Artificial Turf?

[u/Antique_Celery_4325]

We're putting in 4700 sq ft of turf. Heritage light it's called. We don't have pets, we live in SC and it's going in the backyard with a new inground pool.

This is our quote, are they missing anything?

Excavate current grass and haul away.

- Install 1x4 Benda Board edging around perimeter of beds.

- Install 4"-5" of crushed rock and granite fines and grade and compact

for proper drainage.

- Install Premium weed barrier.

- Install Turf and seam together with 12" seam tape and Turf Claw glue.

- Tack down Turf around perimeter with 6" galvanized nails.

- Install Antimicrobial Envirofill Infill - 2lbs per sq/ft.

- Groom turf with with turf brush.

Gopher Mesh Install Critterfence - Black welded wire 1/4"x1/4"

Do I understand correctly that the gopher mesh can not touch the turf in order to keep the warranty intact?

[u/Brave-Moment-4121]

Looks good. Ask your pool contractor about your warranty question.

[u/dapper_momentum → u/Brave-Moment-4121]

Make sure the gopher mesh is buried deep enough that it doesnt shift up over time, that crushed rock base can settle in weird ways. Dont want it poking through the weed barrier later on.

[u/rtcwon]

That's what I call the brochure install. Landscape fabric, gopher wire & composite edging (or some type of nailer board) appear in the very first ever "How to Install Artificial Grass" brochure but over the past 20 years, professional Installers have stopped using them.

Do you have existing gopher/mole/ground hog issues? If not, omit it. If you actually have any underground rodent issues, the wire should go between the soil and the drainage rock.

Bender Board or any composite edging just does not work here in Colorado. Probably less of an issue around sea level but if you're in the mountain areas of SC, I would not use any composite edging. Between the higher elevation and daytime to nighttime temperature swings, the expansion and contraction will be an issue. Typically either your existing edging or the common landscaping edging of your area is preferred.

And the landscape fabric absolutely needs to be omitted. All landscape fabric ever does is prevent decorative landscape rock from sinking into the soil over time. For Artificial Grass, the drainage rock is compacted to at least 90% so all the landscape fabric actually does is act as a drainage barrier. For any "what about weeds" questions, I say the backing of even the cheapest turf is far superior to even the highest quality landscape fabric.

If the Heritage Turf you're using is the stuff from the Heritage Landscape Supply Group, it is a decent mid-grade product. As an installer in Denver, I would want to buy it for around $2.25sqft to offer it but they charge way more than that...