Fitting artificial turf around existing landscape features is where installations get technical. Trees, walkways, planting beds, and hardscape elements all require clean transitions and specific techniques to look finished and professional. Here is how to handle the most common situations.
Trees
Never run artificial turf against a tree trunk. Trees need water and air exchange at the root zone, and sealing the soil surface with turf and backing can interfere with root health over time. The standard practice is to leave a mulch ring or gravel border around each tree, typically eighteen to twenty-four inches from the trunk depending on tree size.
The turf edge around a tree circle should be finished with bender board or a matching edging material to create a clean, defined transition. The radius should be consistent around the full circumference of the opening.
Concrete and Paver Walkways
Where turf meets a hard surface edge, the goal is a flush transition. The base height on the turf side should be set so the finished turf surface is level with or slightly below the adjacent hardscape. This means the base height needs to account for the turf product thickness and infill depth.
Bond the turf edge to adjacent concrete with outdoor-rated landscape adhesive. Nailing into concrete is not reliable. Adhesive along the turf edge, pressed firmly against the concrete face and weighted until cured, creates a clean, secure bond.
Planting Beds
The transition between turf and planting beds is one of the most common problem areas in residential installations. The edge needs to sit above the soil level of the bed to prevent mulch or soil from washing onto the turf surface. An edging border or raised bender board installation at the bed transition handles this.
Leave a gap or use a permeable border between turf and any planting bed that requires irrigation. You do not want regular irrigation water from a nearby drip system flooding across the turf surface repeatedly.
Irregular Shapes and Curved Borders
For curved borders, flexible bender board follows the radius naturally. Make relief cuts in the bender board at tight radius points to prevent buckling. Stake at closer intervals on curves than on straight runs to hold the line.
For complex shapes, lay the turf slightly oversized across the entire area, let it relax in the sun for an hour, then cut to the final shape. Turf cut under tension can pull away from edges after installation.
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