It is obviously much easier to complete a fake grass installation on a flat surface than laying artificial grass on uneven ground, but in the UK, sloped gardens are pretty common. This doesn’t mean that you can’t lay artificial grass on a slope, especially when you choose premium artificial lawn products a which can withstand use for many years, even when installed on a sloped surface.
Does artificial grass need to be level?
No, artificial grass on uneven ground is the perfect solution for a sloping garden area. A fake lawn installed correctly on a slope makes life much easier, reducing the need for maintenance. Maintaining real grass on an incline or decline can be a difficult task. Instead, many people look to artificial grass companies such as Unreal Lawns to come up with a solution so that they no longer have the hassle of maintaining a tricky part of their garden.
How to install artificial grass on a slope
Don’t fancy pushing the mower up the garden slope anymore? Weeding a bit difficult on that small incline? Here’s how to lay artificial grass on a sloped area, so you can spend your time relaxing, and not maintaining.
Preparing the area so artificial grass can be laid on the slope
First up, you are going to need to clear the sloped area you want to lay the artificial grass on.
Any grass and dirt will need to be taken up and removed as well as any large stones that could make the ground uneven and leave the soil underneath exposed. Unreal Lawns use specialist equipment to make light work of heavy lifting and ground clearance and take care of disposing of it correctly.
Using timber to help lay artificial grass on a slope
Timber should then be installed at both the top and bottom of the slope when installing artificial grass on uneven ground.
Why? When fitting artificial grass on a slope, the timber acts as the anchor preventing the grass from moving and ensures it is nice and secure. It is likely these will need to be concreted in, as the fake grass will need to be nailed to the timber, to ensure the longevity of the installation. Quite often, timber will also need to be used around the perimeter of the area where the grass is being installed but this can vary dependent on the gradient of the slope.
Drainage considerations when laying artificial grass on soil on a slope
Next up, more groundwork. Cover the soil with sand or a substrate layer such as granite dust or chippings, depending on the drainage needs of your garden. This will ensure that there is no pooling at the bottom of the slope as it encourages the water to drain away through the fake grass. Compact this layer down to create the sturdy base for your membrane to sit on, which may need to be done by hand as it can be an impossible task using a Wacker plate, but that depends on the severity of the slope.
Laying the membrane on uneven ground
Weeds are one of the main reasons people opt to go down the route of fitting artificial grass on a slope or flat surface, so the membrane stage is vital. A decent membrane fitted correctly will prevent weeds making an appearance. When laid over the granite dust layer, it will bind with that base layer and this will prevent it from sliding down the slope.
Installing the artificial grass on the slope
It isn’t the easiest job in the world to install artificial grass on a slope, but the main principles are the same as a flat area. Get the grass lined up nicely and nail it to the fixing timber at the top of the slope to prevent it from sliding away. Ensuring it is a tight fit at all times will prevent any creases or bumps.
Once you have glued the joins, nail them until the glue dries which will prevent any movement or pulling. If you have used timber round the edges, nail the edge of the grass into place once all of your fake grass is laid and you are happy with the fit.
Then properly secure the artificial grass around the perimeter to properly ensure there is no movement either into the timber edging or using pins into the ground.
Settle it with sand
When laying the artificial grass on a slope, a good heavy sanding is required to ensure it is pushed right down into the incline. The sand weighs down the new grass and once it has been evenly spread across the entire area, use a good brush to give it that final finish ready to step back and admire!
Unreal Lawns, experienced installers of artificial grass in sloped gardens
There is a lot of time, effort and materials required to install artificial grass at the best of times, so when a tricky surface like a slope needs to be covered with fake grass, the job can seem daunting. A professional artificial grass company can take the stress out of the slope, using all the correct machinery and materials and leaving you with an area that will last for many years to come. Our team of experts have years of experience behind them in laying artificial grass on soil on a slope, and advising on other considerations such as if the turf needs to be pet friendly
If you are interested in fitting artificial grass in your garden, then Unreal Lawns would love to hear from you. We cover the North West, Leeds, and Doncaster and deliver an expert service when it comes to laying artificial grass on slopes or tricky surfaces.
Can artificial grass be laid on a slope at my commercial property?
Of course, we not only install fake grass products at residential locations, but commercial locations too, whether that is at school or pre-school, place of work or anywhere that requires a striking and professional artificial lawn installation.