Installing Artificial Grass - DIY Guide

4 Step DIY Guide For Installing Artificial Grass

For the DIY kinda person, here’s the steps for everything you need to know to correctly install artificial grass. If you haven’t purchased your lawn yet, put your details in the quote form for a great price on Adelaides best quality artificial grass.

1 - Excavation

The depth of the excavation required depends on the type of use for your artificial lawn. Standard uses require a 60mm depth while car or high traffic and verge areas require 100mm depth.

  • Mark out the area for your new synthetic lawn
  • Remove any existing lawn and soil
    • Depth of 60mm for standard uses
    • Depth of 100mm for a car or high traffic area (verge area)
  • If there is an existing irrigation system present it is simply a matter of capping each pop up sprinkler or removing the entire system if possible.
Excavating ready for artificial grass
Excavating ready for artificial grass

2 - Install Base

Properly preparing the base for artificial grass is key for a smooth lawn that lasts for years.

Calculating the amount of base required: Multiply ‘total area’ x ‘depth’.

e.g. for a total area of 40sqm, multiply 40 x .06 (60mm depth) = 2.4 cubic metres

The same equation applies when working out bin size for excavated soil/lawn.

  • For standard use areas, fill to 50mm with dolomite sand
  • For car or high traffic area (verge area) fill with 70mm of quarry rubble and 10mm of dolomite sand
  • Smooth out the sand with a Top Soil Spreader
Smoothing out surface of base for artificial grass
Smoothing out surface of base for artificial grass
  • Use a plate compactor to compact the sand
Compacting base for artificial grass
Compacting base for artificial grass
  • Spray the compacted area with the hose to further compress the sand base
Spraying compacted artificial grass base with water
Spraying compacted artificial grass base with water
  • Use a trowel to go aroung the edges of the area ensuring they are smooth and even
Smoothing edges of base for artificial grass installation
Smoothing edges of base ready for artificial grass installation

3 - Install Artificial Grass

Laying, aligning and pinning the lawn.

  • Roll out the artificial grass.
  • Note that artificial grass is manufactured with the fibers aligned in a single direction.
  • It’s very important to ensure the grain is running in the same direction when laying out the pieces of lawn.
Roll out the artificial grass with fibres facing a single direction
Roll out the artificial grass with fibres facing a single direction
  • Invariably there will be joins where the pieces meet. You will need to ensure that the seams are cut as close to the “rib” or “grain” to allow for optimal placement of the two pieces when joining later.
Align pieces of artificial lawn with each other
Align pieces of artificial lawn with each other
  • Cut around the edges of the area as required leaving about 50mm around all the edges and place the lawn together so that the joins are not visible.
  • Allow a gap of about 5mm between pieces for best results. This can vary slightly from one lawn to another.
  • Stand back and take a look before joining together. Trust your eyes!
  • When you are happy with everything, follow the joining instructions supplied with your Optiseal joining tape to join your pieces of turf together.
Leave 50mm around edges of artificial lawn
Leave 50mm around edges of lawn
  • Use a sharp Stanley knife to trim all the edges.
Trim edges of artificial lawn
Trim edges of artificial lawn
  • Pin around the outside edges 25-30mm in and 300mm apart around all edges including either side of your new joins.
  • Also pin the entire turf area at a rate of 1 pin per square meter which will help hold the turf in place as you stretch and remove any wrinkles.
  • Take care not to trap the blades of lawn under the pins.
Pin down entire synthetic turf area
Pin down entire synthetic turf area

4 - Adding sand

Finishing the lawn with a proper in-fill.

  • Brush the lawn up with a power broom or stiff garden broom, brushing against the grain.
  • Spread Kiln Dried Sand over the lawn as evenly as possible either with a broadcast spreader or by hand/shovel. Infill sand rate:
    • 30mm turf = 6kg/sqm
    • 35mm turf = 8kg/sqm
    • 40mm turf = 10kg/sqm
Spread kiln dried sand over artificial grass
Spread kiln dried sand over artificial grass
  • Brush again to distribute the sand evenly. Repeat this process for any areas where the fibers are still lying flat.
  • The sand infill is important so don’t compromise. Not only does it improve the look of the lawn but more importantly it protects the turf backing from the UV rays.
  • Finally, lightly wet the turf with a fine mist to help settle the sand and to prevent the sand from blowing out in the wind.
Brush sand on artificial grass to spread evenly
Brush sand on artificial grass to spread evenly

Need Artificial Lawn?

Fill in your details for a great price on Adelaides best quality artificial grass

W-Spec 30 Artificial Grass
W-Spec 30 Artificial Grass
Artificial grass with W shape profile for structural integrity
Structural integrity with W-Spec shape profile
- click for more details -
Emerald 35 Artificial Grass
Emerald 35 Artificial Grass (with W-Spec profile)
W-Spec 40 artificial lawn
W-Spec 40 Artificial Lawn
Multi-Field Artificial Grass - great for backyard sports - no sand infill required
Multi-Field artificial grass - great for backyard sports - no sand infill required
Hole-In-One Artificial Grass for golf
Hole-In-One Artificial Grass
Classic 30 artificial grass - 04
Classic 30 Artificial Grass
12mm Sports Pro Green Artificial Grass - closeup
Sports Pro Artificial Grass - multiple colour options

Artificial Lawn Prices

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The Next Generation “W” Spec Brand Turf Advantage

Artificial grass with W shape profile for structural integrity
Close-up view of synthetic turf cross section reveals a W shape along the length of each strand of synthetic grass.

The ‘W’ profile maximises the structural integrity of each blade, meaning the lawn will remain upright for a longer period than other products which flatten over time.

The following W-Spec artificial grass products incorporate this ‘W’ shape:

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