The one thing I always dislike in Autumn and Winter is how messy the back garden can look. Overgrown grass that can’t really be cut till the end of March or April. My grandad would turn in his grave if the grass was cut before then! It just always looks like such a mess. I’ve really been considering taking up the existing grass lawn and replacing it with artificial grass.
The Benefits
I think most of us have probably heard of artificial grass or turf. Some of you may have even considered installing it in your garden. After all, why wouldn’t you want to have it? Not only does it look beautiful all year round but it is extremely low maintenance too. This is great if you struggle to cut grass or you just don’t have the time. You don’t need to cut it or water it. Plus it’s better for the environment as you will never need to use weedkillers or pesticides on it. So no bugs or slimy worms poking out of it after it’s rained!
Installing the artificial grass yourself cuts down a lot on the cost than if you were to have it installed for you. You are ultimately responsible for installing it properly, so it is worth the time to ensure you install the artificial grass correctly.
Things to Remember
You might run into some difficulty when installing the artificial grass depending on the area you are covering, and also the location.
- First and foremost though, you must prepare the surface so it’s ready for the artificial grass to be installed.
- Make sure that you remove your old lawn, use weed killer to kill any existing plant growth and also to prevent any regrowth. To be sure of no regrowth you really need to remove the top 5-8mm of lawn.
- Next, you need to create a boundary around the perimeter of the area where you are installing the artificial grass. Use timber to do this and once complete, use a spare piece of timber and a hammer to knock the wood into the soil until it sits level with the area.
- The soil must then be compacted so it is firm but still porous – you will need a vibrating plate to complete this stage.
You can follow this easy but detailed step-by-step installation guide which will tell you everything you need to do next in order to lay your artificial grass correctly.
Assess Your Skill Level
If you are covering quite a large area it might be difficult to complete on your own. You will need to build joins or seams which is where it can get a bit tricky. If you do not join the seams correctly, it will show and potentially ruin your artificial grass. So I recommend assessing your skill level to make sure this is something you’d be able to do. There are instructions on creating joins under the installation guide I mentioned earlier.
Of course, you will also need specific glue and joining tape if you have to create seams when covering large areas. Not forgetting that you also need to consider the area you are covering. What it will be used for once installed. Don’t forget you can view the Installation Guide on how to install. It also covers how to do seams/joins and also how to lay the artificial grass on different types of surfaces.
