They can hardly be distinguished from real lawns with the eye. But even if you don't have a garden, you don't have to miss out on a green lawn. Laying artificial grass on a balcony or terrace is quick and easy!
Artificial grass for terraces and balconies
To equip a terrace or balcony with a decorative lawn, artificial turf is the only alternative. It can be permanently installed on all smooth surfaces without any problems. Built-in drainage allows moisture to flow away so that there is no waterlogging when it rains. The lawn can remain on the balcony or terrace in summer and winter; frosty temperatures have little effect on it. The lawn creates a pleasant surface on which you can walk barefoot and which gives the balcony or terrace a homely look. Thanks to the modern types of artificial turf, the lawn can hardly be distinguished visually from natural lawns.
Preparing the subsurface
It is important that the surface on which the lawn is to be laid is smooth. The terrace or balcony is completely cleared and the floor is smoothed. Unevenness must be removed, otherwise the artificial turf will tear or create dangerous tripping hazards. Whether the floor is made of concrete, tiles or stones does not matter when laying it. Thanks to the good drainage properties of modern types of artificial turf, almost any surface can be equipped with a green lawn. No further preparatory work on the terrace or balcony is necessary. All that remains to be done is the measuring. A meter measure is used to determine the length and width of the balcony or terrace so that you know how much lawn you need.
The following things are needed to lay artificial turf:
- sufficient amount of artificial turf
- Meter measure
- sharp knife or box cutter
- Artificial grass adhesive
- if necessary, fastening anchors
Choosing the right artificial turf
Artificial grass is available in many different versions at hardware stores, garden retailers or online. It is offered in rolls of different widths. For smaller areas, the rolls should not be too wide. Since the types of artificial turf differ in color, it is best to buy the turf you want locally. Then it will be easier to decide on the right color. Inexpensive offers are available for as little as 15 euros per square meter, but artificial turf varieties are also available at prices of 50 euros per square meter and more. If you want to enjoy your new lawn for a long time, you should dig a little deeper into your pockets and buy a high-quality lawn carpet with good drainage properties.
Laying the artificial turf
Once you have the selected turf rolls, you can start laying the artificial turf. The floor should be as dry as possible, as this makes laying easier and no damp spots can form. At one end of the terrace or balcony, start rolling out the lawn in individual strips. At the end of each strip, the roll is cut to the appropriate length with a sharp knife. A carpet knife is an excellent way to divide the lawn. As many strips are laid until the entire area is covered. There must be no gaps between the tracks. Otherwise there is a risk that you will get caught in it while running and fall. The seams may also curl and create tripping hazards on the floor. Therefore, press the seams together very firmly.
Fix seams with glue
Once the area is completely laid out, the artificial turf adhesive is used. The edges of the artificial turf sheets are glued together. This means they cannot slip, but form a tight surface without any tripping hazards. Finally, the lawn is attached to the ground with special anchors to prevent it from slipping when walking on or playing. To ensure that the blades stand up, the grass carpet can be swept away with a hard broom. As soon as the glue has dried, which usually doesn't take longer than an hour, the garden furniture can be put away again. Since the grass carpet can be easily cut into shape, round or curved areas can also be covered with the artificial lawn.
The following steps are necessary for professional installation of the artificial turf:
- Clear out the balcony or terrace
- Smooth and dry the floor
- Roll out the artificial grass and cut it to the desired length
- Fix seams with artificial turf glue
- Sweep area
- If necessary, attach fastening anchors
Artificial turf care
The lawn on the balcony needs little care. Unlike real grass, the area does not need to be mowed or weeded. Watering is also not necessary. Regular cleaning with a vacuum cleaner keeps the lawn looking good. You can remove coarse dirt with a broom or a leaf rake. Dog residue can be removed with lukewarm water and a brush. From time to time you should check whether waterlogging has formed under the lawn. Especially if the balcony or terrace is on the weather side, there is otherwise a risk of mold forming due to the moisture, which can damage not only the grass carpet but also the subsoil. With the right care, you can enjoy the lawn on your balcony or terrace for up to 15 years.
Create a homely atmosphere with the lawn carpet
Artificial grass on the balcony or terrace is a nice way to decorate the outdoor areas of your apartment. By choosing high-quality artificial turf, you create a homely atmosphere that invites you to spend time outdoors. Thanks to its easy-care properties, the grass carpet is ideal for laying on smooth floors.
- Compared to natural grass, artificial turf has the advantage that it requires little maintenance. In addition, it is more resilient and less sensitive to bad weather.
- Artificial turf is predominantly manufactured using the so-called tufted process. The yarns used for this are made of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyamide. The so-called tufted back created by the yarns is coated with latex and additionally stabilized.
- Artificial grass offers greater walking comfort and is more durable than natural grass. You can also use artificial turf to level out uneven surfaces, for example joints.
- But there are different qualities of artificial turf that, depending on the intended use, have a similar appearance, but a different fiber structure or fiber density or pile height. Therefore, the lawn should always be tailored to the respective use.
Laying artificial turf is easy. The individual strips are placed together for laying. The strips are adjusted to the seams by hand and the seams are fixed with artificial turf glue. Once the artificial turf has been glued and hardened, it is usually filled with quartz sand and rubber granules. You should always check the filling level.
Artificial turf is available in hardware stores in different widths or by the meter. Artificial turf is not only available in green, but also in other colors, for example gray or blue. The costs for artificial turf are relatively high compared to natural turf, but the maintenance costs are low because, in contrast to natural turf, there is no need to water the lawn, nor to mow, weed and fertilize.
