You may want to seam artificial turf because you want to cover a large area quickly, or you may have an existing lawn that needs to be replaced or repaired.
Methods of Seaming Artificial Turf
You can seam artificial turf by using one of two methods:
Sewing Artificial Turf
This is the most common method used for seaming turf. It’s also the most expensive method because it requires a sewing machine.
You will need to use a needle and thread that is suitable for synthetic materials such as nylon.
Taping Artificial Turf
You can also opt to use stitching tape instead of using an actual needle and thread like in step one above (see image below).
The advantage here is that there is no need for equipment or special supplies; all you need is some heavy-duty tape designed specifically for stitching artificial grass together (such as Gorilla Tape).
How to Seam Artificial Turf
The following steps will explain in detail how to seam artificial turf:
Step 1 – Lay & Flatten the Turf
Lay the turf flat on a clean area. Make sure that it is stretched tightly to avoid any wrinkles and bubbles. With a sharp knife, cut off the excess turf at the edges.
Step 2 – Prepare Turf for Cutting
Mark a line across the turf using chalk or paint that is about an inch wide. This line will serve as your guide for cutting each row of turf. You may start from either side of the seam, but try to make all rows even and straight.
Step 3 – Cutting the Turf
Cut along this line with a utility knife or razor blade and remove the excess piece of artificial grass. Repeat this step until you have removed all sections that are not needed in order to create your seam. Be careful not to cut beyond the line because this could damage your seams.
Step 4 – Flattening the Turf
Use an ironing board with steam to press down on your seam so that it will lie flat against the rest of the artificial grass lawn or rug once you have sewn it together.
Allow enough time for steam to build up before pressing down on your seam with a hot iron; you should expect 3-4 minutes of steam time before moving on to Step 5.
Note – It is important that you do not allow too much time for steaming because otherwise, you might burn holes into your synthetic grass lawn or rug by accident!
Step 5a – Seaming Using Stitching
Sewing in a zigzag pattern along both sides of your seam, stitch together both pieces of artificial grass (or rug) by hand or with an electric sewing machine if you wish using thick thread and a large needle.
If hand sewing is used, use large stitches so that they will be easy to pull out later if necessary when cleaning or repairing seams in future years – remember that these stitches will be visible from underneath so take care when making them neat and secure!
Step 5b – Seaming Turf Using Carpet Tape
You can also use double-sided carpet tape instead of sewing if you don’t want to sew by hand or do not know how to sew well enough yet! This tape can be purchased at many craft stores as well as online.
Step 6 – Improving the Seams
Once the seam is stitched (or taped) together, you should place a heavy book or board on top of it and step on it to make sure that the seam is flat. If any seams are still sticking up, you can iron them again to flatten them out.
Step 7 – Trimming the Turf
When all seams are finished and flattened out, you can trim off excess turf edges with a utility knife if there is any excess material left over from your cutting process in Step 1.
This will ensure that the fake grass looks more uniform and tidy once completed.
Step 8 – Finalizing Your Turf
Now that all of your seams are finished, you can re-stretch your artificial grass lawn or rug back into its original shape by using an ironing board with steam once again in order to flatten out any wrinkles or bubbles that may have formed due to the sewing process.
You can also use a blow dryer for this step if you do not own an ironing board with steam! Just make sure to be careful when using a blow dryer so that it does not melt or burn your artificial grass lawn or rug accidentally!
Step 9 – Admire Your Seams 😎
Now that you have finished the seams on your artificial grass lawn or rug, you can lay it back out in its original shape and admire your work!
Other Tips for Artificial Turf Seam Repair
Avoiding Visible Seams for a Better Look
• Use a seam tape to hide the seams where possible. (Note: The seam tape must be properly installed on both sides of the seam to work.)
• If you can’t use seam tape, paint over the seams using an acrylic latex paint. This will cover up most visible seams, but it won’t cover every type of seam or every situation. For example, if you are installing turf in an area with a lot of foot traffic and play, the paint may wear off quickly.
Using Nails or Staples Instead of Sewing or Taping
Some people prefer to use staples or nails to seam their artificial turf instead of tape. If you choose this method, make sure that your staples and nails are made for synthetic materials, and that they are properly installed so they won’t come out or cause any damage.
Be very careful when using this method because it is easy to puncture the grass if you aren’t careful.
Ensuring Seams are Sealed
When you’re done seaming your artificial turf, make sure to seal the seams with a seam sealer so they don’t come apart.
This will also help prevent any water from getting in through the seams and causing mold or mildew.
Consider Professionals for Larger Jobs
If you have a large area of artificial turf that needs seaming, you may want to consider hiring a professional seamstress who has experience with sewing synthetic materials together.
This will definitely be more expensive than doing it yourself, but it also means you don’t have to buy any equipment or supplies.
Just make sure the person who does your seams has experience with stitching synthetic materials together; otherwise, there could be problems down the road!
Repairing Holes in Turf
If there are any holes that have been made in your artificial turf due to wear and tear, you can repair these holes by following the same steps above.
Just make sure to use a heavier needle when sewing if the previous holes are larger than a ¼ of an inch wide – this should ensure that your new stitches will not come loose and cause more damage to your artificial grass lawn or rug.