Can You Put Stepping Stones On Artificial Grass? [And How To Do It]

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Home improvement is always at the top of any homeowner's mind. Now, you are eyeing that patch of grass in your yard and thinking of sprucing it up with some stepping stones but then you remembered it's artificial grass. Can you even put stones on it? Well, we've found the answers and instructions on how to achieve that.

The short answer is yes, you can step-up your lawn game with stepping stones atop artificial grass. Here's how:

1. Lay Down the Groundwork
2. Put In Your Sub-Base
3. Lay Down The Grass
4. Secure The Grass
5. Cut Around The Pavers
6. Nail The Grass Around The Pavers
7. Trimming The Grass
8. In-fills And Brushing Up

Building a pathway with faux grass and stepping stones can add charm to your hardscape. Please continue reading to learn how to do each of these steps, in-depth.

Detailed How-To Install Stepping Stones on Turf

You have the basic steps in how to install your artificial grass and pavers, let's break it down just to make sure everything will go smoothly.

1. Lay down the groundwork

Make sure that your surface has proper drainage. Puddles formed on an artificial grass surface are a nightmare so do the same thing you did when you put in your pavers, ensure proper drainage. If your surface is soil add a layer of the compacted base if it's concrete just spray some water on it and see if any puddles would form if there is you'll have to drill drainage holes.

2. Put in your sub-base

It's best to use a sub-base made of crushed stones, it's recommended to help in draining. The sub-base layer has to be fully compacted to ensure a flat surface, if you don't have a plate compactor you can use a brick, lay it on top of the stones then hit it with a hammer.

3. Lay down the grass

The next step after you prepared your surface is laying out the grass. You should at least let your grass lay for four hours to give it plenty of time to stick and mold onto the pavers. Grass blades should all be upright as well. You can walk on the surface to tamp it down and speed up the process a bit.

4. Secure the grass

When the grass is flattened enough, you now have to secure it since you will be cutting out areas to make the pavers protrude. You can nail it down in between pavers with 1-inch intervals but, don't nail it down all the way as you have to remove it again later. If your surface is cement, you can just secure the grass while cutting around the pavers with your body weight.

5. Cut around the pavers

Now, this next step is a crucial step appearance-wise. A utility blade or box cutter will work well enough, you just have to make sure the blades are sharp. Start cutting at the edge of the pavers and just roll down the turf as you go along.

The best thing you can do is make sure you have at least a 1/8" gap between the grass and the pavers. That will be close enough for the grass blades to cover the space and yet not a big enough gap to make your lawn look patchy.

6. Nail the grass around the pavers

You're almost done, now you just have to secure the grass. It's ideal to use 5-inch nails in each corner of the pavers and 3-1/2-inch nails in the center between pavers. Once this step is done you can now remove the nails you used to secure it while cutting. If your surface is concrete you can use a strong adhesive but use it sparingly since it might block the drainage.

7. Trimming the grass

Now you just have to trim the grass at least three rows before joining the sheets of artificial grass. The best things to use are tape and glue.

8. In-fills and brushing up

Lastly, you just want to fluff up your grass and scatter the in-filling slowly. In-fills are made up of various sediments like sand, cork, and rubber they help keep the grass blades upright.

Types of Stones You Can Use for Stepping Stones

Any sturdy, thick type of stone or bricks can be used for stepping stones it will mostly depend on the look you're going for. Just make sure your choice of pavers will be able to handle being in a high-traffic area.

Your stepping stones should be at least two inches thick and 16 to 18 inches wide. You can use a variety of granite, ironstone, basalt, and bluestone. Some varieties of limestone and quartzite can also be used.

Recommended Brands of Grass

Here are some of the best brands for artificial grass that we've found on the market in 2022. We've also added links for those available on Amazon so you can go ahead and check it out.

LITA Premium Artificial Grass

This brand is currently one of the best artificial grasses on the market. It uses high-quality materials like UV-resistant polypropylene and polyethylene yarns for the grass and polypropylene rubber for the backing. Here are some pros and cons of this brand:

Pros:

• Highly realistic
• High quality and durable materials
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Expensive

iCustomRug Thick Synthetic Artificial Grass

This faux turf takes the cake for being the most realistic. The texture, color, and density are almost synonymous with real grass. It's also stain-resistant and keeps its shade of green really well.

Pros:

• Realistic
• Highly pigmented
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Low pile height
• Might need extra brushing up for it to look lush

Forest Grass

Forest Grass brand boasts of its durability, the grass is made up of non-toxic polyethylene which makes it great for kids and pets. It's also commended for being easy to prepare, molding to the shape of your surface faster than other brands.

Pros

• Durable
• Non-Toxic
• Easy to apply

Cons

• Slow to drain out the water during cleaning

Sun Villa '4x10' Artificial Grass

This brand is practically maintenance-free, which makes it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. It's made of high quality, fade-resistant colors that can weather through any elements. It has drainage holes to make it easier for cleaning and does not need any brushing or in-filling to keep its fluff.

Pros:

• Maintenance-free
• Realistic colors
• Durable

Cons:

• Texture may not be as soft as other brands

PZG 1-inch Artificial Grass Patch

This grass is a great buy for first-time faux grass users since it's affordable and easy to maintain. If you're just trying out how having an artificial lawn would work for you, you can check this brand out. It gives good value for money because it has realistic color, is weather-resistant, and is easy to clean.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Easy to clean
• Realistic colors

Cons:

• Not as soft and plush due to its low pile height
• Not as durable as the other brands

Click here to see it on Amazon.

Care and Maintenance

Now that you have that perfect spot to chill on your lawn, here are some things to keep in mind on how you can enjoy your artificial grass for a long time.

1. Be prompt in cleaning up any spills and stains. For usual maintenance just use mild detergent and hose it off.
2. For sticky stuff like gum or tree sap, you can use dry ice or aerosol refrigerants and freeze it so you can pick it off.
3. If you have pets, getting their waste on your artificial grass is unavoidable. For pee, it's quite easy to soap up and hose it off, for number two however you have to make sure it's dry before removing it to avoid any more mess.
4. Clearing grass debris, washing, and fluffing it will be your weekly routine to make your grass last longer.
5. A hose and leaf blower will be your essential tools in keeping the grass blades in tip-top shape.

Can I Put Heavy Items on Top of Artificial Grass

On a side note, you might be planning on putting heavier stuff than pillows and picnic blankets on your new chill spot and are worried it might damage the artificial grass. Don't fret, you can absolutely put heavy objects like picnic tables or chairs on top of your new turf, just make sure to keep sharp objects and the barbeque away from it.

Conclusion

Having a stepping stone pathway with artificial grass is a great way to change up the look of your lawn or backyard. It'll also add an instant new spot to hang out within the comfort of your home. We hope you found this article helpful and for more paving or gardening dilemmas you can check out these posts on our blog.

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