When perusing the websites of artificial grass installers, you’ll likely encounter a lot of terminologies that you may not have heard before. Since artificial grass prices require quite an investment, it’s essential that you’re au fait of the requirements of an artificial grass garden. In order to be well-informed about artificial grass, you must first understand the terminology. The below list is not exhaustive when it comes to what to know about artificial grass, but if you’re looking to switch out your natural grass for artificial, these terms are a starting point.
Adhesive
The glue is used to connect two pieces of grass.
Aggregate
A collective construction term that refers to collected rock fragments. In the case of artificial grass, this applies to the sub-base.
Backing
On the underside of the grass is the backing, wherein the grass is stitched and covered by a material, often latex but can also be fabric/woven and polyurethane plastic.
Base
The preparation and works that are installed underneath the grass during the installation. Often referred to as a sub-base.
Compaction
Employing pressure to increase the density. In terms of artificial grass installation, this refers to the flattening of aggregate to optimise the stability of the base with something like a wacker plate. Similarly, synthetic grass itself can be compacted when something weighty is left on it.
Critical fall height
Related to the shock pad, referring to the maximum height of fall from the play apparatus to the floor. Warning – shock pads don’t stop injuries from occurring, but they do minimise the impact & severity.
Drainage
The capacity for water to seep through the backing and aggregate base.
Edging
In order to maintain aggregate stability and designate lawn boundaries where required, the perimeter of your artificial lawn can be edged with timber, metal, rubber or composite plastic.
Excavation
Digging up the existing natural turf / soil as required for your needs.
Flame retardant
A compounded material that inhibits a flame’s ability to spread.
Guarantee
A promise that specific conditions will be adhered to regarding product, work, or both. Here at Artificial Lawn Company, we offer a 10-year guarantee on each of our products and two years on our installation works.
Haunching
If you have paving or a patio, concrete haunching is required to ensure that the edges of the patio/block edgings do not shift over time.
Infill
Infill is brushed into the surface of the lawn to keep the pile vertical and weigh the grass down. This is not essential but recommended but all manufacturers of our products.
Installation
The process of fitting the lawn.
Jointing
The fixing of two pieces of grass to one another. We recommend using jointing tape and polyurethane weatherproof adhesive.
Pile height
The height of the individual blades of grass. Our height measurements do not include the backing of the grass which is always a couple of mm (some suppliers include this within the pile height to make the grass seem longer).
Polyethylene
A lightweight, tough, and flexible plastic polymer with a remarkable bounce-back ability.
Polypropylene
A lightweight, tough, and flexible plastic polymer.
Quote
An estimated artificial grass cost, including the supply and installation.
Seam
The place where two pieces of grass have been joined together.
Seaming tape
Seaming tape is the base upon which adhesive is spread to connect two pieces of grass.
Shock pad
A spongy safety surface is laid under the grass to minimise the impact of falls.
Square metre (m2)
The unit of measurement that is used to determine the area of grass needed. A square metre is a width multiplied by the length.
Stitch rate
The number of stitches at a fixed distance.
Supply only
The instance in which we only provide the grass and don’t carry out the installation.
Surveyor
The person who measures the surface area and notes down the boundaries and contours. From this, a quote can be provided.
Turf cutter
The equipment that is used to cut the ground for simpler grass removal and excavation. These can often be rented from most plant hire centres and we use them for our own installations.
UV stabilised
Grass that is protected against the ultraviolet rays of the sun, reducing the likelihood of fading. All of our grasses come with a 10 year UV guarantee.
Weed membrane
A tough and lightweight covering is applied on top of the aggregate, so weeds don’t crop up under the grass.
Whacker plate
The equipment used to compact the aggregate.
Yarn
The fibres or thread of the turf.
Fulfil Your UK Artificial Grass Garden Ideas with ALC
If you’re a resident of Kent and the surrounding areas, a search for “artificial grass installers near me” will bring you to ALC! Browse our range of products and learn more about our installation service here. Alternatively, if you have further questions regarding artificial grass terminology, you can contact us, and we’ll be in touch to help you in any way we can.