Regular grass may only take a little prep work but it requires ongoing, regular care and water, unlike artificial grass. While artificial grass takes much more preparation, the actual work needed to get your yard or dedicated outdoor space synthetic grass-ready is very straightforward. We detail all the prep work you need to do (including understanding where to buy silica sand for artificial grass) so the final installation is simple and easy.
Remove Any Natural Grass and Weeds
Theoretically, you could lay artificial grass on top of regular grass, but the results won’t be lasting or look good. When artificial turf is laid on top of natural grass, the grass dies from lack of sunlight and leaves your lawn bumpy and uneven.
Thus, fully removing any natural grass before installing any synthetic turf is a crucial step for the best results. In fact, you need to dig deep enough to make sure you’ve removed any and all roots from natural grass to prevent it from growing back.
Like grass, weeds can also come back if not fully removed, so it’s important to not only remove any but make sure there aren’t any deep roots left behind so that they don’t return.
Level Out the Area in Question
Level Out the Area in QuestionIt’s significantly more difficult to level out your lawn once your artificial grass is installed, so ensuring that your desired area to put it is flat is essential. Make absolutely sure that there are no lumps, bumps, or stones that will make your new lawn look uneven in the future.
While this has the benefit of making your lawn look better, it also serves a functional purpose too. A more even lawn will ensure water doesn’t pool anywhere and drains properly.
Install Your Desired Subbase
Finally, it’s time to install the subbase. A thin (25-50mm) layer of crushed stone aggregate needs to be laid on top of your now level ground. This is so your artificial grass has a solid base and improves drainage.
You can now also add a Geotextile fabric layer to stop any determined weeds from poking through the soil. Make sure it’s installed tightly to the ground to prevent any weeds from poking through.
For even more comfort, add a sand or shock-absorbing layer to help improve the feel of your new lawn underfoot so that it doesn’t feel like you’re walking on concrete. If you need to know where to buy silica sand for artificial grass for this, you can usually purchase it at most hardware stores like Home Depot.
All that remains now is for you to install the artificial grass itself. For the best results though, we recommend that you get this done by professionals as they can be cut the grass to fit perfectly in your yard or space.