
I was planning on using two 4m rolls, 7 metres long and have one join from top to bottom of garden. Cutting out the section where the shed base is. Would you agree?
My confusion with the join from reading your guide and some comments are, if I lay one 4m roll out it will have a factory cut finish on one side of the join, if I then lay the other 4m roll out on the other side of the join this will be another factory cut finish. Is this allowed or do I need to physically cut a straight line in it myself along the seam?
Great Website, Thanks.
PS – Do you use glue on all the perimeter or just the join? Last time I glued and then drilled decking screws in to secure, ill use your nail method his time (although that worked great). If I don’t need to use sealant then it’ll be a big saving with 30 linear metres of perimeter.
Thanks
If you are putting concreted in timbers simply nail with small headed nails approx. 3/4 inch, don’t stick as you may wish to get under the grass one day, unless its necessary on a concrete haunch. regards
Hi there Adam, don’t panic over the joins as with a little time and attention they can be pretty easy.
So 2 bits of 4 x 7 is absolutely perfect.
Tip 1 is to get the base as flat and smooth as possible which will make the join easier. Fit the first piece.
Tip 2 you will need to cut down the seam line on the joining edge of both bits of grass (the side with the unfinished edge), go in 3 seam lines if you have enough width wise and cut completely straight not going into next seam line on both. This gets rid of sideways pointing fibres. Put your joining tape under the grass half showing then drag your next bit of grass in.
Tip 3 play around with the join getting it really close and brush the grass up before viewing it from different angles.
Tip 4 do not let ANY fibres get caught underneath. When happy stick the join.
Tip 5 get someone else to hold the grass flaps up whilst you carefully stick the grass making sure no glue goes on the grass or gets trapped under the join.
Good luck
Brilliant, thanks Gavin. The advice you give for free should be applauded! Going to do it over Easter Weekend. Looking forward to it!
Hi Gavin
This is the best site I’ve read so far and will definitely be using it as my fitting guide. I am choosing to self install as I want to use high quality sandstone edgings, a new shed, plantings and lights but want to keep it under five grand.
I do have a few questions that would be great if you could answer.
1. Is it worth having a membrane at the top and bottom? or just on the bottom. Or would this affect drainage?
2. How do I check my current drainage? My current garden is uneven and neglected and so I have no intimate knowledge of its draining ability.
3. I plan to edge the grass with a sand paving border which is level with the grass. Should I fix the grass to the top of the wood framing or wrap it around and then edge it after? I assume I nail it to the top.
Thanks in advance.
Joe
Sorry forgot one more.
The plan is to place play equipment on top of the grass. Any issues? We will go for a shorter pile anyway but is there any issues with movement in the sub base? Or damaging the grass.
Hi there , this is fine . If it is quite heavy duty you may wish a deeper sub base . Also obviously nothing can pushed into the grass once its down I always suggest maybe beefing up the bottom using railway sleepers if a wooden structure .
I would consider sanding the grass quite heavily around the play area using kiln sand brushed into the pile , this will make it much more durable.
regards
Many thanks for your kind words mate.
Ok firstly, membrane should always go on the bottom. It is a weed barrier at source, stops worms getting to the aggregates and also it is out of the way when fitting and avoids issue with dog wee.
Checking drainage isn’t a science, simply walk around your garden and see if it does hold on to water i.e. is it really soft etc in places. If so any soft ground needs removing and you may wish to go deeper with the sub base. It is the best time of year to see, as it is the wetest.
Once the paving is in place concrete the timbers in around the edge (this will be dependent on grass depth) leave them slightly below level and a small gap at back depending on grass depth again. Once you have finished fitting the grass, bolster the grass down rear of timber and attach using nails to remove any puffing.
cheers
Hi,
We have completed our grass installation following your guides (thank you soo much) though we have made a mistake i believe on the sand in fill. We used klin dried sand and made holes in the bags and mixed this around though i think we have used to much for sure.
In places you cant feel the softness of the grass as u once did. We have brushed it as much as we can but it doesnt spread enough. I am going to buy a new pvc brush hoping it iwll help and a leaf rake as well. I did try a fast light vacumn to take a fine layer off but it didnt seem to pick anything up.
I was wondering what i can do if i cannot brush it out. Can i start again and wash all the sand out with a hose?
I am going to hose it down to try to distrubute the sand better later.
Much appreciated 🙂
Hi I really wouldn’t panic, we do it all the time. We use our leaf blower to get rid of the worst of the dry sand and if that fails we use a hose to blast it away. If this fails it will disappear over time.
regards
Hi Gavin,
I am going to install my garden to your guide as after much research it looks to be the best way to do it. Have you ever had a problem with the timber sinking before and creating a ridge?Some of the quotes we have had suggest it is better to lay the turf loose.
How much of a gap do you leave to tuck the grass down and do you peg the timbers before concreting them in?I thought maybe to string line all the borders and central feature before to get my levels correct.
Can you please advise me on the best nail gun and type of nails to use for the grass. Can you tuck it down and just leave it or is it important to use nails?
Noticed you use a concrete fillet sometimes.do you think i would need to do this round my fence posts?
Some help and advice would be greatly appreciated before i dare tackle this myself.
We were thinking of calling in to see you , however just noticed you are 5 hours from us.
Thanks
Scott
Hi there , we always concrete the timbers in to place not peg them . We have never had an issue with the timbers sinking when fitted like this. The gap depends on grass thickness ,as you will be tucking this down the rear of the timber id say anywhere between 10-20 mm.
You can use small nails 3/4 inch but we found these to be harder to pull up if there was ever an issue and we needed to get under our product in the future.We always fillet around fence posts and then cut and stick the grass on to this which will stop and issues occurring .
regards
Hi Gavin,
Really enjoyed reading your post.
I’m in the process of installing my artificial grass and so far so good. I’m now joining two lengths (4×3), but I’m hesitant to stick them down because I can still see a super faint line on the join :(. I want the seam to be completely invisible, but no mater what I do there is a faint line top to bottom. I have cut both pieces as per your instruction, but its still there. What gap should I aim for between the joins and how should I fix the joins temporary as I work my way down the join?
Sorry for all the questions, but I want it to be perfect.
Hi , please remember you are joining the grass together and there is a chance you will see a very feint line . A few pointers , always go in 2-3 seam lines when cutting in joins . I sometimes use a rubber dog grooming brush to integrate the fibres . Make sure NO fibres are caught underneath as these will definitely show the join.
regards
Hi I have just paid for a lawn to be laid and it really looks good except for the join, it was glued but stands out like a sore thumb. He has asked me to let it settle for 2 months.
My question is why does it stand out like a sore thumb and does it really take 2 months to settle because the more I look at it the more I am winding up especially as it is in my front garden. Could it have been latex the wrong way?
Thanks for any advice
Hi the answer is simply no , it sounds as though it hasn’t been joined very well . We get this all of the time nowadays, joins should be 95 pct invisible , all you may see is a very feint line on the odd occasion where the fibres have doubled up , which will disappear over time.
regards
Hi Gavin,
Great website and really interesting advice and guidance – thank you.
I have purchased and installed my new artificial grass a couple of days ago and it seems quite flat…
I have laid the pile in the correct direction however I am not too happy with the way the grass is sitting. Initially I thought that it may be because it came on the roll and that it may spring into life (I am still hoping!) over time.
What I have realised is that I have purchased a Flat Yarn rather than a C Shaped Yarn. It looks OK from the house but looking back towards the house from the end of the garden it has a very shinny appearance – probably should have gone for a more expensive grass in retrospect.
I was considering adding a kiln dried sand into the grass in an attempt to make the fibres stand up and sit better (as well as add a little weight to the carpet). In your opinion, do you think that this would work or am I just wasting my time throwing a lot of sand at the problem (literally!!)
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Hi the warm sun on it will indeed help it lift from its squashed machine rolled state. This can be aided by brushing in kiln dried sand , it will swallow a lot of this if you wish it to help it stand upright. I also recommend returning to the company you purchased the grass from and ask them what they advice to do with their product.
regards
Hi I put nails in the turf but you can see them it’s made a divet hole in the turf how do I fix that
When you put nails into the grass you need to gently part the fibres and then fluff back into place once the nail has been inserted.Regards
Hi, I’m looking to fix artificial grass to my concrete garden wall and wondered if you have any suggestions in respect of how best to attach it.
Thanks
Paul
Hi this can be done but will need some patience. Try using a hanging timber from the top or baton around the edges. If you do not want to see this you will have to consider using raw plugs for screws and glue but its not a job I would take on.Regards
Hi Gavin,
We are trying to lay our artificial grass. Our garden is 28 meters long by 7.5 meters wide. The shop suggested we buy two 4X10m strips and 2X7.5m strips as 25m rolls were too heavy for the delivery. We have layed the first two pieces side by side and the join is great as we have cut along the stitching as suggested on many websites, but when trying to connect the end to end pieces it just doesn’t look good. Are you supposed to always lay artificial grass side to side or can you lay it end to end? We are now thinking we should have ordered 7 4m by 7.5 m pieces and joined them side to side? Can we lay end to end and if so what is the best way of doing so?
Hi there, I personally replied to you yesterday as I was so shocked that this has happened. I have always said unless you have installed grass for a period of time you should not be able to sell it. I get lots of questions on here on a daily basis from people who purchased grass from outlets, where they are not qualified to offer advice and help. This is a perfect example. The grass should simply be laid side ways 7 bits of 4m by 7.5m.
Never ever join across the seams. I wish you well and as I explained in my email I’m happy to help any way I can.
Best regards
In this scenario the direction of the pile should be ignored?
The pile will be running sideways to the window.
Hi , even when a grass is laid across the garden it is still important to consider pile direction.
ie what side will the grass be viewed from more .
regards
Hi, could you use sharp sand instead of kiln sand for the top dressing or would you recommend against this?
Hi definitely not , sharp sand is gritty whilst kiln is very fine and smooth and will disappear into the pile.
Thanks again. I’ve fitted the weed control fabric (heavy duty mesh fabric) and I am just waiting for delivery of the grass now. However the weed control fabric doesn’t appear to let all the water through, some goes through but there is still a film of water that doesn’t appear to pass through, is this to be expected or should all the water completely pass through?
Hi its does take time for water to pass through otherwise it wouldn’t be a barrier for weeds .
regards
Hello, is it better to lay the grass in my back garden so that the joins run horizontally across the garden when looking out from my patio or does this not matter ? U mentioned putting it into smaller pieces. I have a straight edged patio the entire width of the area where the grass will begin. Then it will cover up to the decking. This decking is L-shaped effectively. So one half stretches back another 1.5metre than the other.
What do you advise?
Also .. for the edges you mentioned after he final cuts you like fold it over the edge of the timber so you don’t see the cut edge is that right ? I will have small stone borders that will be about 20mm lower than the grass level. What should I do please ?
Hi in an ideal world you would lay the grass so it rolls out away from house and you look into the pile , however this isn’t always an option . The grass is heavy and difficult to move in larger pieces and joins are more tricky if they are too long and also it can work out much more costly if you only lay this way.
On area 6m x 10 m for example I would always lay in 3 bits 4×6/4×6/2×6. A good tip is have the pile looked into from the entry point where it will be viewed from most .
If you concrete your timbers in there is nothing wrong if one area is lower simply wrap the grass round the timber and fix on the rear so the stones neatly touch the grass.
Hi,
I am looking to install grass myself (never done before) – thank you for your guides. Can you tell me, the klin sand to be applied once the grass is down, is this okay to use if you have a dog, I am worried about it holding urine smell?
Cheers
Hi top dressing with sand is not essential. The origin of this was to give the grass weight and to make it stand up before we used fixings and the grass had dense base piles. We only use kiln sand now if the grass has slight puffing in it. The sand won’t hold the smell as its pretty free draining and it is generally the grass that holds onto it. We have a great product that is a sand top dress that holds onto the ammonia in the urine and thus eliminates the smell.
regards
Hi, thanks for the reply. Would you recommend using your sand along side kiln sand or just one or the other?
I want the benefits of kiln sand of course while having no smells.
Thanks Gavin
Hi it is quite new to me. I trialled it last year with my 3 dogs. In the winter I noticed the wee sand rose to the top as it got wetter and was holding on to the moisture, so in March I hosed the worst of the wee sand out and added a good covering of kiln sand and brushed in, then when the warmer weather arrived started using the dog wee sand again. The dog wee sand doesn’t need to go all over the area just in the places they wee.
Regards
Hi, how much of a gap between nails would you recommend around the perimeter? Should the perimeter nails be not be longer than the depth of the timber perimeter or would you recommend just using the 4 inch nails which would penetrate about an inch below the timber into the concrete? Also is it only around the perimeter and at the joins you would use nails or do you also use them inside the perimeter i.e. that nails that would be nailed directly into the aggregate base?
Cheers
Hi there we use a nail gun as they have tiny heads on the nails, don’t forget the reason we use timber fixings rather than concrete haunches is so if there is ever a problem the grass can be easily lifted with out damaging it. If you do not have a nail gun use small nails 3/4 inch every foot or so to hold the grass in place.
We have recently had an artificial lawn laid by a trade Gardener and we are not happy as we can see the join which is in the middle of the lawn – it is not glued – we can still separate the two sides and it looks like it is not flowing the same way on either side. What would you recommend doing? Thanks
Hi there unfortunately we are getting more and more of this as the grass becomes more popular and everyone thinks its easy to fit.
The positive is if it isn’t stuck you maybe able to flip it round the right way and join it properly .However this will very much depend on the shape and if the grass has been cut to it.
I always say get on to the installer and tell them how unhappy you are as it obviously been poorly fitted .You need to make him aware that you have to totally start again as it is impossible to match the batch and buy a new piece of grass for one side so you will end up buying a the whole area again and you will struggle to find a reputable company that’s willing to lay on a poor base.
Feel free to email me some photos info@perfectgrassltd.co.uk
I’m in the homebuilding industry and we avoid what we refer to as “T” seams when installing carpet. Is that also true of synthetic lawns?
Hi there yes spot on. We call them ‘header joins’ when you are joining across the seam lines. You can do it if it is very narrow i.e. less than 20 cm. We generally always let the customer know if we will put one in, it’s usually to save them buying another piece for such a tiny strip.
regards
Hi, what size of nails should I use to secure grass to the wooden frame? Won’t be using a nail gun unfortunately.
Hi there 3/4 inch nails with small heads , avoid clout nails .
regards
Great thanks for the help.
Hi just had our grass fitted. The garden is shaped like a bean, two pieces, one 4 meters long, one 5 meters long with a seam up the middle. The installer cut to shape and secured the edges before attempting to glue the middle seam. Came back a week later to,do the seam and it is so visible. After looking at various websites we have established he didn’t cut the edges to make sure each side matched gauge wise and left it with the manufacturers cut. All we can think is to lift one half, cut the middle seam so it matches and relay but could lose a few cms on the perimeter. Installer is blaming manufacturers. Any suggestions please.
Hi there sorry it is simply a bad installation. The unfinished edging needs cutting off and we go in 3 seam lines to find a nice clean edge to join on to. Has he stuck the grass onto the unfinished edge?
What you really need to do if you don’t have any luck with your installer is decide the best way forward. If you decide you cant live with the join how it is there are 3 options.
1/Cut down the join line and peel back the grass carefully cut down the first unspoilt seam line , do the same on the other side and drag across and join. This isn’t ideal as you will be short around the edge.
2/Buy a new piece of grass for the smaller side, making sure it is the same batch (not just grass) otherwise it wont match and fit.
3/ It is possible to cut the join out and put in a strip to make the join invisible , however this is very tricky and fiddly , it also is only possible if you have some spare grass.
regards
Hi. I am installing some artificial grass myself 5m x 12m and so far it is looking good. However where I am joining there is a slightly visible line running the full 12M. I have cut back the factory edge on one piece of grass as it was pretty uneven anyway but the other roll looks perfectly straight so I have left this. Do I need to take tge factory edge off tbe other piece too or is there something else I may be doing wrong?
Hi there the factory edging needs to come off both sides otherwise the grass will sit up slightly .
I always try and go in 3 lines (if we have enough overlap) , put under your joining tape then play around with the join till you are happy with it before getting out the glue.
regards
Hi, do joins have to be secured with artificial grass glue/adhesive or can something like No More Nails be used? Also, I’ve not left a gap around part of timber frame for tucking the grass in, is this likely to be an issue? Thanks.
Hi I have used no more nails and it does stick, however long term I do not know how the glue behaves , it could go very brittle and crack over time. I would advise against it as the grass glues are also green and can be wiped from the grass if an accident happens .
regards
Great, thanks Gavin for your quick reply. I’ve not left a gap behind some sections of frame, could this be an issue when fitting? Cheers.
Hi it just means you have to cut the grass to the edge and you wont get the same clean knuckle finish.
regards
Hi, with regards to fixings the seem can this be done with the staples rather than glue? Also what nails would you used for the edge battens.
Hi no definitely not, by using the tried and tested tape and glue you can create one large piece which lasts.
In my time I have seen it all from cable ties to staples into a timber… they don’t work!
We prefer to use a nail gun as the heads are small so if there is ever an issue we can simply pop the grass of the timbers and fix with out ripping the grass.
I would try and keep head size as small as possible 3/4 inch nail length should be fine.
regards
Hi
I’ve had my artificial grass for over a year and a couple of months ago I noticed that a join has become very visible.
What is the best way to fix this please?
Thanks
Hi there, not a lot that can be done. This happens when the join is initially put in and the gap left is too wide.
What happens then is the grass will get squashed and trodden into the join and the gap appears.
The problem with trying to invisibly repair it would be the grass you will using to repair it will look completely different as it’s new and not matted so will stand out like a sore thumb.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
Hi we have just laid our artificial grass but the *grass pegs* wont go into the ground as the ground is too hard. The pegs are just bending. The area we where we have laid the grass has a lot of small stones and we have removed as many as we can but unfortunately they go down a lot deeper than we can manually dig. Is there anything else we can use to secure the grass.
Hi we never use pegs in our install. Try using 4 inch nails and knock them in with a hammer.
Alternatively use kiln dried sand and brush this in. It can add some good weight to pin the grass down.
regards
can i ask why my synthetic grass, after installation, looks like two patches of grass one of lighter shade the other of darker shade, side by side.
Hi there , it means they are laid in different directions or from different batches .
I would get onto the installer .
regards
thanks!
Hi, the grass has been machine rolled very tightly, this causes the grass to stand off the 90 degree angle.
This will mean you get a good side and a not that good side to view from.
The grass should always be laid so you are looking into the pile from the house or the chosen viewing area.
The grass pile will disappear over the years if it gets lots of use but if not the answer is no I’m afraid.
A lot depends on the product itself i.e. if its very soft and dense its easier to brush out.
regards
I have just had my grass installed and the pile is going away from the house, I don’t like the shiny look it has. Will it over time stand up and look the same as if I was laid with the pile facing the house??
Please tell me it will!!
Hi Simon,
Very informative, as we just had artificial grass laid and have joint problems. Two factory made edges joined together but the joint is visible due to each of the edges having a slightly raised lip with no grass on it. Any suggestions ?
Hi there, you should trim off the factory edge and join by cutting down the seam lines, this is why its raised up.
Unfortunately if you have stuck on this there isn’t anything you can do, unless you can cut the join out and invisibly put in a new join line (very tricky)
regards