4 tips to install artificial turf spikes properly
Ideally, all synthetic grass projects should resemble as closely possible real grass from gardens, sports fields, playgrounds, or walkways. However, to achieve this, it is very important to install it correctly to keep the safety of children, adults, and pets.
The most important thing: the first step
A successful artificial grass installation will maintain great condition for the next fifteen years, which is the warranty time we offer at Diamond Artificial Grass. This success starts with the preparation of the ground.
- Tip 1: compact and level the ground
Two days before starting the installation, the area to be covered with synthetic grass should be sprayed with a weed killer liquid to kill the root of the topsoil on the site. Then all the organic remains must be removed, the soil must be cleaned and compacted, and leveled very well the surface soil with the special aggregate compacted in 4 to 6 inches of depth until the base is hard, tight, and firm enough to be able to nail the spikes so that they do not come off because of an insufficient base of depth and hardness.
To get a perfect finish, we recommend using a compacting machine that we rent and sell in any of our stores. It is the Compactor Compactor Plate
- Tip 2: install poly boards around the perimeter
Polyboards are necessary for installations because when you nail the artificial turf on its surface, the grass is well stretched, without undulations and wrinkles, without having to use nails in the joints of the turf inside the ground. But if it is necessary to put some spikes or nails in specific places it must be done with care because if nails are put inside the walking area incorrectly, people and pets could suffer damage, scratches, or cuts if the heads of the nails protrude from the turf.
- Tip 3: How to use the nails and spikes
The spikes that we offer at Diamond Artificial Grass are 6" long and have a very small head so they can hide better under the synthetic grass, especially the short fibers or the special ones for golf. They are made of galvanized metal to prevent moisture from rusting them. Get them online here oxide. Click here
When it is necessary to use spikes, they should be hidden inside the artificial turf. Then, about 3 to 5 spikes per square foot should be placed in the following way:
- First, hammer with strong pressure to drive them through the grass and soil but not all the way through, i.e., leave an inch or two without driving them in.
- Then, with another nail, the grass fibers must be pushed aside so that when the hammering is finished, these fibers are not stepped on or bent under the head of the nail, which is thicker. When the grass fibers are moved away from the nailhead, they will surround the nail head and the nail will be hidden.
- The nail should be hammered only until it reaches the base of the grass. This base will be the maximum stop because if the nail is hammered lower than this, the pressure would no longer be received by the nail but by the compacted soil, and this would cause the base to begin to undulate. What the nail does, in this case, is to imprison the grass on the ground and form sinks in the turf that would be easily noticed. Of course, this would let you know where the nails are even if you can't see them.
- Tip 4: never use spikes on the play foam and shock pad.
The play foam and the shock pad are surfaces that should remain floating under the artificial turf, as well as the drain tiles. Therefore, they should not be fixed to the ground with nails, glue, or staples.
Why should they not be glued or nailed?
The reason is that the play foam tiles (which should be installed in the same way as a brick wall is built) are designed to move slightly on all four sides, and contract and expand both by the heat and cold of the ambient temperature; also by the impact of any falls or walking on these surfaces covered with synthetic grass. So if these materials are nailed or glued to the floor, two things will happen: one is that their natural movement will be impeded, and the other is that the play foam absorbs the weight by sinking and then returning to its natural shape, while the nails do not sink but remain still. For example, if a child falls, he or she would get hurt with the head of the nail that would remain in place when the play foam is sunk. To learn more about this important topic read “How important is the use of play foam in artificial grass installations in children's playgrounds?”
The right thing to do
What should be done is to fix the synthetic grass to the polyboard and fill it with infill to give it weight and prevent it from peeling off the surface and to prevent it from wrinkling as it expands and contracts in the heat and cold
