What is the Best Base for Artificial Grass?
When installing artificial turf in your yard, it isn’t as simple as unrolling the turf and placing it over top of your natural lawn. Instead, there’s prep work that needs to be done to ensure your synthetic grass is installed correctly and maintains its luxurious appearance. Before enhancing your lawn with artificial turf, you need to remove the natural lawn or whatever material is on the ground to create a clear and solid foundation for application. After leveling out the area of installation, you need to install a base material for artificial turf.
This base material, also known as a sub-base, is a layer that goes between the ground and the synthetic turf to create a level and stable structure. Do you need to install a sub-base? Are there multiple materials for laying artificial grass? What is the best base layer artificial grass? Keep reading for the answers to all these artificial lawn base questions and more.
Do I Need to Install Artificial Grass Base?
While there are likely instances where someone installed artificial turf without a sub-base underneath, it’s not recommended. Without an adequate layer between the ground and the synthetic lawn, the turf won’t have enough stability to withstand the movement in high traffic areas or the weight of outdoor furniture. Without a sub-base, you may find yourself with a sinking lawn, which can eventually lead to drainage problems and pooling water. However, if you are installing your artificial lawn over the paving, decking, or concrete, instead of your existing natural lawn, your project may not require a sub-base because of the stable foundation — instead, you would only need to install a weed barrier.
Types of Artificial Grass Sub-Base
Now that it’s clear why you must install a sub-base for your artificial lawn, you may find yourself wondering “What base do I need for artificial grass?” While only you can determine the best sub-base for artificial grass in your backyard, it’s important that you do your research to understand the different materials available. Artificial turf sub-base materials are broken down into three main categories:
CMB – Made of recycled asphalt or concrete and a ¾” mixture of sand, gravel, or sand, a crushed miscellaneous base is an ideal option to lay between the ground and your artificial turf.
Class II road base – Another option is Class II road base which goes through a rigorous testing process to ensure that it provides you with optimal consistency and durability. Because of this testing process, it often runs at a higher price point than CMB.
DG – Decomposed granite is a sub-base composed of granite sand, gravel, and clay mixed together to create a stable and structurally sound layer for your synthetic lawn.
Of these three sub-base materials, CMB is the most commonly selected because of its cost-effectiveness and durability. While it’s the most popular, it necessarily doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for your backyard. Consult with an artificial grass lawn installation company before deciding on the best sub-base material for your project.
How Much Sub-Base Is Required?
Before installing your synthetic lawn, you need to acquire the necessary materials — and that includes sub-base. But how much sub-base do you need for the job? Well, that depends on how much of your yard you plan to transform with artificial turf. Although the of sub-case needed can vary, we’ve put together a general guideline to get you started in the right direction:
A minimum of 2” of sub-base is recommended for residential turf installation. This offers enough of a base for drainage, durability, and added stability.
For commercial turf installation jobs, you’ll likely need closer to a 3” to 4” sub-base due to the higher volume of foot traffic.
To ensure you’ve procured the proper amount of sub-base, consult a turf installation professional. If you’re looking to install artificial grass in your backyard but are unsure where to get started, look no further. Our skilled team can guide you through the synthetic turf installation process and recommend the best sub-base material for your landscape — providing you with fake grass that will look great for many years to come!
Do you have an artificial turf project on the horizon? Contact us here to order all the materials you need!