Case study: A 40mm 'Cape Verde' lawn in Warrington.
Shane and Pauline had been searching for months for an installer who seemed to know what they were doing -- and, in their words, it was proving impossible. When we surveyed their Warrington garden, the brief was a premium one: a 40mm 'Cape Verde' artificial grass...
Project at a glance Verified Wolsten build
- Property type
- Family garden -- Warrington
- Time on site
- 3 days
- Pile height
- 40mm 'Cape Verde' artificial turf
- Subbase
- MOT type-1, whacker-compacted
- Surrounds
- Treated timber perimeter
- Finish
- Kiln-dried sand top-dress
- Customer
- Shane & Pauline
Why Shane & Pauline called us.
Shane and Pauline had been searching for months for an installer who seemed to know what they were doing -- and, in their words, it was proving impossible. When we surveyed their Warrington garden, the brief was a premium one: a 40mm 'Cape Verde' artificial grass, supplied through our partners at Grass Direct, fitted across the largest sub-base build in this series of case studies.
Paul led the job day-to-day. Quoted for 3 days -- and delivered in 3 days, which after months of being messed around was precisely the point.
What we did.
The biggest base build of these case studies -- 9 tons of material under a premium 40mm turf.
The build sequence:
- Dug up and removed all of the old turf
- Laid 2" x 2" treated timber surrounds as the perimeter
- Laid 6 tons of MOT type-1 and 3 tons of sand -- the heaviest bed in this series
- Whacker-plate compacted throughout
- Rolled the two pieces of 40mm 'Cape Verde' into place
- Joined the two rolls expertly -- barely any visible evidence of a join
Three days, as promised, when promised. Shane and Pauline's verdict: 100% happy.
The whole project, in four shots.
Real photos from the actual Warrington job.
Old turf out, surrounds set, ground opened up.
6 tons MOT + 3 tons sand, whacker-compacted dead flat.
40mm 'Cape Verde' down, two rolls joined invisibly.What Shane & Pauline said.
We had been searching for an installer who seemed to know what they were doing, incredibly it was impossible for months. However, Paul and the gang were amazing and did what he promised and when he promised. 100% happy.
Every detail of the Warrington build.
The full set of photos taken throughout the project.
For the discerning homeowner.
What we actually built into this install.
40mm 'Cape Verde' -- the premium end of the range
The 'Cape Verde' is a deep, lush 40mm pile -- the same wow-factor spec as our Ramsbottom front-garden job, here across a full rear lawn. Long-pile turf rewards a dead-flat base; any dip telegraphs through a 40mm pile more than a 20mm one, which is why the base build was the heaviest of this series.
Working with supply partners -- Grass Direct
The turf was supplied through our partners at Grass Direct. We're happy to install customer- or partner-supplied grass -- it's the same install standard either way, and if you're a landscaper or supplier, our install-only partnership works the same way on decking.
Joining two rolls of 40mm invisibly
Long pile makes joins easier to hide in one way (more fibre to cover the seam) and harder in another (pile direction mismatches show more). Proper jointing tape, adhesive, and matched pile direction -- from a metre away, you can't find the seam.
6 tons of MOT -- why the heaviest bed of the series
Tonnage scales with area and ground condition. Shane and Pauline's lawn took 6 tons of MOT + 3 tons of sand for the full compacted depth across the footprint. The flatness of that bed is exactly why the 40mm pile sits like a carpet.
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.
Paul led the install day-to-day -- Shane & Pauline called him out by name in their review.
Liam
Surveyed and quoted. Supervised the build on site.
Ryan
Time-served bricklayer and artificial grass install lead.
Paul
Cut the timber surrounds and handled the finish detail.
Warrington
Warrington is well covered by our North West service area. We install artificial grass right across North West -- usually within 30 minutes drive of our Westhoughton base.
Questions homeowners ask about artificial grass installs like this.
How long does an artificial grass install take?
This Warrington job took 3 days. Most North West artificial grass 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.
Is 'fake grass' the same as artificial grass?
Yes -- fake grass, artificial grass, astro turf, synthetic lawn: all names for the same product family. Whatever you call it, the quality difference isn't the name -- it's the pile density, the backing, and above all the sub-base it's installed on. A premium turf laid over a poorly compacted base will fail years before a mid-range turf on a proper one.
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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