3 Things You Need to Know Before Installing Your Own Turf
“It seems simple enough. I can install it myself.” This is what we often hear home and business owners say when it comes to installing artificial turf. Most of the time, we end up receiving a call from them later asking for our help. Artificial turf may seem like something that’s easy to install yourself, but if you want to do it the right way, it’s not so easy. Let’s talk about the 3 things you need to know before installing your own turf.
1. Proper Excavation
A common misconception with installing artificial turf, is that you can just simply install it right over your existing dirt. Unless you want your lawn to flood, look lumpy and uneven, and smell horrible if you have pets, that’s not a good idea. For the best installation outcome, the existing area needs to be properly excavated. Some companies will removal and dispose of about two inches; however, we recommend three to four inches for the best drainage and compacted surface. Two to four inches may not seem like a lot, until you start digging. Depending on the size of the area you’re replacing with artificial turf, this could take several days to do with just one or two people. With an experienced crew, this is done much quicker.
2. Proper Base Compaction
With the excavation of the existing areas, comes the compaction of the proper base underlay. Since two to four inches of the existing area were removed, that means two to four inches of base must now be brought in and compacted. Getting enough base for your job can be tricky, especially if you’ve never done it before and you don’t know how much to order. What base are you getting as well? There are several different options of base material that could be used. Decomposed granite is the most common and affordable but is known to crack and get lumpy over time, especially with rain. Then there’s the matter of getting the base to your home. Do you have a trailer that can transport it all to your home or business, or are you going to have to rent a trailer or pay for the base to be delivered? When you finally get all the base you need, how are you going to start importing it all and compacting it? Do you own a compactor? Between buying all the materials needed and the time spent doing all this for the base work, you’re probably going to spend a good amount of time and money on just getting the proper base compaction for the area. A professional will already know exactly how much and what he needs to buy for base, and already has the correct trailer and equipment to quickly get the base imported and compacted on the same day of excavation.
3. Proper Installation of the Artificial Turf
Now that the area is prepped and ready for turf, how are you going to install the turf, and do you have enough of it? Ideally, you’ll want the least number of seams as possible to avoid the extra work of hiding a seam well. Do you already have that layout mapped out for how you’ll be installing the artificial turf? Did you order enough turf to do so? Once you have all the turf in place, how will you be anchoring the turf down and hiding the seams if you have any? After the turf is installed, how will you be installing and evenly distributing the sand infill on top? These are all things that professional installers already know. Due to them already knowing the turf layout and how much turf to order before installing, and them knowing how to properly install the turf and sand infill, they can install the turf at a much faster pace. They also won’t have to worry about being short on turf and needing to order more. When you install the artificial turf yourself, you may end up having to waste several hours or days figuring this all out. You will also waste more money by having to order more artificial turf, the tools and the equipment needed to do a good job on the install.
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In conclusion, having an experienced, professional installer install your artificial turf will save you a lot of time and headaches. You’ll have a better-looking, more realistic-looking lawn as well. Chances are the install will last a lot longer as well when it’s done by an experienced professional. These 3 things you need to know before installing your own turf are extremely important things to take into consideration. If you’d like a free installation estimate from us here at ProLawn Turf, please contact us at 877-405-LAWN to set up an appointment for a quote!