Artificial grass lawns provide many benefits, especially to people with limited mobility and those who struggle with manual upkeep such as the elderly or disabled. They allow homeowners to spend their time and energy on other activities and reduce their impact on the environment by reducing water consumption and eliminating chemical upkeep.
However, a successful installation requires proper preparation to ensure that the synthetic turf lasts and looks great. The base layer is one of the most important steps, and skipping it can lead to a number of issues including:
Poor drainage: Inevitably, natural or artificial, moisture will drain, dry or evaporate from the surface of your yard. Without a properly prepped base, moisture will have nowhere to go and can accumulate into puddles that deteriorate the turf over time. If left unattended, this can also create a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Weed problems: If you install your synthetic grass over natural grass and skip the weed barrier, there’s a high likelihood that weeds will sprout through the turf in a short amount of time. Putting a weed barrier under your synthetic grass is an affordable way to prevent this from happening and will extend the life of your artificial lawn.
Using a power broom, slowly sweep infill deep into the artificial turf. It’s important to use a low throttle so that you don’t throw infill into unwanted places, but still maintain firm downward pressure. It is also important to overlap your passes so that the infill is worked in evenly throughout the entire layer of your artificial lawn.
Drainage: Having a proper drainage layer is the single most important step in artificial grass installation. A 3-4 inch layer of stone, gravel or 3/4″ construction grade crushed rock will ensure that excess water can easily pass through and out of your yard.
Seaming: This is the most technical and demanding part of your artificial grass installation. Seams that are done well are virtually invisible and will help to make your new lawn look flawless. However, if you are not supremely careful when seaming, the results will be glaringly obvious.
It’s important to do your research before hiring a company to install your artificial grass and be sure that they are qualified and experienced. An improperly installed lawn can lead to many issues, from improper drainage or weed problems to unsightly seams. The best choice is to hire a professional with experience installing artificial grass in all types of yards. They will have the tools and know-how to install your yard quickly and accurately. This will not only save you the most money in the long run, but will also ensure that your artificial grass looks its very best for years to come. It will provide you and your family with a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy, while saving you the most time in the future by eliminating the need for manual upkeep such as mowing or edging. It will also reduce your environmental impact by lowering your usage of harmful chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides.
