Switching To Artificial Turf: What you need to know
Once you have made the choice to convert your lawn from natural grass to artificial turf, you will need to know what to expect during the transition. For the most part, there is nothing you will need to do. When you purchase the synthetic lawn materials, the price of the installation is included.
Removing the Natural Grass
The first step is to remove the natural grass. This process is very similar to removing blocks of sod. The lawn is divided up into small areas and a checkerboard pattern is cut into the top few inches of turf. The resulting squares of natural grass/sod can be easily removed, stacked on pallets and taken elsewhere. If the sod is high quality, you may be able to sell it as a way to offset the cost of the artificial turf.
Preparing the Area
The installation crew will take care of most of the preparations before the synthetic grass is installed. The area will be measured to determine how much turf will be needed to cover the entire area. The area should also be disced to break up any hard spots. Once the dirt has been loosened up, the next step is to roll the ground to make it level and remove and dips and valleys that will stress the construction of the artificial turf.
A padding of crushed stone or rubber pellets will be laid out over the entire area where the artificial turf will be installed. Once the stone or rubber is in place, the installation crew will create a network of channels that will enable water to drain through the permeable backing of the synthetic grass. Before the turf is actually installed, the drains should be checked to make sure everything works as it should.
Installing the Artificial Turf
When it comes to installing the artificial grass, the process goes rather quickly. Synthetic turf normally comes in large rolls or squares and is easily placed and secured to the prepared areas. Once the entire area has been covered the edges are secured and trimmed to provide a neatly manicured look. After the turf has been in place for a few days, rolling the yard will help the dirt to continue to settle. It is a good idea to observe the lawn for a few days after installation to make sure valleys or holes occur in the ground that could affect how the synthetic grass lays along the top.
What to Expect Once the Artificial Turf Is In Place
Unlike natural grass, artificial grass does not adapt to its surroundings. For example, in the summer months, natural grass would remain cool to the touch because of the temperature of the dirt that supported it. Artificial turf, however, will absorb heat from the sun, causing the synthetic grass to feel hotter to the touch and, subsequently, produce heat that will raise the temperature of the surrounding area.
As always, the chores one normally expects with a lawn of natural grass are no longer required. A few of the things you will not have to worry about accomplishing are:
- No watering
- No mowing
- No trimming
- No fertilizer
Lawns made with synthetic grass require little maintenance and costs much less to maintain in the long run. One thing you can expect and are guaranteed to receive with a lawn made of synthetic materials, is one that is ever-green and always beautiful. You no longer have to worry about weeds overtaking your lawn or grass clippings getting into your flowerbeds. There is little stress and worry associated with lawns made from synthetic materials.