DIY: How To Install Artificial Turf - Master Guide

[@dannydanix8698]

Really nice job, loved watching how those guys laid the turf.

[@bybryanwhite]

That looks amazing and was an amazing video and amazing people!

[@ChrisRiche]

Great video. Three comments that hopefully are helpful or that you can correct: 1. Since artificial turf is directional, you want to make sure the pieces are going in the same direction, as you said. In addition, since the turf will be most viewed from one side, such as this application, you want the blades pointing toward that side. It will look more natural and reflect less. 2. For the seam, straight seams are much easier to see, especially when long. You all are clearly pros and can do it perfectly. However, while harder to cut, non-straight seams (an s-pattern or other) will provide a more "seamless" look for a DIYer. 3. For higher traffic entry areas, like the stairs going down to the turf here, I believe it is best to nail the edging every 4-6", but they can be a bit wider for other areas. 4. For infill, there are general recommendations for how much to use, but remember, the height of your grass is important (mentioned in the video as face weight but perhaps harder for some people to determine). If you have a shorter grass, generally, you should use a bit less so you aren't too high up the grass with the infill. Anyway, hopefully helpful additions from a newbie's eyes to the great video you made..

[@Artificialturfsupply]

All great points made! We appreciate the additions. Thanks!

[@RigoMariscal-wc1zz]

Those guys did an awesome job!

[@walkintothewild1]

Do you have a link to a post-install, 6 months or 1 yr or longer after to show how it’s holding up? Great video and excellent notes.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

We have a gallery of completed projects submitted by customers available on our website! www.artificialturfsupply.com/gallery.html

[@walkintothewild1]

@@Artificialturfsupply thanks!

[@jonathanb7658]

Great video! This really helps break down my turf installation. And this video was done with a lot of care and effort! Well done!! Thanks ATS for this very informative video! 😎🔥

[@Artificialturfsupply]

You are so welcome! We love to hear your feedback and appreciate the kind words.

[@mrslkungpowchikn1206]

Wow. You can tell these guys are really good. I wish they focused more detail and film on the seam area. I’m interested in doing something like this but use as a periodic tennis court also. How do we keep the seam tight and not come apart? Also I could not really see exactly how they were putting the seams Together and where they were nailing!? How did you hide the nails or did you? Seems like it would be impossible to hide the nails, no? Or at least for super short grass anyway. I’d also like to do this for front yard put put mini golf course plus water features around. We have a large front yard and we need the water feature to muffle sounds of the highway that is 6 feet above our elevation about 200 ft away.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Check out the rest of our How-To Center where we have videos on specific sections - like seaming! 🙂

[@manohardarla445]

what do you call the final sand like material that you have used ?

[@Artificialturfsupply]

The infill that went on top of the artificial turf is an anti-microbial coated sand. This specific project used OptiFill, but we carry a few different styles! Let us know if we can be of more assistance.

[@drak0v]

Great video. I really wish videos like this would include the costs though.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Contact us directly for a free estimate!

[@daviddevad]

This was very helpful

[@rkooscar6866]

How do I calculate how much base gravel I need if I know my square footage and inches I want in depth.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Now that you know what base you are using and the depth is established, you can place your order for your sub-base rock based on the following formula; 1 TON (2,000 LBS) of rock base per 100 Square Feet of artificial turf will give you a 3" sub-base.

[@patrickredmond9156]

very good video thank you this is helpful

[@CarlosGarcia-ls4hn]

Question, in the project you show here, why would you lay down the artificial turf when all around it there is dirt? It begs one to wonder why the turf would not be the last thing to be installed. I would think that you would not want any cement or other material to overlap into the turf.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Great question! The edging creates a border between the turf and whatever hardscape is being installed on the outside of the turf area. The client may have chose to keep the outside areas dirt for this location, or it can always be installed at a later phase. 🙂

[@greggilmore9284]

Great info but your green tip box is in the way of seeing what your doing.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Appreciate the feedback! Head over to our other videos to see the specific sections in full detail.

[@mrslkungpowchikn1206]

If you have pets like us, a Doberman and a Great Dane, you mentioned not putting down weed fabric. But what about the smell on the grass? How do we take care of it so it doesn’t reek all the time ( bedside cleaning up the little chocolate truffles)? If we have to use some kind of bio solution or chemical to purify it, wouldn’t that also work on the weed fabric or a geotech fabric? For best drainage btw I HIGHLY recommend 1-3” angular basalt rock!! It is also very strong after it is compacted but the people would definitely need to use a heavy duty compactor or riding roller / compactor. It is also difficult to work with because shovels don’t scoop it very easily but if you have a tractor and bucket it’s way easier. Grading is more difficult though for sure. BUT that is also why it goes near the bottom layers and I’d recommend using at least 6” of it so there is more room to actually grade and move it around easier. I put geotech fabric on top of mine but I ended up redoing part of it to add a thin layer of 3/4” to 1/2” angular clean rock on top of that to smooth it out so it would be less sharp on the geotech fabric. Now I’m adding even more gravel and will regrade and compact again, then add Truegrid permeable pavers to it filled with additional gravel lightly compacted. Right now it is for a giant driveway for a school bus to use as a turn around spot but I would live to have similar drainage and low maintenance for the yard doing artificial grass on that we can enjoy fun sports in at the same time.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Weekly rinsing/flushing will help keep your turf area smelling fresh and odor free! Check out our maintenance guide here: www.artificialturfsupply.com/artificial-turf-maintenance.html

[@RobertDiaz-v3i]

What is the fine aggregate called? The one before the turf.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

The most current feedback we have from contractors nationwide is to use a 3/4″ down to 1/4″ crushed drain rock as your primary base and then to use the fines (Smaller Parts) as a top coat that can help with drainage and the way the turf may feel under the feet. These rocks can be found at your local rock yards and may have several different names. You want to avoid using a rounded rock, like some pea gravels, as they will not compact well and are too rounded. Some common names for the base rock material are Crushed Stone, Breeze Rock, Chat, Decomposed Granite (DG), crusher fine gravel, Class 2 Aggregate or Class 2 Road base.

[@rkooscar6866]

If it’s not sand what is the fine grading?

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Some common names for the fine grade is Decomposed Granite (DG), crusher fine gravel, Class 2 Aggregate or Class 2 Road base.

[@CheckMeOutCulture]

Awesome video!

[@allseasonservices]

Although these are great tips, this is not not necessarily the best practice for all climate zones. For instance, if you stretch turf with a carpet kicker when it's 90 degrees & nail it during the summer it will shrink & pull the tufts along that nailed edge if the climate zone has freezing temps in the winter. It's best to reach out to a local installer as their experience can be invaluable.

[@jonathanb7658]

I hear your point. Pro installers will always do a better job than Johnny DIY. But this video was done in such a professional way that it gives us little guys a better understanding of what's involved. It's very helpful to understand the true "scope" of a project, and if anything, makes me more inclined to pay a PRO more money knowing what's involved!

[@ricric9521]

He says don't use weed barrier fabric in pet applications, but they use it here and they have dogs come out in the end? Am I missing something?

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Great question! The dogs in this video will not be using the turf as their primary bathroom area.

[@augmentos]

Nice DIY video, here a tip to DIY video editing, don’t overlay huge popup bubbles overtop critical video content

[@Artificialturfsupply]

We appreciate the feedback! If there is a certain section that you would like better information on, please visit our channel as there are more-detailed individual videos for each step of the DIY process.

[@robertbrashear9395]

If it’s not sand under the turf then what is it called? Because it really looks like sand lol

[@Artificialturfsupply]

Some common names for the base rock material are Crushed Stone, Breeze Rock, Chat, Decomposed Granite (DG), crusher fine gravel, Class 2 Aggregate or Class 2 Road base.

[@LawnMonkkey]

First sub base is class 2 road base, top is screened decomposed granite. Idk why he gives you a thousand names for it

[@steven1649]

Geez. Where’s all the heavy equipment?

[@Artificialturfsupply]

That is the best part of our DIY Master Guide! Heavy equipment can certainly be used to make the installation easier/more efficient, but the installation can absolutely be done without any!

[@Dswanky]

this has many questionable stuff. Main issue is for me, sand between the rocks and the artificial turf. Sand is a substrate for weeds (think of beach plants), if you sand below the turf, you're gonna get weeds.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

The fine aggregate is a very important step in the foundation for your turf! The fine aggregate helps smooth under your feet and help with drainage.

[@robertbrashear9395]

Isn’t turf designed as a weed barrier tho

[@GAGAMA1]

nice video! but I would not call it DIY

[@KrakenQuestions-lx3wt]

I would not call this a master class. Its missing these lessons, How to cut, how deep is base, how to test compaction rate, how to move turf as a whole, why not tuck your edges, peel back grass from nail head etc.

[@Artificialturfsupply]

We have detailed videos to really hone in on each of those steps in our How To Center. Check it out here: www.artificialturfsupply.com/how-to-center.html