If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, drought-resistant lawn, artificial grass is a great option. Artificial grass looks incredibly realistic, and it’s available in a variety of different shades and textures. In addition to being easy to care for, artificial grass also doesn’t require irrigation or fertilizers, making it an environmentally-friendly choice.

When installed correctly with high-quality materials, you’re set for up to 15 years. The lifespan of your synthetic lawn can be greatly reduced if the artificial grass base is not prepped correctly with the right materials. Because the base is not visible to clients, contractors can skip steps here and you won’t notice until a few months down the line when you start to run into problems.

The foundation of your installation is quite possibly the most important step. If your ground/base work is shoddy, uneven and has undulations and bumps, then this will show on the finished surface. Small bumps, depressions, and lack of contour will make your finished synthetic grass appear, well, very artificial looking.  As well, making the installation surface completely pool table flat, also gives the impression of unnatural. Typically it’s best to have a slight crown to your surface. This crown can be very subtle or even prominent, and helps with water flowing and sheeting off the synthetic grass.

Read below to learn how to prepare the base of artificial grass to ensure your new synthetic lawn will be long-lasting.

We recommend removing 2″ of soil and suggest removing a bit more along the perimeter where root systems are stronger. Before moving forward heavily apply weed killer to the surface. We also use a weed preventer that attacks the seeds. You can also lay a weed barrier cloth if you’d prefer. However, the weed barrier installed underneath the base is not very effective against weeds, and can often just be a layer that traps bacteria. We never recommend using weed barrier for pet-friendly artificial lawns, but instead a strong weed preventer.

The best and most effective base layer for artificial turf is a class II road base. Add an even layer of class II road base along the surface about 2-3″ thick and heavily compacting using a stamp compactor. Prior to compaction ensure the road base is dispersed along the surface evenly. When compacting, move in circles around the surface rather than pulling it back and forth. Compact both clockwise and counterclockwise for the best results. Be careful when compacting near concrete edging and make sure you get into the corners at an angle to compact the borders securely. If the lawn is in a residential home or playground that children will be playing at, a shock pad will help to increase the safety of the area. 

Once the ground has been prepared, the artificial turf layer is now ready to be installed. Taking the time to properly prepare the area will ensure the best outcome after the artificial lawn has been installed.