Synthetic Turf Installation and The Different Types Of Artificial Grass
Installation Synthetic or artificial turf is very popular in sports grounds and residential and commercial grass for lawn renovation. It is laid in a step-by-step procedure. Here are some tips on how to install artificial turf.
Synthetic turf refers to a man-made grass-like material, manufactured from artificial materials. It is also referred to as artificial turf or astroturf. It is popularly used on sports grounds, for example in football, baseball, and hockey arenas. The structure of the synthetic turf used in sports grounds varies concerning the types of sports.
In the hockey arena, the synthetic turf system is short in comparison to that of football synthetic field turf. In recent times, synthetic turf field has been used for creating artificial grass lawns in residential areas and other large commercial complexes.
Synthetic Turf For Lawn Furniture
The modern synthetic turf consists of an expanded polypropylene base, to which the other components are attached. Green-colored straight fibers (1.5-2.5 inches), coated with silicone, are arranged along with short curly fibers. The curled fibers are meant to support and keep the straight fibers upright.
At the base of the fibers, rubber granules (about 1 inch) are added to keep the synthetic turf soft. This synthetic turf field technology such as Lambeau field turf may vary concerning the brand.
How to Install Artificial Turf Grass with Fake Grass for Yard
Installation of artificial turf is easy, provided you follow certain guidelines for laying the turf. First of all, mark the area where you are planning to install the artificial turf. Measure and note down the dimension of the area carefully. Any large stones, weeds, and grasses should be removed before the installation of the artificial turf.
Following this, remove the top layer of the soil. Allow to dry for about a week and set a layer of crushed stone (25-75 mm) in the area. For an unstable soil type, you require to lay about 100-150mm of the base material.
Level the area evenly by making use of a rake. You can use a vibrating compactor to provide compaction to the base material. For better installation of the artificial turf, apply a thin layer of sand. It is not compulsory to spray sand, if the crushed stone is smooth and even, then you can skip this step. Check for deep depressions, if present re-level the area. The next step is rolling out the artificial turf. You can roughly cut the excess turf by using a sharp blade.
After laying and leveling the artificial turf, carefully trim off the turf in accurate straight lines. If you are using the pieces of artificial turf, then start laying the pieces from the center. While doing so, ensure that the turfs lay in the same direction. Cut the sides of the next piece to match the previous piece and proceed following the same.
Apply adhesives along the seams to adhere to the turf properly. Finally, secure the installed artificial turf product by placing 6-inch length nails after every 25 inches of the turf products. Add and spread infill material (sand or rubber granules) with the help of a broom.
Read More: How Long Can Artificial Grass Last
Artificial grass comes with a lot of benefits. It doesn’t need watering so if there is a shortage of water or drought season you don’t have to worry about the life of the grass, it doesn’t need mowing or feeding. You don’t have to worry about its seasonal green color it has that catchy green color all year long no matter what the season is. And it gives the same soft gentle touch of original grass when you walk on it.
It can be very difficult to judge if it’s real grass or artificial, especially from a distance. There is a wide range of different types of artificial grass available, so if you are thinking to give a catchy look to your personal lawn or kid’s play area and also commercial use like golf courses or outdoor soccer fields then artificial grass is the best option.
It has not just become more environmentally friendly but also eliminates the problems of itchy skin, mud, and ruts.
More and more people are shifting towards artificial grass now because of the lots of benefits it is providing like it’s easy to maintain nature, cost-effective, and comes in a wide range of varieties for different purposes.
Read More: What is the Most Excellent Type of Turf to Buy?
Different Types of Artificial Grass
As mentioned earlier artificial grass comes in a wide range of variety for different purposes like for home lawns, kids’ playgrounds, dog run, playing felids etc. Different range of artificial grass products is as follows:
Nutmeg Lush
If you are looking to give your backyard a great catchy look and a long-lasting life then nutmeg lush is the type of artificial grass you are looking for. It has very strong blades yet provides the softest and most gentle feel when you touch it.
It gives that flashy green color in sunny weather that gives your backyard a dazzling look. Nutmeg is the best choice if your backyard is in active use in your daily routine its resilient blades give the grass a long life even in the most active backyards.
HG Rey
If you are working on a landscape beautification project then HD Rey is an excellent choice for your project. The main feature of this artificial grass for which it is famous is its delicacy and the natural look it gives to the viewer. Its natural look can be used in a variety of applications in-home or in commercial use like tennis courts, golf course, etc.
The product needs very low maintenance and can last for ages. So if you are looking to give a beautiful realistic natural look to your lawn or any other grass-related application HG Rey is the choice to make.
FESCUE
It is considered the most real-looking artificial grass. This artificial grass is ideal for almost every application it is used in, whether it’s your front yard, backyard, lawn, or any playing area. It gives an ideal result if used in all landscape beautification projects. Due to its realistic appearance, it is in very high demand. It is a naturally beautiful-looking artificial grass designed to boost the look of your home and other properties.
Pedigree
The world is full of dog lovers and if you are one of them and have a dog in your home then pedigree is the type of artificial grass you want in your home. It is an ideal choice for commercial dog parks and for your dog yard.
It’s easily maintained and quickly cleans up structure helps the dog owner in a lot of ways. So if you are having a dog then do yourself a favor don’t for a minute and install pedigree artificial grass in your home right now.
Professional Putting Green
Professional Putting Green (PPG) is an artificial turf-bent grass system. Its design is made keeping a passionate golfer in mind. This artificial turf can hold shots from up to 120 yards with adjustable stump speeds of 10-13mph.
It’s a very smooth grass that keeps the ball going on its natural speed. By playing on this turf the golfer can enjoy the game to its fullest and can see the true progress of his game. It is top-dressed with around 9 lbs. of infill and rolled that compress the blades creating the bentgrass system. And the best feature of this product is it gets better and better.
Installing Synthetic Turfs All By Yourself
The process of installing an artificial grass lawn is actually easy, the tools that you need are widespread, and they can be obtained at any hardware store. As long as the surface is stable, artificial grass can be applied on any surface like wood, concrete, etc, if you got natural lawn grass already, then cap all the sprinkler heads; dig around every sprinkler to remove the head and the caps with the help of a sod cutter, also separate the root level of the natural grasses. Now measure the area to determine the final shape of the lawn.
Using the marking paint mark the appropriate area. Frame the area and install the sticks, using 292 flexible plastic boards. Crushed-down or decomposed granite is usually recommended. Spread down the crushed granite around the lawn installation area, using the play compactor start compacting the outside perimeter about three to four times.
This will create a hard base for artificial turf to lie over. The weed barrier lies on top; this prevents weeds from growing up, this is one of the great benefits of synthetic grass where there is little to no maintenance.
Measure your area before making any cuts on the artificial turf. Start with the largest area first, this will help when deciding where to place the material, give a final measurement before you cut the grass. Now you are ready to cut the edges on each side, always try to cut from the back instead of over the turf, when you cut from the top you will end up cutting some of the grass.
Artificial grass blades are important because they will help to hide any imperfections if you have accidentally done them. Make sure your blade is clean with a sharp edge, using a straight edge place your blade on top and hold it very still so it doesn’t move. A straight edge is helpful and necessary because it will be very difficult to cut straight without it.
Be careful when you staple the turf, spread the grass apart, and hammer lightly. The staples will be 6 inches in the center, and as you drive the staple, it might hit the rock underneath, if it happens find a new place for the staple because the rocks will bend the staple. As you are stapling keep checking the turf to make sure no straight fibers or yarn or anything else is left before you place the final staple.
It is also important to make sure that there is no overlapping. Once you have done with nailing and stapling, use the powder brush to brush off the artificial grass against the grain to make them stand up and look attractive. Carefully spread the infill which will help the grasses to stand vertically this infill is a combination of sand and rubber.
Read More: Do You Have to Clean Artificial Grass
Artificial Turf: Advantages and Disadvantages
There are several advantages of artificial turf. It is an obvious fact that artificial lawns require very little maintenance in comparison to turfgrass lawns. Easy drainage during the rainy season is possible, which is not so in the case of real grass. Another advantage of synthetic turf is the conservation of water, which is beneficial in water scarcity areas. Artificial turf is highly durable, a superior quality turf may last for about 10 years.
It can be used for creating greenery in landscapes where the condition is not favorable for growing natural turfgrass. Speaking about the disadvantages, it builds up excessive heat and requires occasional disinfection to kill pathogens.
Thanks for pointing out that synthetic turf can also lessen the likelihood of itching when staying there. I’d like to get that for my lawn because maintaining live grass can be quite tricky. Synthetic turf will make it look consistent at all times.