installing artificial grass - basics (lawn)

SIG.01 January 2007

Standard Installation Guideline — Landscape & Lawns

ASGI Guidelines

Basic synthetic grass landscape and lawn projects can achieve maximum results with a minimum of work and materials. However, as with any permanently constructed project, you need to apply proper engineering and follow some simple guidelines to insure your project will not only function, but last, a long, long time. Many states require a license to contract to install permanent projects; ASGi encourages you to seek the services of a licensed professional to help design, engineer and construct your project. The photos to the right show 3 different landscape projects that feature synthetic grass as lawn area. Each project, though built quite similarly, varies in the type of edge treatment used, site preparation required, amount of drainage; each element effected the labor required, amount and type of job materials used to achieve the final results. Picture A shows a back yard that was created in an open area, away from any hard edges; walkways, walls, patios, fencing or decking. The edge treatment, properly executed, supports the base materials, provides for a solid edge around the outer perimeter, and cleanly defines the grass edges and gardens, beyond.

Soft edges are defined as edges that do not butt-up to any hard element. Soft edges allow for extreme flexibility in final shape and treatment.

Picture B shows a typical front yard project where the natural lawn was replaced by synthetic grass, exactly. The existing irrigation system was capped off, except for the small garden area in the front right-hand corner. All edges are butting up to some type of hard element; driveway, sidewalk, front walkway, brick mow-strips and an elevated brick garden wall.

Hard edges are defined as edges that butt-up against an element that cannot or will not be moved. The synthetic grass

materials will need to be hand trimmed to these edges. When estimating for hard edges, additional synthetic grass materials may be required to meet outer perimeter marks; it is recommended to over measure hard edges by several inches to insure your materials, when laid, will make your pattern marks. Picture C is a typical example of a great use for synthetic grass; stabilizing and cleaning up a side yard. This yard is located in a residential community whose developer engineered a drainage system using 3 inch corrugated, flexible pipe and inline drain catch basins all along the side yard. Water run-off from the structures’ gutters and down sprouts are attached to fittings and the underground drain system. To insure the optimum drainage, we recommend using a variety of base materials to achieve gravity fed drainage down through porous synthetic grass layers to a properly engineered, installed and working drainage system that meets code.

The most noted reason for synthetic grass project failure is poorly engineered and constructed drainage, sub-base and base preparation.

ASGi recommends using porous fabrics for most projects. By using sturdy, durable fabrics below imported base and through-out the construction, your synthetic grass project has the highest chance of long-term success.

Where heavy weight loads need to be accommodated, there are several options for construction grade fabrics and building specifications. This guide focuses only on basic landscape and lawn projects.

asgi.usasgi.us

Copyright 2007—ASGi, Inc. All rights reserved. www.asgi.us -14

SIG.01 January 2007

Standard Installation Guidelines — Landscape and Lawns

ASGI Guidelines

Lawn with SOFT EdgesLawn with SOFT Edges

Lawn with HARD EdgesLawn with HARD Edges

BB

Side Yard with Enhanced DrainageSide Yard with Enhanced Drainage

CCC

AAA

THIS GUIDELINE ASSUMES ... You Are Using Professional Quality Synthetic Grasses Intended for Residential & Commercial Landscape Projects. Grasses will range from 1.5 to 2 inches in pile height and require an infill (ballast) material.

NO

TE

Please refer to Terms of Use & Copyright at asgi.us

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines


Natural rock: Grasses can be tucked and secured under any rock material. Insist on use of sturdy and durable fabrics to insure erosion and underground pest control. Loose, decorative rock, stones and lava are an attractive finish to synthetic grass edges. Deco rock coverage also enhances the look of the garden and weed control. Blocks and pavers are also attractive & functional as trim. Trimming with hard elements in areas where natural lawn, weeds or other organic materials will touch the turf is a great way to provide a solid edge for grooming both native growth and new turf. Flagstone: Using existing flagstone may require you to remove the stones, re-prep the sub-base, underlayment fabrics and re-level materials to re-set stones. Once set, you then cut and fit the turf products around them. An easier solution would be to set 1 to 1 1/2 inch flagstones on top of the turf and work the blades out from underneath. The project photo to the left and right are both real-world examples of projects completed by professional installers.

Beyond Bender Board: Edge Treatments and Options

Patio and flag stones set nicely on top of synthetic turf and help to create great contrasts. Invest in stones that are sturdy and will sit at least 1/2 to one inch below the turf pile height.

Between Concrete Slabs & Pads: Drainage is the most important aspect of this design treatment.

Several inches of drain rock at the base layer, prior to the

installation of compacted materials can improve drainage.

Against concrete walkways & drives: Grasses are cut to the exact shape of the hard edge, so you get a perfect fit. Grasses can be set below, at or above the grade of the concrete, depending upon the final look and feel you wish to achieve.

On Top of Concrete: Synthetic grass makes any concrete area soft and natural looking. It will also help to reduce glare from light colored driveways and patios. The edges can be cut into any shape. To reduce the chance of tripping, edges should be glued down with appropriate double-sided tapes or adhesives.

Uneven edges can be trimmed to fit:

Against asphalt and

other irregular edges, grasses can be trimmed

to fit, which adds to the natural look.

Below

At Level

Above

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Design and Engineering Considerations When you approach a synthetic grass project, it has to be with a mindset of longevity. How the job is engineered and built has a direct effect on your ability to achieve design objectives and deliver a solid, stable installation. Four basic installation techniques are shown, to your right. The ASGi Standard Installation Guideline for Landscape and Lawns will focus on how to achieve natural looking lawn installations. The tips and techniques learned here can be incorporated into any plan. One of the first considerations is what type and amount of site preparation is required. It can be to your advantage to excavate out problem concrete, asphalt, soils or other existing materials and import appropriate base materials into the site to insure a stable outcome. As a basic rule of thumb, the final grade of the project, use and accessibility requirements will have to be taken into consideration prior to job start. If concrete or asphalt areas drain properly, synthetic grass and artificial turf can be place on top. When installing over native soil conditions, fabrics are very important for the long-term stability of your projects. ALWAYS start with a durable and porous synthetic fiber (woven or non-woven) and install it over native soils and then add your imported base layers, as required by your design. A minimum of 2 to 3 inches of compacted aggregate materials UNDER the synthetic grass surfaces are installed over soil stabilizing fabrics, on top of native soil conditions (sub-base materials). See Figure 1. If your final grade needs to be LEVEL with existing hardscape elements such as walkways, patios or driveways, allow for adequate excavation and estimate base materials to raise the base, after compaction to approximately 1 inch below he grade of the hardscape element. To achieve a CROWNED look against hardscape, import additional materials and shape the base, during compaction, appropriately. Your hardedge should still be set, after compaction, at approximately 1 inch below the grade of the hardedge. To provide for additional watershed, install a small channel of drain rock, prior to adding base materials, as shown. (See Figure 2) Combined with the proper use of soil stabilizing fabrics, the drain rock channel (French drain) will allow watershed to fall below the surfaces and channel out, without the risk of erosion. When installing synthetic grasses against or in between large areas of concrete or asphalt that tends to shed water into the turf areas, allow for additional excavation, several layers of mixed base materials and the possibility of additional drain pipes, catch basins, connectors and drain rock as show to the right. See Figures 3 & 4. Synthetic grass areas can accommodate any conditions as long as the site is engineered to perform, under the requirements of local weather, weight load, traffic and use.


In-between Flagstone &

Concrete Slabs

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Crowned Lawns

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Fabrics & Their Use for Rolled Edge Treatments. ASGi recommends using several varieties and densities of soil stabilizing fabrics (both woven and non-woven, polypropylene fiber) depending upon the objectives of your design.

• Fabrics help eliminate the need for bender board in your design • Fabrics provide horizontal & vertical stabilization to base installations • Fabrics control erosion, contamination and mixing of base materials • Fabrics are effective barriers to deter burrowing rodent and insect infestations

A basic lawn or landscape project will only need one layer of fabric at the native soil level to help separate newly imported base materials from native soils and underground pests. A 4 to 6 ounce construction grade, porous fabric is preferred. If your design calls for a rolled edge, ASGi recommends using this guideline: Start by laying down 2 layers of fabrics on the native soil level. The bottom layer can be laid wider than the outer perimeter of your design and serve as a barrier, outside of the grass site, for weed and underground pest barriers. Mark the outer perimeter design on this lower layer to help you keep imported base materials within the design radius. Lay down a second layer of fabrics which are used to “ROLL” the edge to make a bull-nose shape that will not only be stable, it will lock out garden pests and act as a separator between your new turf lawn area and organic garden elements. You should install your 2nd layer of underlayment fabric to extend past your outer perimeter marks by at least 6 inches. This layer must be installed prior to moving in your base. After adding base and compacting the materials in the central area of the site, follow your marks and hand tamp and shape the outer edges; follow your marks as a guide for cutting and rolling the turf edges, as well. Compacted edges should be no less than 2 inches in height. Your base can be of any height, though at a garden’s edge, we recommend using a minimum of 4 inches of compacted base. Smaller aggregate materials are easier to work with than 1/2 to 3/4 inch base materials when attempting to create smooth, curving edges; if you need larger base materials for the center of your project’s site, you can always mix the base materials towards the outer perimeter’s edge and feather the two materials together. Tamp the joint between the two materials to insure compaction and a clean transition. Take the 2nd layer of underlayment fabric and pull it up and over the soft edge of base material. Using your hands or a mold, create a bull-nose shape out of the base materials and staple the underlayment fabric to the base, under the edge of the turf - be gentle about tacking down the fabric, you do not want to create DENTS in the base! (Steps 1 & 2) Lay the synthetic grass materials over the new edge. Use the newly formed edge as a guide and cut the grass along the edge. Leave an extra 1/2 to 1 inch of turf material at the cut edge for the roll. Roll the “rough” edge under the base materials where it won’t be seen (Step 3). Secure the turf, fabrics and base materials together by gently tapping in a 4 to 7 inch jute stainless steel staple or coated, galvanized nail. Secure the base of the edge at 6 inch intervals along the entire soft edge. The edge may require additional tamping or use of a landscape roller to finish.

DO NOT tuck TOO MUCH turf material under the edge! It creates buckles and air pockets in the upper turf surface and bumps under the edge that will look unsightly.

Leave backfilling the area with bark and rock products, soils or other materials until AFTER you have completed all seams and infilled the area. Once complete, eliminate any extra infill materials and then complete the installation by backfilling to the soft edges.


Step One: Pull the underlayment fabric tightly up and over the base. Secure it with a tack or nail. Step Two: Roll turf materials tightly down over the edge while shaping the base with your hands. Step Three: Roll and tuck the raw edge under the base and fabrics and secure with a jute staple into edge.

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Side Yard Construction: Optimize Drainage Side yards are engineered by the developer to carry roof-line and ground water run-off to an approved daylight drain head where watershed will join with other run-off volume and be carried away into community drainage solutions. Vertically draining synthetic grass is built to allow an extra-ordinary amount of standing water to percolate, through the surfaces. Engineering a place for that water to go, driven by gravity, can help improve drainage without having unsightly drain heads on the surface, to spoil the view. If you are using synthetic grass materials that drain “horizontally”, across the surface, you must accommodate for watershed above the turf materials. Inline drain heads must show above the turf and base materials should be contoured and sloped appropriately to accommodate watershed to the drain heads or contoured swales to meet local codes and restrictions. Due to watershed, infill materials are less likely to migrate on vertically draining grass installations though engineering your project to alleviate any strong source of water run-off across the surfaces is the optimum choice. To optimize a side yard application, and improve drainage, please take note of the following installation guide and design plan. Figure 1 shows a basic side yard installation for well-draining soil conditions while Figure 2 shows how to improve poorly draining side yards. Excavate and grade the native soils, as needed, and lay down a 4 to 6 ounce underlayment fabric. Porous fabrics can lay over any sub-surface drain heads.

Import (bring in) ROUND drain rock or larger pea gravel and add it to the swale until it fills to a level height with outer edges. Tamp this material to compact before continuing. A second layer of porous fabrics should be laid over the drain rock, extending the edges past the perimeter (to be used to fold back onto of the compacted base materials later). If using stepping stones, it is best to follow manufacturer’s suggestions as to the appropriate base used under the rocks for stability - or - use a compactable crushed rock under the stone which will provide percolation yet remain stable over time. Using crushed and rounded rock layers also helps keep under ground pests, such as worms, ants, burrowing insects, rodents and evasive root systems from propagating and creating sub-surface structure concerns in the future.

Always check the rating of percolation and longevity on fabrics you wish to use in the construction of your project. Many “residential/retail” weed barrier products do not have the vertical and horizontal strength to stand up to the demands of permanent construction projects, UV, high traffic and extreme weather conditions. Typical Fabric Weights Are Measured in Ounces per SF. Four or 6 ounce fabrics are a minimum recommendation for use for landscape applications for lawn and play areas. Driveways or areas where weight loads are excessive, use 6 ounce or higher fabrics rated for their ability to bear weight loads and soil stabilizing capabilities

2 - 4 inches of Compacted Aggregate

Native Soil

Clay soils require additional drainage.

Well compacted at each

4 to 6 inch lift, any amount of compactable

base materials can be used.

Properly engineered, water should percolate through

the synthetic grass, down through layers of drain

rock to pipes or French drain treatments; away from foundations.

Copyright 2007—ASGi, Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic Side Yard Installation

Professional grade fabrics help keep different base materials

from contaminating other layers, over time.

They add significant horizontal and vertical strength and stability to

your surface construction.

Figure 1

Figure 2

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Standard Installation Guidelines Basic Landscape & Lawn Projects The following is a compilation of basic installation steps using a 2 inch pile height, infilled synthetic grass system as a lawn. Putting greens, bocce courts and other sports projects are subject to different guidelines [ available at asgi.us ].

The design and desired final grade will determine the need for excavation, grading and retention, such as retaining walls, curbing and other trim elements.

• All new additions or changes to drainage, irrigation and other sub-surface trenching for electric, water, and gas should be completed prior to job start.

• You should plan for the need to gain access to these systems in the future without disturbing the turf installation to excess.

• All new landscape elements (gardens, lighting, pools, ponds, etc) and

hardscape (pavers, concrete, walls, etc) should be in place prior to job start.

Job Start and Site Preparation

• When the installation site is not defined by hard edges, start your job by setting outer perimeter marks for the project area using marking paints or stakes & tapes. This will define the site’s outer edges for preparation and material installation.

• Remove all organic materials. Organic material left under the newly installed surfaces will decompose, which can lead to sub-surface failure. Organic materials may include: • sod, grass, weeds, plant roots, dead tree roots (take special care

with live tree roots - bark, nut shells, other ground cover materials

• any newly removed tree stump and root areas should be free of organic materials, then filled and compacted prior to job start

• if the native soil has recently been excavated or added to, the surfaces may be unstable. These sub-base surfaces areas should be compacted prior to the job start.

It is important to clean up your installation site before the next step. By cleaning between steps, you make sure that you will not contaminate

your next efforts with unwanted materials.

Job Start Day


Build easy access to all electric, water, irrigation, gas and conduits by installing

these systems outside the perimeter of the synthetic grass installation site.

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Finish Prepping Hard Edges • Insure that all hard edges are cleaned to the

proper depth (approximately 3 - 4 inches below grade). Root systems, especially those of aggressive plants, weeds and grasses like mint, bermuda grass or clover, should be removed. The area may need to be treated to deter these root systems from sprouting in the future. Use a pointed nose trowel or other hand tool and dig deeply against the hard edge— you should strive to achieve at least a 90 degree or greater angle where the native soil and hardscape meets.

Fabrics: 1st Layer OVER Native Soils

• Use of porous soil stabilizing, filter fabrics are recommended for all soil conditions. Fabrics are used to keep native soils from mixing, over time, with new base materials. The use of fabrics will also help to stabilize the installation, increase it's weigh-bearing capability and decrease the chance for rodent and burrowing insect infestations. Any type of long-wearing, porous (non-organic) fabric materials are appropriate, though construction grade materials are recommended. Use stainless staples or coated, galvanized nails to secure the fabrics to the ground.

• Fabrics should be installed over the entire area, extending past the outer perimeter by 4 to 6 inches.This extra fabric will be used later to fold over base at hard edges and protect edges from root, rodent and insect infestations. Fabric pieces should overlap no less than 6 inches, with the optimal overlap being 12 inches for heavy weight load bearing areas. Insure there are NO wrinkles and that the fabrics overlap to allow water to drain over the materials, down slope, as if they were roofing tiles.

Special Note About Fabrics

• Porous fabric materials are available in many styles and you can use different grades (styles) depending upon the project specifications.

• Various drainage and edge treatments benefit from the use of more than one type or layer of fabrics. Basic installations generally require one layer of fabric, installed directly OVER native soils (as above).

• Fabrics should provide horizontal stability and should be rated to perform for over 15 years (some may be as high as 40+).

• If your installation will bear heavy loads (parking boat, RV or vehicles), always use materials approved for use on local roadways or railroad construction. The additional horizontal strength of the products help to insure that, even under extreme weather conditions, your drive or parking area can distribute the weight load of your vehicle over the entire surface.

Your local Corp of Engineers or building exchange can provide local standards.

This front lawn project slopes away from the home and foundation. Water will shed appropriately, down slope, as it has for years. A downspout, at the far left of the home does, however, drain out on the surface and additional, underground drain pipes are not the answer.

To enhance erosion control and properly engineer the site for optimal drainage, fabrics are installed

much like any roofing material, overlapping layers.

Starting from the bottom of the slope, fabrics should overlap each other and

outer hard edges by a minimum of 6 inches. “Staple” edges tightly against hardscape and across the width of fabrics; smooth wrinkles.

Hard edges should be cleared of all debris. Aggressive weeds and grasses may need additional treatment prior to laying base materials.


6 inch overlap

4 to 6 inch outside perimeter

Secure Fabrics at Edges & Seams

Correct

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Base Materials Selection A standard practice for installation over well-draining

soil requires a minimum of 2 inches* of compactable

base materials. Most installations will benefit from a minimum of 3 inches of compactable base materials. Add materials from the back to the front, slowly; feather the materials evenly over the site using a large asphalt or landscape rake. Do not walk into the un-compacted base materials until you are walking behind compaction equipment.

• Appropriate materials include compactable crushed aggregates such as:

• Road base - 3/8 to 3/4 inch gravel with quarry fines (use a minimum of 3 inches for proper compaction).

• Decomposed granite (DG=1/4 inch + fines) a minimum depth of 2 inches, 3 inches are recommended for proper compaction. Elevations (lifts) of 4 or more inches of DG over clay soils in damp climates is not advised due to water retention of native soils; areas can be prone to sinking & saturation.

• Some forms of course fines and other compactable gravel and quarry fine combinations may also be appropriate; check with local suppliers for alternatives.

• NOTE: Poorly draining soils may require additional excavation and use of both drain rock and compactable base materials installed in layers to achieve acceptable percolation. (see example illustration, Page 5-14)

• Over clay soil - excavate to allow for at least 4 inches of base (in some cases, 6 to 8 inches of newly imported base layers may be needed).

• Use a highly porous fabric over native soils which have been graded to optimize watershed away from foundations and concrete pads, pools, etc. (Check local CC&R for restrictions or specifications for your area).

• Add drain rock on top of porous fabrics to fill any swale or culvert to level. (minimum of two inches is recommended). Compact the materials using a landscape roller or hand-tamper.

• Dress area with another layer of highly porous fabric. This step is critical to insure that the upper layers of crushed aggregate materials do not contaminate the drain rock layers, below, with fines (silt), over time.

• Add compactable aggregate materials (minimum of 2 inches) and compact area to desired final grade and shape.

Tips on Importing Base Materials Onto Site • After your fabrics are installed, begin to drop wheel barrow loads of materials at the farthest point of the installation. Drop loads from the back towards the

front of the installation so you won’t have to travel over the base materials after they are floated.

• Loads should be over lapped and then feathered into each other as soon as the materials are dropped to help maintain even material depths. For best results, do not stand or travel over base materials until they are compacted!

• Use a wide (40 inch) landscape or asphalt material rake to spread and feather the base materials into each other at the desired depth. Use the flat side of the rake, not the tines, so that you do not separate the aggregates while spreading. Base material loads need to be dumped close to each other and you will want to check the depth of the materials regularly.

• Materials compact at different rates due to the material’s size, fines, moisture content, and conditions. After primary compaction, always check your hard edges to make sure you have enough, and yet not too much, base material in place. Most 2 inch, infilled, synthetic grass systems look best when the base materials (at hard edges) are compacted to within 1 to 3/4 inches of the finished height of the hard edge. Any lower than this and the finished grade of the lawn will appear sunken and somewhat unnatural, as if it has “collapsed” or dropped, (see example illustration top of Page 2-14).

Course Road Base (3/4 inch gravel) with Quarry Fines

example of DG

On sloping areas, start importing base materials at the bottom of the slope and work your way up the slope, feathering products as you go.

Decomposed Granite Or Crushed Granite

(1/4 inch gravel) w/ Quarry Fines

Drain Rock 1/2 to 1.5 inch (clean)


SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Compacting Base Materials • Use of either manual compaction or more aggressive compaction equipment is determined by

site conditions, size of area and desired compaction. Water-filled landscape rollers (static rollers) are best when compacting finer materials, especially while trying to achieve rolling shapes; g as-powered vibrating plate compactors are best when used on 3 or more inches of materials and flatter areas. Prior to compacting, you may need to lightly dampen the surfaces with a water mist.

• Compaction should occur at no greater than 4 inch intervals (lifts) or at each separate layer of materials imported into the site to create elevation. If the base materials are too shallow (2 inch or less for some materials) you may see the base “crack” under compaction. Add additional base and feather materials, compact the area, again.

• Compact materials to approximately 95 percent standard Proctor density (generally, you will not see footprints or other indentations on the surfaces when properly compacted). For typical walkways, patios and lawn areas a depth of 3 to 6 inches of compacted material is suitable. For driveways and heavy loads, an 8 to 12 inch depth of base, over soil stabilizing materials is optimal. It is critical to smooth the base surface to insure there are no dents or ruts in the surface. Rough surfaces under the turf will look unsightly and may create problems with seaming, infill or drainage.

• Do not focus compaction in one area. Always compact the entire surface, one pass at a time, until desired results are achieved.

• After two or three passes with your compactor - you may want to relieve ruts and bumps by raking or brushing the surfaces with a stiff broom and re-compacting.

• Compact edges last, after larger equipment has set the compaction through the main area. Always compact the edges by hand tamping using either a mallet and solid piece of wood and/or a hand tamper. Remove any extra base materials to achieve a clean outer perimeter edge. If needed, dampen the base materials with a light sprinkling of water and then compact.

• Clean up the compacted base edges with a trowel before turf installation, for best results. At all hard edges, base materials should be set to a 90 degree angle. Clear away any extra base and spread it into the main areas or remove altogether - gently compact the area, again.

Clean up the area and remove any unwanted base materials from under fabrics and around the immediate installation site. Wash off all surfaces so that dusts from base and soils will not contaminate the grass surfaces during the remaining installation steps.

Hand tamp hard edges using a spare piece of 2 x 4 wood and rubber mallet. This helps

to set final level and insure a clean edge.

Smaller areas, gentle slopes and final grades that are crowned or rolling may be completed with a final layer of decomposed granite or 1/4 crushed aggregate with fines to adjust the height, if needed.

This softer, smoother base material will help fill in ruts and other anomalies in the surface. Compact area using a water-filled landscape roller.

Vibrating plate compactors are great for compacting road base in depths of 3 to 4 inch or more. They tend to be too aggressive and heavy for the final compaction of finer base materials.


SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Prepping Turf Materials for Lay-down Each grass product requires a different amount of "fluffing" which is called de-fibrillating For smaller installations, it’s best to de-fibrillate prior to seaming and infilling the surfaces while the turf is still in larger pieces. This action helps the grass blades stand upright and for many yarn styles, it adds volume and texture. It is often easiest to de-fibrillate grass materials on flat, hard surfaces before they are laid and seamed. Upright blades accept the infill more evenly and make raking in the remainder of materials easier.

To manually bloom synthetic grass, you can use a “shag” carpet rake, with a head much like a comb. The deep pile carpet rakes dig deep into the fibers and pick them up from under the weight of the infill. Stiff, synthetic bristle brooms can also be used; however they are less effective and may make the infill process take longer.

Use of wire or metal brush tools are discouraged as they break down the blades, making them weaker, frayed and prone to failure. You may find that use of wire or metal brushes for installation or grooming may void your warranty!

Power equipment, such as hand-held or walk-behind power brushes, (concrete or asphalt cleaners, shown to the right), are great for lifting the rolled turf blades up from their compressed, laid-down position.

CAUTION! Only Use Synthetic Bristle Brushes - Never USE Metal or Wire Brushes!

Prepping Turf Edges For Lay-down & Seaming Landscape projects that use more than one piece of turf are seamed together. ASGi recommends cutting off the 3 to 4 inch piece of backing material at the outer edges (left and right sides) of the new synthetic grass, to get it out of the way before you lay down your turf. This material is called selvage and would be used only if the turf pieces were to be seamed together by sewing. Before cutting, check the backing of the synthetic grass and determine if the first lines of stitches are well coated with urethane. If you see that the stitches, along any part of the first lines are NOT coated, cut these lines of stitches off as well. Uncoated stitches can be easily pulled out of the turf and make your seam visible and weak ( prone to turf bind failure). NOTE: Some synthetic grasses are now available with two pile heights and textures of yarn. They may require several rows of blades to be cut off before you can set the seam properly. If two rows of like fibers are close together at a seam line, the seam will show dramatically. Experiment with a couple test pieces before committing to a seaming strategy for your project plan. You can lay out the turf materials on their facing side and cut off the selvage with a sharp sheet rock blade & knife set. The materials you have cut off can be set aside as waste for disposal later. It is also a good time to check the CROSS cuts of the synthetic grass materials to insure that they are straight and plum to the outer edges. Cross cuts that are uneven can make butt-fit seams difficult to achieve. Re-cut any obvious edges that are not trimmed cleanly before seaming.


Salvage Cut OFF salvage along with any weak,

uncoated lines of stitches. Cut close to the stitch line, however,

leave no less than 1/8th inch backing or you will weaken the 1st line of stitches!

Always Keep Your Knife Blade Sharp!

Cross Cut

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Laying Down Turf Lay the largest piece of grass first. Make adjustments to its location and angle to optimize the use of materials. Set the direction of the grass’ grain* to optimize the color of the synthetic grass. Lay down the next piece of grass, against the first so that your largest pieces are in place. Shift turf pieces to optimize the coverage and insure that the grain of the turf is correctly set; IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

The direction of the turf material’s grain may affect the color tone and saturation from the viewer’s point of orientation. The optimum way to set down the turf to get the most out of the color differences are as follows: 1. To heighten and show the deepest color to the

road on a front lawn - point the grain towards the road or the driveway.

2. To heighten and show the deepest color to the viewer in a backyard or courtyard setting, point the grain towards the area’s entrances and seating areas.

At times, grass materials are too wide or large to fit in place and lay flat. The grasses become bulky and hard to work with. Simply fold the unwanted materials away from the obstruction. In the photo above, you can see how the turf has been folded in several layers to help it lie flat while seaming or fitting is being done. Don’t hesitate to cut off surplus materials to get them out of your way, leaving enough spare materials to trim off for a tight fit later. Seaming Recommendations ...

Make sure that you cut your turf cleanly and straight to help materials fit together easily, with little need for adjustments. Use a straight edge and T or 90 degree angle to insure that your cuts are plum when cutting across the stitch lines. KEEP YOUR KNIFE BLADE SHARP AT ALL TIMES!

Set materials to be seamed equal distance apart to the gauge of the stitch rows.

ALWAYS place the two largest pieces of turf and complete this INLINE seam, first. The placement of turf and this seam will set the tone for the remaining seams and position of turf. Complete the next inline seam with the next largest piece of turf until all large, inline seams are complete.

ALWAYS complete inline seams before completing any butt-fit (cross) seams. This will ensure that your turf will lay flat, your pieces will align and the seams will be true.

Done well, seams, after securing, will disappear when the blades are brushed up and surfaces infilled with top dressing (infill) materials. If you can see a "seam line" prior to infilling, you should consider resetting it properly.

Always use seaming materials! They help keep out weeds at the seam lines and add additional horizontal stability to the seam, itself. Most contact adhesives used for acrylics and polymers work well with synthetic turf. Some fabric backed turf materials recommend Velcro® strips.

Adhesives can create challenges in cold or wet climates; as an alternative, use “tacks”. A coated 3.5 inch nail, set every 4 to 6 inches on both sides of the seam line will hold it in place for the average lawn or landscape project. Jute staples are not recommended for seaming tacks because they can pucker turf materials on the seam line, creating buckles and dents in the surfaces.

On slopes of greater than 5-10 degrees, use longer tacks, 6 to 8 inch sinkers, across the uphill edge. Add a quilted pattern of tacks throughout the entire face of the installation. The tacks across the top and quilted through the face of the surfaces keep the synthetic grass in place.

There are two general types of seams Inline Seam (above) - using the edges of the turf, the materials are seamed together, parallel, side to side. Butt-fit or Cross Seam (below) - using the ends of the turf, rows of stitches are matched up and seamed, perpendicular, top to bottom.


SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Trimming the Turf to Fit Straight, hard edges • Once all your seams are secure - then you

can confidently begin to trim the grasses on the outer edges to fit the final design.

• NEVER cut the grasses before completing all large seams - if you have cut the outer edge and then you need to move the grass piece to correct a poorly placed seam, the grass may no longer fit to your edges and will need additional attention to correct.

• A china marker or silver felt pen can be a helpful tool to mark the backing where cuts will be. We recommend that you cut the grass on the hard edges, from the back. Curl the edges of the turf over to expose the backing and then mark the cut. Using a sharp blade, cut slowly along your mark, checking that your cut is true every few inches.

You can always cut off extra turf prior to trimming to fit edges. Simply cut on top of the turf, leaving yourself a few inches to trim off to fit.

Curved, hard edges • If you are cutting around radial edges or other shapes, cut in "relief" to help

you have full flexibility in handling the turf while trimming hard to reach edges. • Relief cuts should be done as cleanly as possible - cut slowly, and use as few

cuts as possible to allow turf to lay flat.

• We recommend using either a T or H shaped cut to provide relief around upright obstacles such as trees, bushes, and light posts.

• It can be very frustrating to try to cut a "hole" in the middle of the turf to allow a rock or other obstacle to "poke" through for finishing. Though possible to do, cutting holes in the middle of the turf should be done slowly, starting at the center point and radiating outwards (like a pizza is cut). Take care to insure you don't over cut and have to fit in patches or do minor repairs. Cut down rows of stitches where possible and careful cut across the grain, so you don’t damage too many of the blades. A straight cut that is too long can always be seamed back together.

Again, you will want to clean up the job site. This time, focus on removing the loose turf blades and scraps of materials left over from cutting and trimming. Using a leaf blower or broom, sweep all the blades off the area and use a shop vac to remove.


Fit materials to edge Mark cut line

Carefully, slowly cut on your marks

Check cut and fit and remove waste

Using RELIEF cuts to fit turf around curved edges can eliminate challenges of cutting mistakes and the time it takes

to re-trim poorly cut edges.

To make a relief cut - start by folding the edge of the materials snugly against the hard element. Pierce the backing and cut

through to the end of the material. Cut relief every 4 to 6 inches or as needed to fit turf around an edge or obstacle.

Relief Cuts Help Fit Turf Around Curves

SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Infilling the Turf

Every turf system benefits from using infill materials. It provides ballast (weight) to hold the turf in place and covers the backing and bottom of the turf blades to provide additional UV protection, overall. Infill the area using a DROP spreader. Broadcast spreaders or attempting to infill by hand with buckets, etc, can create uneven infill across the surface. Uneven infill will make the surfaces look rough and they will feel uneven, underfoot. • Fill the drop spreader with materials and begin infilling at a logical spot so that you can easily walk a

path around the entire site without over lapping during infill. It is important to set the spreader to the heaviest application of materials, and walk slowly and evenly. Each drop spreader has marks indicating the width of the drop pattern. Pay close attention to applying the infill without overlapping!

• Once you have applied a coating or two of infill - use the rake to work the infill into the blades, using short, quick strokes. Long strokes seem to do little to work the infill down to the backing and generally send more infill flying into space, wasting materials and increasing clean-up. Once the first layers of infill are raked in, you can continue to infill, using the amount of infill appropriate for your grass system, site conditions and use. Every few trips across the surface will require raking the infill down. Additional raking may be required to even out the infill materials. See Page 14-14 for general comments about infill materials and specifications for turf by blade height and use. Typically, to insure proper weight on top of the turf to provide adequate resiliency and turf blade UV screening, you will fill the blades 2/3rds to 3/4 of the total blade length for lawn and landscape applications. (Approximately 4 to 5 pounds of 12-20 mesh infill materials for a turf with a 2 inch pile height) Newer turf products that are double-tufted with two heights of blades may require less infill to achieve the same look and feel. All grass materials benefit from some amount of infill - double-tufted blade styles benefit from the weight distributed across the surfaces to help provide ballast which will help shape and hold the grass to the ground.

• Hand fill the edges of the synthetic grasses. Attention to detail around the edges make a huge difference to the finished look and appearance. • We suggest that any rocks or trim materials used to cover edges

of grasses be laid in place prior to infilling edges.

• Hand-fill the edges, slowly. Use a hand tool, (a brush or comb, NOT YOUR HANDS and FINGERS), to work the infill into the grass blades. Hand tools can be a simple hair brush with nylon or poly blades, set wide apart, or a carpet comb tool (see photo at right). The long tines of the comb or brush help the infill to drop down to the bottom of the blades, easily. Improperly infilled edges can create unsightly shadows and make the edges look un-natural. Too much infill left at the edges or under them, make the synthetic grass materials curl up and look unfinished. Before you infill edges around rocks, pull the blades out from under the rock and away from the rocks’ edge. This will make the rocks appear deeper or embossed into the surfaces (as shown in the photo, above), giving the impression that the synthetic grass blades are growing up around the rocks and trim. Infill to finish.


A flat-head shovel or dust pan comes in handy if you need to feather in more infill materials around the site.

Distribute materials and then rake area.

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SIG.01 January 2007


ASGI Guidelines

Finishing the Synthetic Grass Installation • Use grooming rakes or power brushes across the surfaces to even out infill • A shop vac or leaf blower can be used to remove over-filled areas of extra infill materials

• Clean up any extra infill and loose blades in gardens, etc • All turf is manufactured in runs of thousands of square feet at a time. Tufting, blade

cutting and coating processes can often cause blade anomalies. The best way to handle blades that appear too long is to cut them with sharp scissors or shears.

• Check along all edges and seams for uneven blade length; trim, with scissors, if needed.

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Accessibility Acrylic Adhesive (glue) Aggregate Base Materials Base Brooming Butt (cross) Seam Chalk Chalk Line China Marker Clay Clean Crushed Gravel Compaction (compact) Cross Cut Crumbed Rubber Culvert Cut Decomposed Granite De-fibrillation Drain Rock Drop Spreader DTEX/Denier EPDM Fabric Fall Zone Safe Feather(ing) Fines Float French Drain Gauge GMAX Grain Granule Hard Edges Horizontal Stability

Infill (infilling) Inline Seam Lay-down Lift Mallet Mesh Native Soil Nylon Organic Materials Pea Gravel Percolation Perimeter Pile Pile Weight Pile Height Polyethylene (PE) Polypropylene (PP) Poly-urethane Powerbroom Primary Backing Proctor Density Relief Cuts Road Base Sand SBR Seam (seaming) Secondary Backing Silica Silt Sheet Rock Knife Snap Line Soft Edges Stabilizing Stitch Sub-base

Swale Trim Tacks Tamp (ing) Tamper Trim Turf System Underlayment Velcro Vertical Stability Vibrating Compactor Waste Yarn (Fibers)

Typically, synthetic grass pile heights used for lawn and landscaping can range from 1.25 to 2.5 inches; most lawn styles fall in the middle and average 1.5 to 2 inches in height. Higher blade height requires more infill and can achieve greater GMAX than shorter pile synthetic grass materials. (Most landscape and lawn applications DO NOT require the same GMAX (resiliency) as a fall zone safe area or sports field!) Synthetic grass height and the type of infill used is determined by your professional installer and the goals you have defined for your project.

Most synthetic grass and artificial turf materials are shipped in rolls that are 15 feet wide and can range from 25 to 100 feet long. Many

finished turf products range from a low of 35040 ounces per square foot to over 60 ounces per square foot. The number of blades per SF and the pile weight, height and backing materials all make up the weight factor. Synthetic grass materials are extremely heavy in full rolls and require a forklift and carpet pole to safely handle. Rolled pieces of 25 linear feet or less can be safely handled by two workers, wearing back braces and using gloves. OSHA standards require safety equipment for all crew members handling materials on a synthetic grass job site.

Infill Ratios for Synthetic Grass Systems can vary due to the synthetic grass

stitch gauge, pile height, type and size of infill material and the use of the project area.

Most lawn grasses will require

enough infill to cover 50 to 75% of the blade height to provide adequate blade stability.

All synthetic lawn grass benefits from infill, it helps to keep the blades vertical

& covers the backing to protect from UV.

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