Installation Guide
Our turf is beautiful, why not have it installed that way? Here is a step by step guide explaining how to properly install your new turf to ensure the best performance possible.
1. Preparing Turf Plan
• Measure your area and calculate the amount of turf needed for your project. Add 3% overage for adjustments.
• Create a turf plan based on 13’ or 15’ widths and consider the direction of the blades as our products are directional.
• Mark the project area with marking paint.
• Remove existing landscape (sod, dirt, etc) to a depth of 4-12” depending on drainage and geographic location.
• Rake out the exposed sub base and slope the ground in the direction you want the water to drain off.
• Give your sub base some compaction to settle any loose areas before bringing in your base materials.
• If adding on to an existing install, compare product dye lots to be certain your grasses will match. (these change periodically.)
2. Building Base
• Place 4-6” of 3⁄4”- road base throughout your entire install area.
• Rake the road base out evenly to create your ideal base shape.
• Water your base with the hose until the entire area is damp.
• Run the plate compactor in a spiraling motion starting from the outside working in, overlapping your path to create a smooth surface.
• Use the hand tamper in corners and to remove any lines left behind from the compactor, any imperfections in the base will show once you surface the area.
• If your turf butts up against concrete walkways or pavers, keep your base height 1⁄2” below the surface of the walkway. This will allow the infill level to be even with the walkway once your grass in installed.
• If using a foam underlay, factor in the thickness of the foam when planning your final grade.
3. Surfacing Project
• Place your first roll in position and carefully roll it out so that you don’t disrupt the base.
• For the best aesthetic, position the turf with the fibers facing the house (backyard) or the street (front yard).
• With a sharp blade in your utility knife, cut the perimeter of your turf in along edges or around objects (trees, garden beds, decks, etc).
• Keep your gaps to a maximum of 1/8” for a flawless look to
your edges.
4. Seaming Turf
• Place the second roll of turf as close to its desired position as possible.
• Flip the edges over and remove the last 3 to 5 tufts on each side of the seam, keeping the blade closest to the tuft on the main piece to minimize excess backing in your seam.
• With the edges cut off, align your pieces so that the tufts land the same distance apart as they are throughout your turf (1/8” – 1/4” gap between tufts with no excess backing on 3/8” tuft gauge products).
• Spike both pieces in place and re-check your alignment.
• Fold both pieces back 8-10” and lay seam tape centered on your seam.
• Spread seam glue evenly with a spreader, removing all puddles and leaving behind no dry spots on the seam tape. A THIN, consistent
coat is ideal as the glue EXPANDS when cured and can come up
through the turf if applied too heavy. Please take this into consideration when gluing your seams, DO NOT OVER APPLY.
• Starting at one end (extra hands recommended) bring your two pieces of turf together evenly like a zipper and lay them down together keeping the fibers upright and out of the glue.
• Rub your fingers down the seam and pick out any trapped blades.
• Place 12” wide strips of wood down the seam and weigh them down with bags of infill 45-60 mins per seam.
5. Spiking Turf
• Place a spiral galvanized spike every 4-6” around the perimeter of your project area.
• The spike should sit approximately 1⁄4” – 1⁄2” away from the edge or perimeter for best results.
• Use the tip of the spike to part the blades.
• Using your fingers, keep the backing exposed and tap the spike down until it sits flat in the bottom of the turf.
• Avoid hitting the spike too hard, this will leave indentations in your base that will be visible once your turf is infilled.
6. Infilling Turf
• If your turf is laying flat, brush the blades upright before applying your infill layer.
• Empty infill bags into a drop spreader and spread it evenly across your install area to suggested infill recommendations.
• Be cautious of high and low spots once the area is infilled. Add material to the low spots and broom over high spots.
• Using a power broom (or stiff bristle push broom), work slowly against the direction of the fibers to allow the infill to drop all the way into the turf.
• See product and infill recommendations for suggested pounds per square foot.
7. Final Steps
• Walk all around on your finished install area to assure there are no high or low spots in your infill.
• Use a leaf blower to clean up surrounding areas.
• Using a hose, give your project a light watering to allow any dust from the infill to be removed from your turf giving you a nice, clean surface area to be proud of.
8. Most Common Errors
• Not creating a turf plan
• Gaps on a butt seam
• Failing to remove factory edge/flap + 3 tufts
• No/too much gap on side seam
• Blades laid in different directions on a seam
• Dragging turf around and ruining base
• Trying to hide seams by gluing
• Cutting turf too fast
• Not infilling the turf
• Spiking down putting greens
• Not spiking down perimeter edges
