Rooftop gardens and soft green lawns on the balcony give apartment dwellers delightful garden settings in which to enjoy fresh air and chat with friends. TigerTurf has installed many of these upper level landscape features over the years, safely overcoming some challenging access and technical points.
Builders, architects and landscape designers are responsible for constructing strong, safe, watertight rooftops to support the weight of the base, turf and infill.
• They must plan to ensure the base is built to carry the weight of the synthetic grass turf.
• They must also make sure adequate drainage is achieved.
TigerTurf’s Technical Director, Don Crockett, shares some useful tips on the key factors that need to be considered. He also introduces our innovative new base product, TenCate Sine, a lightweight shock absorbing pad that has also been designed to capture water and drain it away from the surface.
Planning
1. The landscape turf should be installed over a base with a slope to allow water to run off to a drain or gutter (a minimum of 1 percent is recommended).
2. TigerTurf landscape lawns can be laid over most bases and waterproofing membranes. Lapped waterproofing systems can show through the finished lawn surface. This can be mitigated using the TenCate SINE pad.
3. TigerTurf’s landscape turfs weigh around 1.2kg to 2kg per square metre.
4. If the surface is sand-filled, you need to allow an additional 10 kg per square metre for the landscape surface. This must be factored in when planning and building the decks and roof.
5. It is important to install an effective drainage system to prevent water from sitting on the turf. Our TenCate SINE pad is an extremely effective drainage product that protects the waterproof membrane by draining surface water vertically and then laterally to drainage systems. TenCate Sine is also a lightweight shock absorber that provides comfort underfoot, while providing efficient multi-directional drainage.
6. TigerTurf infilled synthetic lawn systems can be laid loose as the additional weight of the sand will stabilise the surface. If the surface is exposed to wind, we recommend the turf be fixed at the edges to prevent the wind from catching and lifting the turf. TigerTurf has adhesives that are free of solvents, and these will adhere to most surfaces. However, a small trial or consultation with the waterproof system supplier is always advisable.
7. TigerTurf landscape lawns that are not infilled with sand will need to be glued directly onto the base.
Access
Access can be a problem, as the TigerTurf landscape lawn comes in 3.66 metre rolls, along with the sand infill if this is required. This is most easily resolved by careful planning. Architects, building project managers and TigerTurf project managers should engage in discussions and coordinate strategies from an early stage in the building process.
We can generally overcome most access concerns. For example, using a crane, while it is in place to lift building materials, to lift the Tigerturf installation materials and storing on the site until the building is complete and ready for the TigerTurf lawn. In this scenario, weight distribution and weather protection need to be discussed.
Installation
TigerTurf’s installation teams can level out valleys and small rises with porous crushed rock, if required.
If this is required, the architect, builder and designer will need to factor in additional weight of around 15kg to 20kg per square metre.
The surface is then overlaid with the landscape grass and SINE pad (if required). They know our products and the correct method of installing them to achieve a successful, durable landscape installation on rooftop sites.
The maintenance of the TigerTurf landscape lawns is easy. Contact TigerTurf for more information or read our landscape maintenance article here.
Summary
The main message here is to:
1. plan to ensure the base is built to carry the weight of the synthetic grass turf and
2. to make sure adequate drainage is achieved.
Contact TigerTurf early in the planning stages and we can collaborate with you on the best strategy to achieve successful and beautiful landscape lawns.
]]>We often get questions about whether artificial grass is suitable for pets.
Many dog owners we speak to have reservations about laying artificial grass for their garden, fearful that their pets won’t like it. But the truth is, we’ve lost count of the number of homeowners who have told us how happy their pet is in their TigerTurf garden.
Perhaps they appreciate the soft dry surface of our landscape lawns, so much nicer than harsh concrete runs, muddy and dusty soil, or, worse still, gravel.
And our lawns will not become unpleasantly hot for pets to lie on, although they will, of course, need shade in the heat of the day.
Won’t my pet destroy the synthetic turf?
Our synthetic lawn turfs are manufactured from the same top-quality components as our renowned sports turfs, utterly hammered by the world’s best sports players day after day.
As well as being the best choice for pets, TigerTurf landscape lawns look superb in gardens, for large areas or just where natural grass is difficult to maintain under shady trees, high traffic areas, or where pets spend their time.
What happens when my pet does its business on the turf?
Animal urine is high in nitrogen, which burns natural grass, killing the blades affected and causing unsightly brown patches in your green lawn, while synthetic grass is not discoloured by the nitrogen.
The cleaning routine for artificial grass is swift and easy. Hosing down the area regularly is a sensible hygiene practice and will avoid any lingering smell of urine. If you want to go an extra step towards ensuring a bacteria-free play area for your children and pets, you can mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle to spray down areas where pets frequently urinate.
Clean up the number twos, just as you would anyway, then hose the surface down to wash away any residue.
If correctly installed, and you have taken expert advice with regard to the appropriate synthetic grass, the surface will drain freely in rain, and water will wash away through the base when you are hosing the surface to refresh the artificial lawn. TigerTurf’s installation always includes effective drainage of the surface, so you’ll find it easy to hose clean, after removing droppings.
Does the surface contain any chemicals or toxins that could harm my pet?
All TigerTurf products are lead-free. At TigerTurf, we use the highest quality yarns, from our parent company TenCate, which contains no toxic properties. Because we know where our yarns are manufactured we can guarantee the safety of the yarns that go into our products. This may not necessarily be the case with all synthetic turf surfaces so it is best to check the yarns’ origins.
Furthermore, synthetic turf has No need for expensive and harmful chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides. It does not need mowing, and no grass clipping to be carried indoors by children and pets.
There are no chemicals required in the care of manufactured lawns, and overall maintenance is much simpler and less time consuming than caring for conventional options.
Will it help reduce the occurrence of parasites such as ticks and fleas in my pets’ fur?
One benefit you’ll love is that synthetic fibre discourages fleas and ticks from becoming established in the surface.
While artificial pet grass won’t completely eliminate pests, it does greatly reduce them. They simply can not live inside the blades of synthetic turf, and of course, there is no soil to nest in.
Parasites such as fleas and ticks can live in natural lawns, making it very difficult to control the cycle of egg, larva, pupa, adult flea or tick. But these blood-sucking parasites are not attracted to synthetic grass, solving a major problem for you, and for your pets and children.
TigerTurf lawns are durable, bringing many benefits beyond beauty
A synthetic lawn is a healthy, dry surface for dogs and cats. Other benefits, often overlooked, include:
- It can reduce seasonal allergies triggered by grasses, from which dogs can suffer just as we do
- No more digging holes and buried bones in the backyard lawn
- No more muddy paw prints through the house or having to wipe your dog’s paws every time they come inside
- With no clover to attract bees, the risk of bee stings for animals and children is avoided
- No prickles. Prickles can be a problem for animals because they stick into sensitive doggy pads and can be difficult to find and extract
- No grass seeds to become lodged between teeth and pads, possibly leading to expensive vet bills
- You can also wash your dog right on your lawn or in your dog run without getting muddy
- Plus, you may find that your dog’s coat also stays cleaner when he is not rolling around in natural grass with exposed soil
Fake lawns are just the same as natural lawns; your pets will enjoy artificial turf just as much as real grass but without all the dirt, mess, and ruined lawns.
Relax and enjoy your trouble-free TigerTurf lawn
So, with a book in hand, a glass beside your deck chair, you can be part of family time outdoors in your own version of paradise.
You can choose from a number of different surfaces so talk to TigerTurf about the benefits of versatile TigerTurf synthetic surfaces in your pets and garden.
The rich natural green of TigerTurf Envy makes a smooth, formal lawn, restful and cool, especially in hot climates. The 35mm height pile is recommended when your lawn is to be shared with pets. You’ll find the shorter pile a little easier to keep clean.
TigerTurf Summer Envy has a warm bronze glow that creates a relaxed ambience your pets will particularly like. You will particularly appreciate the easy-care, easy living style of synthetic lawn too.
We strongly recommend our TigerTurf Summer Envy 35 XWR landscape lawn for family fun. Similar to Summer Envy, with our most durable yarn fibre woven into the lawn surface, this surface would be a good choice if you are lucky enough to have more than one dog, or if yours is a larger dog.