How to join artificial grass - The expert way

Joining artificial grass should be a fairly simple process. However, if you make a mistake when gluing, it could be you need to buy more grass and more glue. No one wants to spend money when they don’t have to. So before you get to gluing your artificial grass, ensure you have read this post twice so you don't make any mistakes that will cost you.

 

Everything you need to join artificial grass.

 

Assuming you have read the post about installing artificial grass and now you are needing to glue, there are only a couple of items you will need.

 

  • An almost complete install
    •
  • Joining Tape
    •
  • Glue: A lot of people think that the tape is all that you need, but that’s not the case. Artificial Grass joining is a 2 part process, so you'll need to add the adhesive yourself, hence the need for glue and tape. You can get tape with glue already on it, but we don't recommend this and will say why later.
    •
  • Notched Adhesive trowel
    •
  • Caulking gun: Assuming you use a tube and not a tub, but this depends on the amount you need. See just below to work this out.
    •

     

    That's it, when it comes to joining your artificial grass, there isn't much that you need.  The main thing is patience, if you rush this you may ruin your grass. Ensure to take your time and be careful especially if this is your first time. You could even try joining a few offcuts together for some practice.

     

    How to work out how much glue and tape you will need;

    First of all, the tape. This is the easier of the two, workout how long the join will be and that’s that it!

     

    For the glue:

     

    For lengths of 2-3m (or less) use a glue tube.

    For lengths of 10-12m use a 5KG tub.

    For lengths of 20-22m use a 10kg tub.

     

    On warmer days, the glue tends to spread a bit easier, making it so you can get a bit more out of your glue. If it is a warmer season, there coverage will be at the top end of our recommendations.

    Additionally, If you are practising with samples, remember to buy a little bit more than you need.

     

    Here is a simple overview on the steps to joining the grass:

     

    1. Lift/fold
    2. Roll out the tape
    3. Spread the glue
    4. Fold in the grass

     

    How to Join artificial grass

     

    Step One - Lift/fold

     

    First off, you have placed your grass, and where the join is going to be (where two grasses meet). Fold over the grass so it is not in your way and you can get to preparing the area for your tape.

     

    Step two - Roll out the tape

     

    Get your roll of artificial grass tape and roll it out the full length of where the join will be, and cut of any excess. You can secure the tape in place by stapling or screwing it into your edging at either end. You must make sure that the tape is rolled out green side down. The glue will only adhere to the white side of the joining tape. If glue is applied to the green side it will not bond to the tape and peel up once set.

     

    Step three - Spread the glue

     

    Just before spreading the glue, make sure to mix in the hardener well (if you have a tub) tubes you don’t need to worry about this step. Our glue mixer can help with this. Then evenly distribute and spread the glue along the whole length of the tape. Using a notched trowel as we recommend above will not only help get the glue out the tub. It will help you get a nice even spread along the length of the tape.

    If you are using a sealant gun, you will need to squirt the glue onto the tape and then procced to spread it out using the slotted trowel.

    The goal is to get some thick ribs/ridges in the glue that will "grab" onto the grass and help for maximum strength adhesion.

     

    Step four - Fold in the grass

     

    Now for the final step. This is where you have to be as precise as possible. Fold your artificial grass back over onto the tape, as evenly as you can and making sure the backing is touching. As for the tape, try to ensure you have the same amount of tape and glue on each side of grass. This will help the structural integrity of the join helping it last longer. Make sure to keep any of the grass fibres out of the glue, you just want to be folding the grass back so the backing is in the glue.

     

    Now make sure you are happy with it and the join is neat, After this you can use your hands just the ruffle the fibres into each other. Boom, you have the perfect artificial grass join, well done. Now that your artificial grass is joined, it's not quite done…

     

    Before you can brush it up and then use it, leave it for a minimum of 24hours. This will give the glue enough time to set. You don't want to mess with it too soon as this could result in ruining your join, which in turn would ruin the whole install.

     

    Conclusion - Grab a pint for a job well done

     

    Now that you are an artificial grass expert, you can relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Just be aware, the join won't be 100% invisible, and you may be able to notice it. If you know you will have a join, grasses with longer piles help to hide joins better such as our Natural 42mm, or Deluxe 40mm.

     If you need the peace of mind of ensuring that you have everything you need for your join, check out our joining kits. Weather you would prefer to use artificial grass glue tubs or adhesive tubes, we have joining kits to suit. 

    Also if you are looking to install artificial grass for the first time, please take a look at our in-depth artificial grass installation guide.

    Back to Posts