It’s time to remove that lawn that has caused you so much frustration over the years! The water bills, brown spots, mowing, and mud; say goodbye to it all! De Soto Sales recommends removing 4 inches of your existing lawn or base. Keep in mind earth does add up fast. We recommend having a dump trailer on site. Ensure you take the proper measurements to dispose of your existing base correctly. Check your local city’s website for the information you need to properly dispose of your soil. Seems like a lot of work? De Soto Sales has exclusive synthetic grass installation professionals with the right equipment and tools to make sure your project is done correctly.

Evenly spread 3 inches of class 2-road base (or similar). The class 2-road base will make it easy to create a level platform with proper drainage. De Soto Sales does recommend using a weed barrier to prevent vegetation from growing this isn’t recommend with pets, and if applicable you can also install gopher wire. Lightly wet the area and go over it with a compactor until you achieve a smooth surface.

Roll out your new artificial grass. Be very careful not to drag your turf across your freshly prepped base. It is best to let the turf sit in the sun for 30 minutes to an hour to let it expand prior to install. If you are working with multiple rolls, it is very important that the blade direction and stitch patterns are facing the same way. Crossing blade directions will result in poor appearance. Carefully nudge and move your artificial grass into the proper position. Wear knee pads to protect your knees and shins while manipulating the turf. A carpet Kicker will come in handy to stretch and maneuver the turf.

It is time to make the appropriate cuts. The best cutting devices are razor knives and carpet cutters. All cuts should be made from the back of the synthetic grass so you can see the stitch rows. When making the cut leave 1/4” to 1/2” of turf over the edge of your border, this will help with the finishing touches at the end of your project. If you are working with multiple pieces of synthetic grass this the perfect time to secure your seams with seam tape and glue. Be sure that the blades of your turf are laying the same direction when seaming and that the space between each stitch row matches. Place the red line of your seam tape down the center of the seam, and make an “S” pattern with your glue on each side of the red line. Move turf into place and let the glue set for 15 minutes. Place your infill bags evenly on the seam to enforce contact with the seam tape.

Time to secure your artificial grass to the ground. Start by tucking the 1/4" to 1/2" edge you left into the border with a metal putty knife and hammer. We recommend using 40-D 5'' non-galvanized turf nails or staples. Using a hammer, gently tap the nail or staple until it pierces the backing. Disperse the turf blades with fingers and drive the nail or staple into the ground. A nail or staple should be placed every 6 inches along the outside perimeter and every 2 feet on the inside areas. Be sure to reinforce your seamed areas with a few nails or staples. Before you infill, make sure to brush up the turf with a power broom or push broom. This will get the blade memory vertical.

Meeting the proper infill requirements for the turf system you have purchased is extremely important to the appearance, performance, and life span of your artificial grass. Please ask your sales rep for infill requirements. There are many different types of appropriate infill that can be used. Options include: Acrylic Coated Sand, Zeolite, Silica Sand or Crumb Rubber. We recommend using a drop spreader to evenly disperse the proper amount of infill.

Once the infill has been placed, using a power broom or another stiff bristled broom brush the turf. This will assist the turf blades in standing straight up to make your new artificial lawn look like freshly mowed grass. Repeat the process until your infill is brushed in evenly and your seams disappear. Brushing up your turf blades will be the only quarterly maintenance De Soto Sales recommends outside of proper sanitation if you have pets. Once the infill has been placed, brush against the grass blades to get the blades standing. Lastly, rinse the grass of all remaining dust and infill.