Planning, Installing and Caring for your Artificial Grass Lawn

Published: 05 December 2022

Most artificial grass lawns are prepared and laid by landscapers or specialist synthetic turf fitters. There are many artificial grass installers throughout the UK and most of them have good knowledge and experience to offer advice and provide quotations to undertake the professional installation of your fake lawn for you. It's also important to note that they will also own or have access to the necessary equipment, services and materials to finish the job properly. Looking for an artificial grass installer? Request a supply and fit quotation.

Despite this, it's also fair to say that many homeowners have the necessary skills and determination to do it themselves!! With a bit of planning, good preparation and a quality artificial grass, there is no reason why a DIY fake lawn can't look as amazing and be as long-lasting as if fitted by a professional specialist. Here are a few summary pointers to guide you through the various and important areas of consideration:

Planning for your fake lawn

• Make sure that you can get the artificial grass rolls into your garden before doing anything else! Not all houses have great access to the garden. If you need to carry them through the house you need to allow for rolls which are 2m, 4m or 5m long. They can be heavy as well so take that into account.
• Measure up the garden and make sure that the roll widths run across the garden and face the property. This will ensure that, once fitted and brushed up, you will always look into the pile of the grass. That's how artificial grass looks at it's best! 
• Ensure that you can get a skip to your property as you'll have soil and other materials to remove while installing the synthetic lawn.
• Select the right grass for your needs. Density, pile height and colour are all key factors and you'll need to see samples to know what you like the look and feel of. Do you need a grass which is specifically suited for dogs? Will the kids be playing football on it? Once you've finished researching online and selected the right grass, request a sample to ensure you're happy with the physical product before placing your order. 
• Be aware that glass, mirror or metallic surfaces can cause scorching on the grass if too close to the garden. It's not a common problem but it's worth thinking about.
• Do you need other products such as Envirofill which is a great product to help avoid or reduce unwanted dog smells. 

For more commonly asked questions, please see our FAQs. Need to talk to someone? We can advise on all your planning requirements - get in touch with our customer service team today.

Installing an artificial grass surface in your garden

• Be sure to prepare the base properly. Read our more detailed guide on the artificial grass sub base.
• You must create a stable and porous base for the grass to be laid on to.
• Most bases consist of a timber/composite/concrete edging, 2-3 inches of Type 1 MOT (crushed stone) and a top surface of around 15-20mm of sharp sand or granite dust. All elements of the base should be well compacted as they are applied.
• Where multiple rolls are being fitted, be sure to remove a couple of stitchlines from each/all rolls before joining them with tape and glue. Make a 'false' join and make sure you're happy with it before actually joining the rolls. 
• Glue, screw or pin the grass to the edging detail.
• Lift the pile using a leaf blower or power brush, this will transform the look of the artificial grass once the job is completed.

For more detail about installing artificial grass in your garden, visit our FAQ with a preparation and installation guide PDF and video.

Useful aftercare tips to help look after your synthetic turf

• Lift the pile of the grass on a regular basis to keep it looking great
• Move garden furniture occasionally to avoid long term compression on the grass blades
• Clean the grass with a jet wash, hose, suitable cleaners as regularly as you can
• Remove leaves as other organic material as often as you can to avoid blocking up the drainage holes in the backing of the grass
• Avoid placing BBQ's or garden tools which get hot on the surface as you may well melt the grass blades!

For more aftercare tips to look after your newly installed synthetic turf lawn, visit our aftercare FAQ page. Need to talk to an advisor? Please get in touch.

Call 01825 729259 or email us