Synthetic Turf
Site Assessment
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Synthetic-Turf-Installer.com Tip
Standing water is one of the most common backyard problems. The problem of 'standing water' needs to be solved before installing your synthetic turf. Synthetic turf can solve mud problems in your yard, but cannot make 'lakes' disappear!
If you need help, consult a professional landscaper to solve any ‘standing water’ issues you have. Or, your professional synthetic turf installer can address standing water issues as part of your synthetic turf site assessment. Click Here - for help in Choosing a Professional Synthetic Turf Installer.
Remote Site Assessment Services
Want to install your own artificial turf but want help performing your site assessment? Or, maybe you want to compare your local installer's site assessment (or lack of one!) to an objective assessment?
Let Synthetic-Turf-Installer.com do your site assessment for you! We'll do your site assessment remotely. It's available in many states throughout the United States and provences of Canada!
Get your site assessment done right by Synthetic-Turf-Installer.com and still have your local artificial turf installer put in your turf. Click Here - to read more about our Artificial Turf Remote Site Assessment
Otherwise, read on and we'll show you how to do your own site assessment...
Tools, Equipment & Supplies Needed
Clip board, graph paper, pencil, measuring tape.
Step 1: Assess Surface Problems
Your goal during this step is to find ground and surface problems that need fixing so that you will get a ground that is
1) sufficiently porous (allows for ground to absorb and drain water),
2) sufficiently pitched (allows for water run off) and is
3) relatively smooth (allows for a smooth finish)
Take notes during this step. Have your clip board, graph paper and pencil with you.
High Level View
Go in your backyard and stand on your deck or anywhere where you can see the turf area. See the reality of your current yard. Yikes!
Take Notes
Do you have dramatic changes in elevation? Are there holes, dips or uneven surfaces in your yard? Do you have tree stumps, weeds, groundcover or other vegetation covering parts of your lawn area?
Walk Around
Walk around the entire perimeter as well as throughout the turf area. This will help you identify other problem areas that were likely missed in the high-level view.
Take Notes
Do you have tree roots at the surface? Is your yard littered with a hodgepodge of soil, clay, stones and who knows what else? Click Here - to see a Sample of Site Assessment Notes.
Assess Yourself
If you have a green thumb, you can probably identify and fix most problems yourself. Also, if you haven't done so already, now is a good time to assess whether you are a self installer. Click here - to Assess Whether You Are a Self Installer.
Alternatively, your professional landscaper or synthetic turf installer can help you identify and solve any problems that you may have in your yard. Click here - for Help Choosing a Professional Turf Installer.
Step 2: Measuring Your Synthetic Turf Area
Draw Turf Area
Draw your turf area on another sheet of graph paper. Then, use your measuring tape to measure only your turf area in your yard. Put those measurements on your drawing. Make a couple of copies of your drawing. Click Here - to see a Sample Turf Area Drawing
Draw Turf Overlay
Take one copy of your drawing and draw an overlay of your turf onto the drawing. For the following illustrations, we'll assume that you will order your turf in 15-foot widths.
Draw an overlay of your turf length-wise, as if you were unrolling the turf the length of your yard.
Click Here - to see a Sample of a Length-Wise Turf Overlay.
Next, draw an overlay width-wise.
Click Here - to see a Sample of a Width-Wise Turf Overlay.
Calculate Turf Needed
Finally, for each drawing, calculate how much turf you would need to order, including spare turf. Remember, your turf will come in 15-foot wide rolls. Also, for each drawing, calculate the number of seams as well as the total length of seams.
Length-Wise Calculations
Click Here - to see a Sample of Length-Wise Calculations.
Width-Wise Calculations
Click Here - to see a Sample of Length-Wise Calculations.
Order Turf
Your goal is to order enough turf to cover your turf area. It's also your goal to minimize spare turf and minimize your installation work. The fewer the seams, the less installation work. Choose whichever layout helps you achieve these goals best. Based on your drawings, decide how much turf you will order.
In the sample calculations above, using the Length-Wise drawing means ordering less turf (15x40) but working with more seams. Using the Width-Wise drawing means ordering more turf (15x49) but working with many fewer seams. Also, total seam length is significantly less.
Turf Direction Is Important
Never change the direction in which you will unroll or lay your turf for any given area.
Like Wallpaper
Imagine rolling out ‘patterned’ wallpaper onto a wall. You would never change the direction in which you unroll the wallpaper, say from vertical to horizontal. In the same way, for any single turf area, never change the direction in which you will unroll synthetic turf.
Turf Lean
That’s because of turf lean. For best results, you want to make sure that for any given area, you will always unroll your turf in the same direction so you’ll get a uniform turf lean. That is, your turf lean will always be in the same direction. This will give you uniform color and texture throughout your synthetic lawn area.
Separate Turf Areas
Remember, within the same turf area, keep the turf running in the same direction. For separate turf areas only, you can change the direction in which you unroll your turf.
Click Here - to go from Site Assessment to Before You Install Artificial Turf
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