How to Add Artificial Grass to Your Deck in 15 Steps

The very first thing you want to do is plot out where exactly you’ll be laying your artificial grass and then measure that area. It’s much easier to do this step if you’ve cleared any furniture and debris off your deck (plus it will make step two that much easier). 

Using a tape measure, get the length and width of the area you’re going to cover. You should add 2 inches onto your measurements to account for wiggle room (and waste).

Next, you’ll need to clean the deck. This is where the decking cleaner comes in. Spray your deck down with a hose and then apply your cleaning solution. It’s easier to do this with a spray application, but you can DIY your way through the process with a bucket and a scrub brush. You’ll need to give the surface 48 hours to dry before laying your carpet down.

No matter what type of artificial grass you chose, give it at least an hour to lay flat and breathe. Unwrap it while you’re prepping the rest of your area and supplies and put it in a dry and clean spot where it won’t be underfoot.

Since you already cleaned off the area for measuring and then scrubbed it down, there shouldn’t be too much left to remove. However, if you’ve noticed any newly fallen leaves or debris, you’re going to want to sweep them off your deck before getting started.

You’ll need to make sure all of your supplies are within close proximity to your deck so that you don’t have to run around looking for things once you get started. This is especially important when working with the adhesive and sealer—you don’t want to have to go searching for something and risk having it dry out before you’re ready.

If you’ve decided to use a layer of padding or drainage material, you’ll want to cut these sections first. The trick here is to cut your pieces into as few strips as you can to avoid having too many seams. Because decks are normally smaller than lawns, you may be able to get away with only having to make a few cuts. Use your utility knife and straightedge for this part.

This is an optional step, so if you’re skipping padding, you can move directly to step seven.

After you have the pieces measured out, you should apply the turf adhesive. You’ll want to follow the directions on the product very closely, but normally you’ll apply a layer—beginning at the furthest point away from you as possible—and then hold your trowel at a 45-degree angle to smooth it out.

Place down your padding and then apply pressure evenly across the entire surface.

Like with the padding, you’ll want to cut your faux grass pieces into as few strips as you can to avoid having too many seams. Because decks are normally smaller areas than lawns, you may be able to get away with only having to make a few cuts. Use your utility knife and straightedge again.

If you’ve skipped the padding, you’ll apply your layer of adhesive directly to your decking. However, if you used a layer of padding, you’ll want to apply this layer on top of that.

Typically, you’ll apply a layer—beginning at the furthest point away from you as possible—and then hold your trowel at a 45-degree angle to smooth it out. But you'll want to follow the directions on the spray very closely.

Repeat steps four through eight until you’ve covered the surface of the deck. Make sure you’re butting each piece directly up against the one before it as you go.

Drag a line of turf seam sealer down the entire seam, covering each joint as you attach a new piece.

After all of your pieces have been laid out, butted together, and sealed, you should be able to tell if you have any excess artificial grass or padding hanging over the edge of where you want it to be. If this is the case, you can use your shears to trim those pieces off and then dispose of them.

Use the weighted lawn roller to press all of the artificial grass and padding down, creating a firm seal as you go.

You should give your adhesive and sealer four hours before putting any furniture on it. Once everything has dried, your space will be ready to enjoy. Congrats on a job well done!