Professional Installation
There are 12 steps to installing artificial grass. If you want your lawn to look professional, have proper drainage, and last you for the next twenty years, we take every step with care.
Artificial Grass - Site Base Preparation.
Remove 3 - 4 inches of existing grass sod and dirt. Use a sod cutter for large lawns. Cap and remove all sprinklers and sprinkler heads. Be sure to set a rough grade for drainage.
Lay 2 - 2 1/2 inches of drain crushed rock, hose down, then using a vibrating plate compactor, compact to 90%.
Lay 1 - 1 1/2 inches of either class II road base or decomposed granite.
Lay the weed barrier * fabric over road base or decomposed granite. This step is optional. Landscape fabrics have their pros and cons. If the soil beneath your installation is "alive" and weeds are wildly grown before installation, it might be a good idea to protect your lawn from weeds with weed barrier fabric. In many cases, there is no big need for weed protection, and you can install turf right on top of decomposed granite without adding extra layers.
Hose down and then use a vibrating plate compactor to compact to 90%.
Make sure base surface is as leveled and as smooth as possible.
Create a slight grade for optimal drainage.
Synthetic Grass Installation
CAUTION: Turf should be rolled out under the sun with blades facing down at least 1-2 hours before installation. This will allow the turf to acclimate and, as a result, make, it easier to work with.
Lay turf onto base and position where needed. Using a carpet knife/razor knife, cut off the excess grass turf on the backside (3 stitches in from sides). Cut fake turf (on the backside) to fit the area.
Fasten one end with 40D or 60D Bright Common nails of 5-6 inches in length, spaced 3-4 inches apart along the edges. Stretch turf and fasten with nails as you move across to the opposite end. Place a nail every 12-24 inches throughout the center and every 3-4 inches along the perimeter.
Fasten together seams by using 11 gauge 6"x1"x6" staples spaced 4 inches apart along the seam. Do not countersink staples.
Be sure the seams are taut and precise, the grain of the turf is facing in the same direction, and the space at the seam is the same as the stitching gauge.
After turf is installed, power broom before applying infill, apply infill onto turf grass using a drop spreader. Spread infill as evenly as possible with a grading rake or broom until infill settles into the base of the turf. Use a push broom for quick and easy infilling.
Note: We Never use regular sand for infill. For putting green installation, use infill with a smaller grain, for example, silica sand #30, because the smaller grain size will work it into the surface better since the golf greens are dense.
Hand or power broom again so that the blades are standing straight up. Use carpet scissors to trim off the excessive turf blades. Clean the surrounding area with a blower or a broom.
When to install a Wire Mesh?
A wire mesh is installed on top of the soil, after removed dirt and existing sod, and before start spreading and compacting drain rocks and decomposed granite. A Wire Mesh, or a wire barrier, is meant to prevent gophers and moles from damaging lawns. Are those critters populated in your area? Then, no matter what type of lawn you install, natural or artificial, you want to protect it. There are special "gopher wires" that are made specifically for this reason - to make a robust underground barrier below the surface of your lawn. This step is optional. Some regions have no issues with gophers, while in others, gophers' over-population affects the whole gardening and landscaping experience. Gophers love to tunnel their way up your lawn and to turn it into their salad bar. They are not too interested in artificial turf with rocks and granite underneath. If there are no problems with gophers and moles in your installation area, a wire mesh can be an unreasonable expense.
Before installation, we lay turf out under the sun for at least 1-2 hours to allow grass to acclimate. This will make the backing less stiff and the turf easier to be swept. Always stretch and install turf taut. One yard of base materials will cover 80 square feet at 4 inches depth (1 Yard = 1 Ton).
Always hand or power broom turf before filling.
Always run grain of grass in the same direction. Use a 2x4 (straight line installation) or 1x2 (curve line installation) of synthetic or pressure treated wood bender board around the perimeter of turf area to frame and protect the turf from soil and debris.
We use only manufacturer recommended infill materials. Infill amount will vary. A 100 pounds bag of infill will typically cover a 60 square feet of turf.
Amount of infill: Multiply 1/2 of pile height by the total number of square foot x 0.083333 x infill weight per cubic feet. It equals the infill weight in pounds.
For example, Super Natural 60 will take: pile height 0.1475' (1.77'') x 1,000 sq.ft. area x 0.083333 x 96.01 (pounds per cubic foot) = 1,180 pounds of silica sand, or 10 bags 100 lbs each, or 118 pounds per square foot.
Facts You need to know
Melting: Beware of highly reflective windows on the south or west side of your home. In certain conditions, sunlight hitting these windows has created a "magnifying glass effect," which acts much like a laser and will melt your turf. A coating on the outside of the window will prevent this.
Weather: Our turf can be installed in the mountains, where rain and snow drain very well with no flooding issues. Wind is not a worry if the installation has been done properly. In the hot Southwest part of the US, the grass can get quite warm to the touch during the direct midday sun. The grass does not retain heat in the shade or darkness like a rock. The turf can easily take even the hottest direct sunlight without damage, providing that there isn't any strong reflection or sun magnification.
Pets Smell: The best solution for getting rid of pet smell is to use ZeoFill. It works as a molecular sieve creating a cation exchange, which occurs when two or more positively charged compounds or elements exchange places on a negatively charged host. This exchange process removes charges and essentially removes ammonia in pet waste.