Step1
To prepare for your artificial grass you must first remove any existing grass. This can be done with a turf cutter or sharp turf spade. Remove the grass then continue excavating until you reach a solid base (approximately 6 inches from grass height). Once you are happy enough that the ground is solid under foot you can compact the ground. This can be done with a vibrating plate or the back of a spade.
Step2
For your lawn perimeters you require standard 4 x 1 wood strips and 18-inch ground stakes. Insert the stakes into the ground around your perimeter and fix the wood to the stakes. You can either set your perimeters into the ground or have them raised to create a wrapped grass edge effect. Remember, the higher your edges, the more aggregate you will require.
Step3
You should screw the wood to the stakes (not nail) as this provides a much stronger grip. When fitting up to edges such as block paving and stone slabs, the wood should sit below the depth of the slab according to the pile height of the artificial grass. This will mean your grass will be level with the height of the slab. You may encounter problems when passing any materials set in concrete.
Step4
Depending on the depth of your excavation you will need to back fill with a compacting aggregate. This can be granite dust, sharp sand, grit sand or limestone dust. If you have excavated over 3 inches you should use a two-tier back fill.
Step5
You need to cover two-thirds of the depth with a crush and run aggregate. This is a standard compacting aggregate that can be purchased from any builder’s merchant.
Step6
The final third should be covered by a fine aggregate (as mentioned). The aggregate should be applied evenly and you should compact it until it is solid. Look over the area and remove any troughs and crests with the back of a rake or brush. The aggregate should reach the top of your wood perimeter.
Step7
The pieces of artificial lawn should be rough cut to size allowing for 20 centimetres all round. Move them into position. To seam two pieces together, remove the excess from the sides of the artificial grass. Butt the two pieces together and work the seam until it is invisible. Once you have done this for all the seams, rest weights across the seams so the grass cannot move. Rough cut the perimeter. Wrap the grass over the wood and cut at the foot of the wood.
Step8
You can now lightly tack the perimeter before setting the seams. Open up your seam and slide the tape under it. Apply the glue to the tape and slowly fold down the sides working from one side to the other. Once you have done this you can walk down the seam to add weight and push the grass onto the tape, make sure the grass does not separate or crest if too close. You can now continue to nail in the perimeter.
Step9
You should dress the grass unless you have purchased a non sand filled surface. A 25mm sand filled artificial grass requires 7kg of dress per square metre. A 45mm-55mm grass requires at least 25kg of sand (available from most builders’ merchants). The sand should be applied evenly on a dry day. If you do not have a drop spreader, puncture the bags and slide them evenly at the same rate over the surface.
Lay Your Own Artificial Lawn
Novice 
