Artificial grass on decking and hard surfaces

Artificial grass laid on small balcony area

Raised planter garden and synthetic turf garden in sunny area

Contemporary garden layout with artificial grass installation

We’re often asked questions about how to lay artificial turf onto all kinds of surfaces and the ease of it often surprises people – not least of all when we’re talking about laying artificial grass onto permanent surfaces such as decking or hard surfaces

The steps usually involved are:

Take measurements
Consider 10mm Play Pad to even the surface or cover small gaps, such as those between decking slats
Clean the surface to remove debris
Trim and shape 10mm Play Pad if used - glue it down around the perimeter. Perfect Glue is a superb artificial grass adhesive.
Trim and shape the artificial grass - glue it down to the perimeter of the underlay

Decking

Ensure that the decking is stable, clean, dry and newly treated.

Timber decking can provide a suitable base for synthetic grass but be careful to use a 10mm foam underlay to take up the 'gaps' between the slats, in order to avoid the grass being pushed down into the gaps as you'll see marks appear in the grass over time otherwise! Our 10mm Play Pad will provide a suitable underlay for the grass and also assist with drainage between the grass and the decking.

Once the decking has been cleaned and prepared, trim up the play pad and fix it around the perimeter, carefully using screws. Then lay out the grass and allow it to settle - this is particularly important in the winter or during colder weather as the backing needs time to flatten completely. Then trim up the grass to suit the area, using a suitable knife, and lay it over the play pad. Finally, fix around the edge using screws or glue as preferred.

Hard surfaces

Hard surfaces

Ensure that the area is smooth, dry and clean. Check for any unevenness and smooth out any bumps, as these will be seen through the artificial grass over time. Our 10mm Play Pad is an excellent product to help provide a smoother surface and can be laid and fixed by simply applying a bead of glue around the perimeter of the area and adhering the underlay to it. Leave some gaps in the bead of glue to allow for rain water to drain.

If there is poor drainage, make some holes in the hard surface.

Once the 10mm Play Pad has been installed just trim the synthetic grass to the required shape and size, run a bead of glue around the top surface of the underlay and then apply the grass. It's that easy!

Balconies

Balconies

Ensure balcony surface is stable, clean and dry. Apply 10mm Play Pad to provide cushioning, take up any unevenness and assist with drainage. Glue the underlay down with a bead of glue around the perimeter and fixing the grass to the underlay using the same method.

Using a suitable knife trim up the artificial grass, taking care to create neat and clean edges. Once the roll is trimmed to the correct size and shape just apply a bead of glue to the top of the 10mm play pad, around the perimeter. Then carefully lay the grass down onto the play pad and press around the edge so that the underside of the grass roll adheres to the glue. Allow a few hours for the glue to set before using the area.

Perfect Funky, available in 12 vibrant colours, is a popular choice for balcony projects. The image on the left shows Perfect Funky dark grey..

Synthetic turf fixing information

If you’re gluing to a hard surface, remember to leave drainage gaps every metre or so around the perimeter. Because concrete and paving is less porous, rainwater has to have somewhere to run off and glue around the full perimeter will prevent that.

If you’re laying your own concrete base, consider applying a slight gradient to the area to allow water to drain. Bearing in mind the point above, leave the drainage gaps in the glue on the appropriate side, at the lowest part of the slope.

Where you are fixing the grass and 10mm Play Pad to flat hard surfaces please be sure to drill some small drainage holes in to the surface to assist with drainage of water.

Important note - when planning your artificial grass garden always bear in mind that hot sunlight, reflected and amplified by windows, mirrors and other reflective surfaces, may cause artificial grass to melt or be scorched. Avoid installing artificial grass too close to surfaces which may cause damage.