Looking to install artificial turf yourself? This is one DIY project where it pays to take your time to get it right the first time. It’s no fun to putt on a lumpy green and turf that buckles and frays at the edges isn’t exactly maintenance free. The right turf accessories can make all the difference between an easy install or the stuff of horror stories. And it all starts at the edge.
Easy Tuck Edging
As you researched DIY turf installation, you probably read about bed preparation and matching and sealing seams. You paid extensive attention to the expert advice on laying the turf and backfilling so it looks as natural as can be. Every tip on flawless seams seems like manna from Heaven. Then there’s that one little sentence that seems so harmless. The mention of “some sort of edging” to finish the job.
Depending on your substrate, the selection of that edging can be the difference between spending additional hours trenching, digging and spiking and simply cutting and tucking the edges. Select benderboard or EasyFlex and you’ve just added hours of backbreaking work to the job. Select Wonder Edge and you’ll wonder why everyone doesn’t use this edging. That’s because there’s no trenching and digging. Just use your turf spikes to hold it in place and cut and tuck to create a clean, finished edge.
Sharp Edge
Put some thought into the blade you’re going to use to cut that artificial turf. The sharper the blade, the cleaner the lines. The longer the blade stays sharp, the longer you spend cutting instead of changing blades.
If you have the option of steel or titanium, always go for the titanium. Something like the Clauss utility knife will work perfectly. Titanium won’t rust, even if you accidentally leave it out in the rain. Steel may be harder, but titanium is stronger.
Something as minor as a dull knife can slow you down and increase your frustration level. For every curved space or tree well, you’ll need to make relief cuts to ease the turf in. Those relief cuts are in addition to the edge cuts. So, unless your turf is going into a perfect square or rectangle, you’ll be making those relief cuts. And it will be a relief to have a sharp blade.
Disappearing Wiring
Solar lights are becoming ever more popular. But low-voltage outdoor lighting is still the go-to for areas where solar lights aren’t practical. Like digging and trenching for benderboard, digging and trenching for the electrical lines associated with lighting is a pain as well. It can be backbreaking work. More work than actually installing the lights themselves.
Luckily, the same turf accessories that make edging simple also simplify hiding those wires. That’s right. Just run your lighting lines through the hollow rail that holds the turf in place. You can instantly hide those unsightly wires without digging a teaspoon of dirt.
Where to Get Turf Accessories
Order your turf accessories when you place your order for turf. Get plenty of adhesive and extra gloves. When it comes to the edging, be sure to ask for the Wonder Edge synthetic grass edging system by name. There are some products that might look like Wonder Edge, but they still require digging. Like renting a walkbehind turf sweeper or motorized tamper, Wonder Edge is one of those artificial turf accessories you don’t want to tackle an install without. If your turf supplier doesn’t carry Wonder Edge, order Wonder Edge online and deliver to your house.
