Case study: Artificial grass installation in Leigh.
Janet tasked us with transforming her real turf -- it had seen better days and was causing her more headaches than it was worth. The classic story: keeping a natural lawn alive in a North West climate of wet winters and patchy summers means constant work, and the maintenance rewa...
Project at a glance Verified Wolsten build
- Property type
- Family garden -- Leigh
- Time on site
- 3 days
- Pile height
- 20mm artificial turf
- Subbase
- MOT type-1, whacker-compacted
- Surrounds
- Treated timber perimeter
- Finish
- Kiln-dried sand top-dress
- Customer
- Janet
Why Janet called us.
Janet tasked us with transforming her real turf -- it had seen better days and was causing her more headaches than it was worth. The classic story: keeping a natural lawn alive in a North West climate of wet winters and patchy summers means constant work, and the maintenance reward curve eventually hits zero.
Janet's choice to move to artificial grass was based on the long-run maintenance saving and the consistent year-round look. Quoted for a 3-day install. Ryan led the build alongside Liam.
What we did.
Standard 3-day install -- the kind of job we do most often.
The build sequence:
- Dug up and removed all of the old turf
- Laid treated timber surrounds around the perimeter
- Laid 5 tons of MOT type-1 as the subbase
- Whacker-plate compacted
- Bedded with kiln-dried sand to a fine level
- Rolled out the 20mm artificial turf
- Joined the pieces invisibly with proper jointing tape + adhesive
- Pinned the perimeter into the timber surround
- Top-dressed and brushed in kiln-dried sand to lift the pile
Janet's lawn now looks vibrant year-round with no weekend maintenance. Job done in 3 days as quoted.
The whole project, in four shots.
Real photos from the actual Leigh job.
The garden as found. Patchy real turf, maintenance burden.
Day 1: real turf out, drainage install going in.
Day 2: MOT compacted with whacker plate, fine sand bedding screeded level.
Day 3 finish: pinned, brushed, kiln-sand top-dressed. Year-round lawn.What Janet said.
5 Star service. I would recommend, in particular Ryan was always really helpful.
Every detail of the Leigh build.
The full set of photos taken throughout the project.
For the discerning homeowner.
What we actually built into this install.
5 tons MOT subbase for a garden this size -- why we don't cheap out
Some installers cut subbase to save material cost. We don't. A properly compacted 5-ton MOT bed is what makes the difference between artificial grass that looks great for 8-10 years vs one that develops dips and waves within 18 months.
Why kiln-dried sand top-dress matters
After the grass is laid, we brush kiln-dried sand through the pile. It's the single most important step for long-term appearance: weighs the fibres down, keeps them standing upright over time, and stops the grass from "matting" in heavily-used areas.
Joining rolls invisibly -- the jointing tape + adhesive method
We use proper jointing tape laid in the seam line, with adhesive applied just before pressing the grass pieces together. Cheaper installers skip the tape -- adhesive alone always peels within 12-18 months.
20mm pile height -- the right Goldilocks zone
20mm pile height looks like a healthy natural lawn without being too long to maintain its shape. Shorter (15mm) reads more like a putting green; longer (30mm+) gets matted underfoot. For a family garden, 20mm is the sweet spot.
Three founders, plus extended crew when the job calls for it.
Liam, Ryan and Paul on every job. Where the work needs more hands, we bring in trusted regulars.
Ryan led the day-to-day install on this job -- Janet specifically called him out by name in her review.
Liam
Surveyed and quoted. Supervised the build on site.
Ryan
Time-served bricklayer and AG install lead.
Paul
Cut the timber surrounds and handled the finish detail.
Leigh
Leigh is well covered by our North West service area. We install artificial grass right across Greater Manchester -- usually within 30 minutes drive of our Westhoughton base.
Questions homeowners ask about AG installs like this.
How long does an artificial grass install take?
This Leigh job took 3 days. Most North West AG installs run 2-4 days depending on garden size and ground conditions. Drainage rescues (like Lisa's Westhoughton job) can add a day for French drain installation.
Will the joins between rolls be visible?
Not if they're done right. We use proper jointing tape + adhesive and match the pile direction across the seam. From a metre away the joins are invisible.
What's the lifespan of a properly-installed artificial grass lawn?
8-12 years on a properly compacted MOT subbase. The variables are pile quality, subbase compaction, and whether the perimeter is properly bordered. Lawns where installers cheap out on subbase often need replacing within 3-4 years -- which is why we never cut that corner.
Do I need to do any maintenance on artificial grass?
Very little. Brush the pile occasionally to keep it standing upright, top up the kiln-dried sand every 2-3 years, and rinse it off after the dog. That's it. Compared to a real lawn (mowing, feeding, edging, reseeding), the time saving is huge.
Do I need planning permission for artificial grass?
Almost never for a rear garden. Front-garden non-permeable surfacing over 5m² CAN trigger planning, but rear gardens fall under permitted development.
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