DIY Project to install artificial turf in the back yard.
Located in Sonoma County, California (Northern California) Grass area is approx. 14’x24’‐6”. All calculations for materials were based on 15’x25’ (375 sq. ft.)
BEFORE: 3‐year old sod destroyed by the dogs, poor lighting and the neighbor’s redwood tree. Located in our back yard on the north side of the house, 50%‐70% of the area is shaded most of the year by the house. Watering was a challenge because the sunny side dried out quickly while the shaded areas stayed wet and the dogs always tracked mud into the house.
Step 1: Remove existing sod and clear area. Cap off all sprinkler heads or remove sprinkler system. Disconnect irrigation valve from timer.
Step 2:
Remove 3”‐4” of dirt from area and install new border. Stakes around boarder should be approx. every 24” to provide support for backfill material. Install the edging to account for the slope of the final grade. We set a 1% slope from the patio toward the back corner (far right).
Step 3:
Lay down a weed barrier fabric, overlapping the edges. This was done because the natural soil is heavy clay know as Adobe Clay. The fabric will keep the clay from migrating upward over time. This may not be necessary depending on the type of natural soil in your area. Use the landscape stapes to secure the fabric.
Step 4:
Lay down first layer of backfill material 1”‐1.5” of clean drain rock.
1.5 cubic yards of rock to help with drainage, then compact with a plate vibrator.
Step 5:
Add 1.5” Class 2 base rock and compact with plate vibrator. Wet down the area before compacting to help with the compaction. Grade at this point should be approx. 1.25”‐1.5” from top of border, taking into account the turf will be set at 0.25” below the border edge. 2 yards of backfill were used.
Step 6:
Add 1” decomposed granite for the final layer of backfill. 1 yard of decomposed granite will equal 1” over 375 sq. ft. Level area and run compactor over area to even out the surface. Check for low and high spots and level. Top of surface should be .25” from top of border. This will prevent the bottom of the turf from showing and leave a nice clean edge when completed. Check entire perimeter for surface height. Use a square shovel to scrape any high spots. A push broom works great to smooth out any loose material.
Step 7:
Lay down another layer of weed barrier fabric and secure with landscape staples. Be sure to use a few staples across the middle areas to prevent movement. This layer will prevent any weed growth and help with drainage. You are now ready to roll out the turf.
Step 8:
Roll out turf making sure that the grain faces toward you and is square to the surface. Once rolled out, you can easily slide the turf to make any adjustments. Since this area was less than 15’x25’ I was able to use one solid piece of turf without any seams. (Standard width of the turf is 15’) Once the turf is in place, it will need to be trimmed. Start at the far side and work towards the more visible areas. Use a utility knife with a new sharp blade to trim the turf. Pull back the turf to be cut and use a marking pen to make a line to be cut. This is very helpful when trimming curved edges. The final edge should fit tightly against the border. Use a Wonder Bar to push the edge downward against the border. Secure the turf in place with 6” landscape staples (or nails). Place 6”‐8” around the perimeter and every 3’ across the center areas. Since this is an area for dogs, I choose to space the staples a little closer than the recommended 8”‐10”. Since the staples are 6” long, the spacing was easy to measure. Once the turf is secure, add the infill material and rake in according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. A turf rake is very helpful for this. The quantity of infill material is based on 1.5 lbs per square foot.
Step 9:
Relax and enjoy your new turf.
Materials for this project: Turf: Artificial Turf Supply PetPro Series 52T ($1.90/sq. ft) 15’x25’ total 375 sq. ft. (cost $917.00 with delivery) (www.artificialturfsupply.com) Edging: Plastic bender board 14’ lengths from Lowes Weed Barrier – 2 rolls of 4’x100’ landscape fabric from Lowes. Backfill material: $251.49 w/ delivery
Clean drain rock – 1.5 cu. yds Class 2 base rock – 2 cu. yds (recycled road base) Decomposed granite – 1 cu. yd.
Infill Material: Envirofill w/ Microban 12/20; 12‐50 lb bags based on 1.5 pounds per sq.ft. Cost $22.00 per bag. Envirofill is made of highly‐rounded quartz that is coated with a green acrylic so it blends into the turf. Its unique shape resists compaction so it won’t get harder over the life of your artificial lawn. The round shape also makes it a breeze to install in thick landscape turf. Envirofill is a cool choice for artificial lawns – proven to lower synthetic lawn surfaces as much as 25% over rubber infill!
18” Turf Rake ($27.95) & 6” landscape staples ($25.00 for 250 ct) & 1 gallon disinfectant from Purchase Green
DIY Home Improvement Project
Total Area based on 375 square feet, 15’x25’ for material calculations; Actual area approx. 14’x24’‐6”
Total Project Cost: $1,744.49 (approx. $4.65 per sq. ft.)
Artificial Turf Supply ‐Turf: $917.00 (incl. delivery)
Backfill: $251.49 (gravel, rock, incl. delivery)
Infill: $390.00 (infill, staples, rake, disinfectant)
Lowes: $140.00 (fabric, border)
Dump Fee to dispose of sod: $46.00
Notes:
For the Do‐it‐Yourself home improvement project, I estimated that I saved over $3,000 compared to having this installed by a professional company. Although, this is not a very difficult project, it is very labor intensive. We cleared over 3 yards of soil just in this small area, plus we brought in 3.5 yards of rock. Total project took about 3 days. I was surprised that we spent several hours just laying out the turf, trimming the edges and spreading the infill material.
When selecting the turf, contact several manufactures and request samples. I obtained about a dozen samples plus visited local home improvement stores before choosing the turf we wanted. The products vary greatly in color, texture, thickness, density, length, etc. Find the product that best fits your needs and personal preferences. Although we chose a product, on sale, at $1.90 per square foot, turf prices normally range from $2.00 to over $4.50 per square foot. Buying online will save you a lot of money compared to the home improvement stores, plus there is a greater selection. Spend some time and research the various options available. Delivery charge was about $200 which should be factored into your overall cost.
There are several options for infill material. I choose the Envirofill product because this is for an area with pets. A common option is to use the rubber material; however this tends to get hotter when in direct sunlight. Silica sand is another low cost option, but will hold more moisture.
All the online companies I spoke with were very helpful and provided great information not only about their products, but tips on the installation. They were more than happy to discuss the project and spoke from their experience with installations, not just a salesperson on the phone. The samples I requested generally arrived within a week.
I included the gallon of disinfectant in the above cost and will use as needed to control any pet urine odor that may occur over time. The gallon of concentrated disinfectant cost $45, but I estimate that if used once a month, or less, should last at least 1‐year.
A plate compactor is available at most local equipment rental stores. I was fortunate to be able to borrow one and not have the additional rental cost. My best guess that a weekend rental would run about $100.
