How do I choose the right accessories for my artificial grass ?
Choosing the right accessories to lay, fix and maintain artificial grass over time can be a tricky business. Maintaining impeccable, long-lasting artificial turf depends not only on the quality of the materials used, their origin and method of manufacture, but also on the type of accessories to suit your floor. Here, our experts provide you with all the best practices for optimizing your artificial grass installation.
Summary :
1. What's a geotextile for ? Is it mandatory ?
2. Which nails to use for artificial grass ?
3. What accessories should I use to fix my grass to a hard surface ?
4. How do I join artificial grass ?
5. How do I raise the blades of my artificial grass ?
6. What if I soil my grass ?
7. What are the differences between laying on soil and on a hard surface ?
What is a geotextile used for ? Is it required ?
Geotextile plays a vital role in the installation of your artificial grass, especially on soil. Geotextile comes in the form of a non-woven fabric, brown or black in color and highly resistant. It is not compulsory, but highly recommended, as it acts as a protective barrier against weed growth. It also promotes drainage, and is used by most landscape professionals.
Tip : Clean your surface and make sure your soil is flat, then lay the geotextile. You can fasten the strips together, or simply fasten the whole landscape at the same time as your artificial grass.
Which nails to use for artificial grass ?
To fasten your artificial grass to the ground, you have a choice of nails, screws or grapples.
At Exelgreen, you'll find two types of fasteners for your artificial grass : fastening grapples and galvanized staples.
Fixing grapples are toothed rods with a cross at the end to hold them in place. They are mainly used to anchor synthetic grass on earthen surfaces. Their notches have been designed to optimize their hold in the ground. The end of the grapple is brown to make it invisible once planted. Over time, the grapples will oxidize and enable the artificial grass to remain firmly attached. They are placed every meter around the perimeter of your lawn.
Galvanized staples are U-shaped. At Exelgreen, our staples can also be used on soil. They are generally less durable than fasteners and are generally more visible. They're best suited to small surfaces, and don't hesitate to nail more in high-traffic areas. Staples are placed every 50 cm around the perimeter of your artificial grass.
What accessories do I need to fix my lawn to a hard surface ?
On hard surfaces such as terraces, balconies and roof terraces, you can fix it with a patch fastener, double-sided scotch tape (especially suitable for small surfaces), knock-in plugs available in stores, or resin. All installations must be carried out on a clean floor, whatever the type of surface for your project.
Fixings such as patches and double-sided tape are known as removable fixings. Like nails, patches must be installed every meter around the perimeter. If your surface requires permanent fixing, we recommend resin. It can also be applied around the entire perimeter of your false grass, so you can be sure that your artificial grass won't move. It's a guarantee that your artificial grass will be maintained for many years to come, without worrying about the vagaries of the weather.
How do I join artificial grass ?
Does your project require joints ? Here are the steps you need to follow to join your artificial grass strips together using our pre-glued seam strips.
First, choose the most suitable laying direction according to your main viewpoint. Next, position the rolls side by side to preview the final result. Raise the edges of your lawn, then unroll the pre-glued seam strips. At Exelgreen, several strip variants are available: 3m, 10m and 10m heavy-duty.
The jointing strips stick to one side only, to allow the synthetic turf to work with the passageway. Once the strips have been installed, join the turf strips as closely as possible for a virtually invisible result. Finally, you may need to trim the strips to achieve a perfect result. Cut the strips to fit your surface perfectly, and you're done !
How do I raise the strands on my artificial grass ?
To straighten the blades of your artificial grass and restore its appearance, our electric brush is perfectly suited. Equipped with a rotating nozzle, the electric brush makes it easy to straighten the blades of your false grass. If you have a large surface area to maintain, we recommend an additional battery. Our brush is suitable for all surfaces, and thanks to its ergonomic, adjustable handle and ease of use, even your children will have fun brushing your false grass.
When you receive your packaged artificial grass, you'll need to brush it well, as the strands will be flattened. As for brushing frequency, we recommend brushing your lawn once or twice a year, or whenever you feel it's necessary. As you can see, the frequency of brushing will depend on how often you use your lawn, and of course on the model you choose. Some of our lawns are more resilient than others.
What if I get my lawn dirty ?
Getting your artificial grass dirty is no problem at all. It's very easy to clean : just use a little soapy water, clean the area and that's it ! If you want to give it a thorough dusting, you can hose it down with a low-pressure spray, or simply wait for it to rain.
If you have pets, a simple rinse with soapy water or white vinegar is all you need to clean and/or remove odours.
For small balconies, use a brush, a stiff broom or your vacuum cleaner. What's more, with artificial grass, no more unwanted traces of mud in your home !
Just be careful not to use chemicals that could damage your false grass, and be careful when using a barbecue. This damage cannot be repaired, and you'll have to reuse grass clippings to repair the damaged area.
What are the differences between laying on soil and on hard ground ?
To sum up, here are the differences in installation and accessories to be used on a soft or hard floor.
Whatever your soil type, it should be clean, as flat as possible and free of weeds.
Earthen floor : Your essentials are geotextile, joint strips if necessary, fastening grapples or galvanized staples, a cutter and brush or a stiff broom.
Hard floor : For a hard floor, you'll need fixing patches, double-sided tape or resin. To cut it, use a cutter, and to maintain it, use an electric brush, a broom or a vacuum cleaner.
All fasteners should be placed every meter around the perimeter of your artificial grass. Once laid, brush your lawn in the opposite direction and check the direction of installation.
Depending on your soil type, you'll need a range of accessories to ensure the longevity and beauty of your artificial grass. Discoverour accessories and our artificial grass models to cover your relaxation areas.
