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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Graeme @ BGS on June 5, 2009 at 16:38

Hi Iain,

I would suggest the following but it is not cast in stone!

Remove the turf to a depth of about 2 inches however if poor drainage then go to 3 inches.

If there is a firm edge all the way round such as paths /fence line etc you don't need to fix a wooden perimeter , if not for example if you are laying up to a flower bed then put down a timber edge.

Next lay a good quality weed membrane on top of the soil and fill with a MOT 1 sub base.

Use a Wacker and finish off with a thin layer of Sharp Sand to get your final level. Ideally would want a very slight slope on the base for run off.

Install a 2nd layer of Membrane and I would suggest then pinning this down with 6 inch nails every 1 foot or so. This 2nd membrane is important as you want to stop any weeds coming up!

Now lay the artificial grass out and leave to settle - 1 hour if really warm else 2 - 3 hours.

When ready using a very shape Knife cut the edges.

If you are joining a section - do this first but make sure the backing is dry and only using the correct type of seaming tape and glue. Take care not to apply too much glue as this may come up though the holes in the latex backing!

The artificial grass should be pinned down using 6 inch nails every foot or every 6 inches if very heavy traffic. Take care not to hammer the nails down too far - they should be just resting on the the latex backing of the grass.

Depending upon the lawn type the client has puchased it may require a sand mix to be brushed into the "sward".

Not all artificial grass suppliers recommend laying a MOT1 sub-base and they suggest just removing the turf and using sharp sand. If laying a small area with limited traffic this approach would be okay but not ideal.

Hope this helps.

Best tip - Only do it on a warm sunny day and have lots of spare knife blades.

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Permalink Reply by iain kinnell on June 5, 2009 at 16:50

Many thanks BGS. Appreciate the advice

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Permalink Reply by Robert Stoutzker on June 5, 2009 at 19:15

Iain

Graeme is spot on in terms of what he is saying. I would however raise a couple of additional points. Firstly, You only really need to use a type 1 base if the ground underneath is either soft or there is going to be significant footfall otherwise 3 inches of sharp sand will be fine. Remember when preparing your quotes, a type 1 base can easily add £15 per sqm to the cost of the project and your competitors may only be quoting for a sharp base.

The wooden perimiters again are linked to useage. On a raised sand base, keeping the lawn in place with 6in nails every 6 to 9 inches would be fine for limited footfall, but a wooden perimiter would be better for a high footfall lawn. Other than the above follow Graeme's advice

Hope this helps, Robert

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Permalink Reply by Stuart Bulbeck on June 6, 2009 at 8:21

Good quality gloves is the best thing I can suggest as well.... I have laid a large area for a dog compound! and its a killer on the hands after a while. compaction and plenty of fine sand, oh and its worth walking the area every so often and removing stones, even if you think they may be a bit small to worry about.

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Permalink Reply by Shadow Hall on November 30, 2010 at 13:06

Great advice will be following very carefully when laying our first lawn. Thanks

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