PermaLawn Tips as Theft of Artificial Lawn Rises

Transcription

1 PermaLawn Tips as Theft of Artificial

2 Lawn Rises An artificial lawn can be a significant investment for homeowners and businesses looking to replace tired, worn natural grass on their properties. It makes sense that once installed, you want to make sure it stays looking beautiful for as long as possible to make the most of that investment. Across the world, theft of artificial lawns is on the increase. Some synthetic lawns, particularly those installed in domestic front gardens, sports fields and schools, are easier to steal than others, and can simply be rolled up and taken away. If you have made the move to artificial grass, there are some tips we can offer to make your synthetic lawn as difficult as possible to remove without a great deal of fuss. Although some thieves are very resourceful, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of theft by putting in place some simple tricks to make it harder to roll up and carry away. Let s have a look at what you can do to reduce the chance of your lawn being stolen while you are out or sleeping.

3 Ensure the edges are properly secured The edges of the artificial lawn are the most vulnerable, and this is where potential thieves will start. If the edges are not properly secured, then this makes your lawn an easy target. There are a few ways you can secure the edges of the lawn to make it harder for thieves to roll up: Use PermaLawn half green pegs PermaLawn s half green pegs are u-shaped fasteners that are coloured green at the top to blend in with the artificial grass. Once the 6-inch pegs have been placed around the entire perimeter of the installation at intervals of approximately 50cm or less, not only will the lawn be securely anchored, it will make the process of removal much more timeconsuming and far less likely. TIP: If you live in an area that is prone to artificial lawn theft, or simply wish to secure your installation further, you can install the half green pegs across the entire lawn surface at 50mm intervals. Securing pegs are suitable for use with all our lawn systems for perimeter securing or for joining two pieces of artificial grass together. The pegs are galvanised for added protection and longevity. Buy PermaLawn Half Green Pegs in our online shop at:

4 Good quality adhesive application If your artificial lawn installation has been applied over surfacing other than soil, such as over concrete or with a wood surround, then using a good quality adhesive, such as Aqua Bond, can help to make the grass harder to lift. Secure the perimeter of the entire lawn to the substrate using the Aqua Bond generously. You could further secure your installation with a two-part adhesive that will, once cured, dry extremely hard. Although adhesives do not first appear to be the ideal way to secure your artificial lawn, thieves risk tearing the lawn when they attempt to remove it if it has been secured with a good quality adhesive. This is often enough of a deterrent for even the most determined thief. Buy Aquabond at: Nail the artificial grass down with galvanised nails Although this sounds extreme, it follows the same principal as using the half green pegs. When galvanised nails are used, then they are expected to last longer without rusting than other types of nails. Apply the same technique, and nail your grass into a soil substrate using nails and a mallet-type hammer to avoid damaging the artificial lawn surface.

5 TIP: Galvanised nails added in large quantities can become visible through the grass yarns over time. PermaLawn recommend using the half green pegs for aesthetic value and high performance. Make it harder for thieves to carry artificial lawn rolls away A great way to make life more difficult for your artificial lawn thief is to ensure there is a sand infill in your grass. This adds additional weight, and can make rolling and carrying the grass much more difficult than in lawns with no infill. If sand infill is added to an ordinary artificial lawn installation at a rate of 5kg per square metre, this can add significant weight even to a relatively small lawn roll of 4 x 6m. This is a surprisingly effective method for limiting theft of artificial grass. For example, a non-infilled roll of 4 x 6m could be easily rolled up and lifted by two people. An infilled roll of the same size could possibly weigh up to almost 200kg, making it much more difficult to remove, and almost impossible to roll up and lift by two people. Sand infill also makes the artificial lawn harder to cut. Sand is perfect for blunting sharp knives, and will make slicing up smaller strips much more difficult. Thieves need to spend inordinate amounts of time working on such installations, and risk being discovered.

6 Making it difficult to prevent theft of artificial grass The trick with theft prevention is to make life as difficult as possible for potential thieves. Some determined thieves are very adept at what they do, and no amount of work can prevent theft of artificial lawns if the thief is determined to take your grass away. If you wish to make a significant investment, the installation of CCTV is always a good deterrent, and if they do manage to thwart your hard work, then footage can be given to Police to help catch the perpetrators. In our experience, making life hard for thieves is an excellent way to start protecting your artificial grass installation, and we would recommend all the tips above if you feel your lawn is in danger of theft. When stealing the lawn has a risk of damaging it, it is less likely to be taken if there is a chance it will be rendered unusable (and not worth selling on).

7