One of the most common misconceptions, in particular where artificial grass is concerned is that of undervaluing the foundation work. In this case, we are not talking a concrete or wooden substructure but a solid, flat, permeable base which will be solid but allow a little give underfoot to provide a cushioning effect. Without this, the quality of artificial grass is more or less irrelevant. Preparing this surface is where the real “graft and craft” is, it’s quite labour intensive but is absolutely paramount to achieving the perfect finish.
The removal of the existing natural grass surface is necessary, this prevents future degradation of the artificial surface due to the turf beneath dying away and creating voids or hollows into which the artificial grass will fall. This creates the all too common scenario where after 6 months your new, flat, beautiful lawn is now full of craters. This is the most common fault we see when going to a DIY installation. It is absolutely critical that the material used as your sub-base has the correct qualities so that it binds together well and compacts solidly and easily, most importantly of all it stays compact. We use a combination of two materials depending on the integrity of the ground below, either a 10mm – crushed stone, or heavy grit sand.
The second most common problem I’ve encountered with DIY installations is that often, there was no provision for a border, either, wood, metal, or block, this is not purely decorative but is an integral feature as a containment edging to prevent the sub-base being simply washed away. It will not happen overnight but over a few months or after a serious heavy downpour it becomes evident very quickly as the sub-base is quickly eroded.
The edging you choose can be either hidden below your new artificial grass surface as a containment frame or around the edge to enhance it, such as with a railway sleeper border, great for a nice chunky modern feel. Whatever your choice we have the perfect solution. A solid wood containment frame is always fitted as standard below the grass surface to maximize the surface area.