Installing your own synthetic grass is not as hard as it may seem. Installing it yourself can save you thousands of dollars in labor costs as well. Typically, labor is equal to the cost of products used so installing turf yourself can help you save 50% off the total cost if you were to go with a full service company.

What most people need to know are formulas and types of products needed to insure you do the job right. What follows, then, are some guidelines for getting the job done right.

Materials Required:

Base: 1 ton per 100 square feet. You can use class II road base or decomposed granite
Weed Barrier: Equal to your turf order. Use a permeable membrane only. Never use a solid plastic.
Sod Staples: You will need four sod staples per linear foot around the edges and seam in the turf.
Infill: Silica sand is most commonly used and readily available. Use between 1.5 to 3 lbs. per square inch.

Steps:

Measure the area carefully. You need to order enough turf to cover the entire area making sure that you account for waste. Since the turf comes in 15 foot widths, you need to make sure that when ordering turf you account for this standard width size.

Excavate the area to 4″ below the surface. You will want to make sure the area you excavate is graded relatively smooth.

Install the base and tamp it flat. Insure it is graded smooth and away from your home. You can use a garden roller to smooth out the base.

Lay a weed barrier down and affix the barrier to the ground with sod staples.

Cut the turf and lay it down as needed. Secure the synthetic turf down with sod staples or galvanized nails every 3″ around the perimeter and seams.

Spread the infill evenly across the turf using a fertilizer spreader then use a broom to distribute the infill and make the turf stand up.