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How to Run in Your Own Garden Marathon 

How to Run in Your Own Garden Marathon 

26March
By: Martha Williams

On Your Marks, Get Set… GO!

Among the festivals and social events, many sporting events have been postponed or cancelled. One that has been postponed is The London Marathon which was due to take place in April and now will be taking place in October. If you are like many that have been training day in, day out to prepare for this event then don’t give up just yet. We have come up with the perfect solution!

This is the second post with the blog “How to Bring the Big Events to Your Back Garden” series and it all about The London Marathon. So put on your trainers and follow these steps to bring it alive in your back garden! 

back gardenGet Measuring 

To achieve the mammoth distance that is completed in a marathon, you will need to do some maths. The distance you need to complete to be able to call it a marathon is 42195m. That’s a lot of meters! You will need to work out how many laps that is and for this you may need to get out the tape measurer and start measuring your garden. Once you have all the widths and lengths, add them all together to get the perimeter and then divide 42195 by your total. This will give you the total laps of your garden you need to complete to call your race a marathon.

42195/Perimeter = Total Laps

Don’t forget this is in meters, so make sure all your measurements are in meters also!

Pick Your Marathon Number

All good racers wear numbers, why should you be any different! You can choose any number you like, decorated however you want and wear it with pride. Get everyone involved in the race to do the same and then you back garden marathon will look more official.

marathon numberMake a Finish Line

The end of the race is the pinnacle moment where all that hard work and effort is rewarded and it should be done in style. To complete your back garden marathon you need to create a finish line which you can run through to mark the achievement you have just completed. This is where you can get creative and recreate any famous finish line crossing you want. Whether you use papers, ribbon or even toilet roll (if you have enough!) you can have that perfect finish and celebrate in style!

Make a Medal 

What is a race without a medal? All marathons give out a medal at the end which you can keep and look back at. We understand times might be hard and you may not have spare medal lying around however, this is the perfect opportunity to get arty and make one! Whether this is a task you complete yourself or you let your kids do it, make sure the result is INCREDIBLE. After all, you will be looking back at this for many years to come.

Let the Marathon Begin!

All that is left is to race. Get your trainers on, do your stretches and make sure you have enough water. Who knows, your neighbours may be cheering you on from their gardens!

start the marathonYou can get anyone in your house to join in as it doesn’t have to be a marathon, any sort of race will do. It’s perfect to promote exercise and get everyone out in the fresh air.

Don’t forget to stay tuned to for more upcoming blogs to see what other ideas we have come up with that could be perfect for you, your family and the fantastic great outdoors. Also, don’t forget to share your marathon online with us, we would love to see them. Tag Cheshire Artificial Grass and #CAGquaranteam on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram! 

Our team at Cheshire Artificial Grass have worked on all kinds of projects over our 20 years’ experience! If you’re looking to transform an area of your own, then feel free to get in touch and put our expertise to use.

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How to Create the Big Back Garden Festival 

How to Create the Big Back Garden Festival 

24March
By: Martha Williams

Pitch your Tent, Pick your Playlist and Recreate your Favourite Festival in Your Very Own Back Garden.

Festival season is the one thing that the majority of us look forward to during the cold months. It’s the season for outdoor living, good music and plenty of beers. Unfortunately this year, due to current circumstances a lot have been cancelled or postponed. Incredible festivals such as Glastonbury, Radio One’s Big Weekend and Coachella are some, as well as individual artist’s gigs and tours. This news, which is understandably necessary, has left us a little lost and devastated. Don’t give up yet!

This is the first post within the “How to Bring the Big Events to Your Back Garden” series and it’s all about those beloved festivals! So pick your favourite and follow these steps to bring it alive in your back garden!

back garden

Choose the Festival’s Name

All great festivals have a memorial name, why should yours be any different! It’s time to get your thinking hats on and be creative. It could be derived from where you live, the type of music you will be playing or the festival you are recreating.

Whatever it is, display it for all to see and don’t forget to hashtag it on all your posts! 

Create the Promo Material

All good events come with promotional material that we love to show off and keep. One of the main bits of promotional material that festivals are famous for is its wristband. If you don’t have a wristband, did it even happen?

festival bands

This is an important step to creating an authentic feel to your event as well as giving you something that you can keep and show off as a beloved memory.

Pick the Playlist

Music is the main feature, without it what would a festival be! The good thing about creating your own festival is that you get to choose the acts you want. Whether it’s Ariana Grande, Stormsy or even someone from the past like The Beetles, it’s all up to you. All you need to do is put together your playlist with the songs you want to hear, set up your speakers out the window and get the music pumping.

speakers in the garden

Not sure who you want to headline? There are plenty of playlists available online so you don’t have to worry. Just search for the festival you were going to attend and press play.

Build a Festival Atmosphere 

The moment you step onto that festival site you are immersed in a magical, theatrical world that captures all your sense and takes you away from reality. Anything can help create an atmosphere, just see what you have got in your home that will add to the festival vibes. Here are some examples we have come up with:

  • Put up your Christmas lights in the garden.
  • Make some bunting. 
  • Create some confetti.
  • Put out the jazzy rugs and cushions.
  • Light some candles.
  • Set up a tent.
  • Get any sort of deck chairs, bean bags or even stools. 

back garden festival decorations

Anything you own can help generate those festival vibes, just get creative!

Dress to Impress

Just because the event is in your back garden doesn’t mean you can’t get dressed up. A festival outfit is just as important as the event itself, what you wear can add to the atmosphere and allows you to express yourself. Whether you are covered head to toe in glitter or have flowers in your hair, make the most of this experience.

If you are stuck for ideas of what to wear some festivals set themes which you can use. Find out what the cancelled events were going to do and just use that.  

festival outfitsIf you are one of those people that has already installed artificial grass into their back garden then you can throw away the wellies, you won’t be needing them!

Food and Drinks

Food and drink vans bring festivals a wide, flavoursome menu which can tingle your tastebuds in front of your favourite acts. Who’s to say you can’t achieve this at home, you may not have the vans but you have a kitchen! So get thinking about your favourite festival foods and get cooking them, you can have whatever. Struggling to think what they normally have? We have put together a list of typical festival food to help:

  • Mac and Cheese
  • BBQ
  • Pizza
  • Paella
  • Pies
  • Toasties
  • Burritos
  • Burgers
  • Hotdogs
  • Noodles 

festival food

For the drinks, whatever is in the cupboard will do. As long as they are served in appropriate glassware then who cares what’s in it!

Press Play and Enjoy!

Now you have all the ingredient for the best back garden festival, press play and enjoy. Who knows, your neighbours may even get involved in their gardens. 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to for more upcoming blogs to see what other ideas we have come up with that could be perfect for you, your family and the fantastic great outdoors. Also, don’t forget to share your festival online with us, we would love to see them. Tag Cheshire Artificial Grass and #CAGquaranteam on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

Our team at Cheshire Artificial Grass have work on all kinds of projects over our 20 years’ experience! If you’re looking to transform an area of your own, then feel free to get in touch and put our expertise to use.

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How to Bring the Big Events to Your Back Garden

How to Bring the Big Events to Your Back Garden

20March
By: Martha Williams

A Blog Series about Bringing the Festivities of Spring/Summer Right to Your Doorstep!

In light of recent circumstances, a lot of our favourite events are cancelled to help safeguard the UK from Covid-19. As important and respected as this is, we can’t help but feel a little devastated that we won’t be able to attend some of our favourite events. However – not all hope is lost! There are still some innovative and exciting ways to recreate your beloved events, all from the comfort of your back garden… And Cheshire Artificial Grass are here to show you how!

At Cheshire Artificial Grass gardens are our passion! We work to create perfect gardens on a day-to-day basis and with these expertise, we are going share with you some creative and alternative ways you can transform your back yard into a heaven of fun. Meaning you can still have the spring/summer you’ve always planned – even if that is in self-isolation. 

One things for sure, there is so much potential hiding in your back garden and maybe it took a little bit of social-distancing to unlock all its capacity. Through this blog series we want to give you the tools to explore this uncharted territory!

back garden

Stay Tuned! 

We’ve done all the thinking and hard work for you. So stay tuned to our upcoming blogs to see what ideas are perfect for you, your family and the great outdoors.

Our team at Cheshire Artificial Grass have work on all kinds of projects over our 20 years’ experience! If you’re looking to transform an area of your own, then feel free to get in touch and put our expertise to use.

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8 Top Tips on How to Install Artificial Grass

8 Top Tips on How to Install Artificial Grass

5November
By: Martha Williams

At Cheshire Artificial Grass we work with landscapers across the country, supplying them with high quality artificial grass that looks just like the real deal. Not only do we provide a wide range of artificial grass, but we also take the time to share our knowledge and wisdom from some of the experts in our company. We are here to help support landscapers in their mission to install artificial grass. Within this blog we will share our 8 top tips on how to install artificial grass. If you have questions or would like specific advice, then please call our specialist team on 01625 860 601 or join our Artificial Grass Fitters Forum.

How to Install Artificial Grass

1. Plan

Good planning is important, failing to map out the garden and where the grass will lie at the start could cost you at the end of the installation. Here at Cheshire Artificial Grass our grasses come in two and four metre wide and cut to length. Know your sizes as it is crucial that the grass is joined side by side and not end to end. In addition, always make sure that you point the pile of the grass towards the house. That way, people looking out at the garden from the house will get the most ‘realistic’ view.

2. Prepare the Site

Once you have mapped out the artificial turf area, you can start preparing the site. Usually, homeowners want to replace nuisance natural turf with artificial grass. If this is the case, then take off the top layer of grass using a turf cutter. Once all the organic matter has been removed you need to treat the site with a quality herbicide. This will prevent pesky weeds and unwanted organisms from surfacing underneath your new artificial grass. Make sure you use a herbicide that you trust and make sure you pay particularly close attention to the edges.

Removing Grass

3. Edging the area

You need to have edging all around the perimeter of your artificial grass zone. This can be done with composite or timber edging. When choosing timber, you need to make sure that it has been pressure treated and rated Class-4, for use in ground contact. Once chosen, cut longer lengths to form the perimeter and shorter stakes to use as pegs. Set the edging 10mm down from the desired height you want the artificial grass to finish at.

4. It’s all down to the base-work

Good base-work is essential if you are going to achieve a quality finish with most importantly a flat surface. If the ground surface is soft, use MOT to stabilise the surface and build up the base. On top of this you should layer a thin depth of crushed granite or limestone. Many people would recommend using grit sand, but at Cheshire Artificial Grass we believe that the quality of grit sand can vary too widely. Using crushed granite or limestone is the most suitable option.

Artificial Grass Install

5. It’s membrane time

Once you have your flat base layer, lay a permeable weed-proof membrane on top of it. This will prevent weeds and creepy crawlies from breaking through your new artificial lawn. We supply these membranes to all our landscapers, as well as extra fixtures and fittings. The membrane should overlap the edge of your artificial grass perimeter by at least 200mm. Once in place, pin it to the foundation to prevent the membrane from slipping around during installation and secure to your edging with staples.

Artificial Grass Install Prep

6. Cutting to size

Lay the grass over the desired area and then work around the perimeter carefully cutting the grass back to the edge of the desired fit.  Work in small sections and make sure that you undercut instead of over-cutting. Then fit the grass down to the surface using green decking screws.

7. Joining the artificial grass together

This is one of the trickiest parts of artificial grass installation. Screwing it up at this stage can ruin a project. Mix the glue and hardener carefully. Once mixed, apply it over the joining tape using a ribbed trowel. If the glue is laid too thick then it will be felt underfoot when people walk over the artificial grass. Gently work the turf into the glue without touching the individual grass fibres. Use a carpet kicker to make fine adjustments.

Install Glue Joint

8. Finishing touches on your artificial grass installation

Finally, if you have made a mess, make sure you clean up after yourself. Use a brush to give the new artificial lawn it’s plumped up look and voilà, a successful artificial grass installation.

If you enjoyed the tips shared in this post don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more!

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Artificial Grass In New Build Properties

Artificial Grass In New Build Properties

4September
By: Jordan Rimmer

New build properties are at a rise now, with new housing estates being build all over the UK.  Who doesn’t want to move into a beautiful newly built, modern home.? It seems like that property developers are throwing these houses up in no time and due to this the garden area is suffering. This is where an installation of artificial grass in new build properties can save the day.

Most buyers are being left with a garden that consists of muddy clay, or tonnes of soil, however sometimes the developers are laying turf over the area but due to the poor conditions underneath, the turf is dying.  The homeowner is spending hundreds laying new turf every few months and for what, for it to die again.

new build garden

In some cases, the garden area doesn’t come in with the price of the house and the homeowners are being left to deal with the garden area after they have moved in.

Most new builds have rather bad drainage problems. This is normally down to the soggy clay like soil that is left behind after the house is built.  This isn’t a good enough base for real turf to take to, which again is causing nothing but problems. With an installation of artificial grass in new build properties the proper precaution and drainage is in place to make sure your lawn survives all year round.

new build artificial grass

We have been inundated with customers wanting artificial grass over the last few months. People who have already moved in, and even homeowners who are waiting to complete.

We have also found that if you are buying the house before the house/garden area is built you may be able to ask for the garden to be left with MOT stone, this will save money on the house sale and will be easier for Cheshire Artificial Grass to handle the installation. Not only will this save money on your house sale, but it will also make your artificial grass installation cheaper. If the area has been left with tonnes of soil, we would have to add extra manpower and days to get the soil dug off and put in a skip. If the area is left as it is, or with MOT installed this will make your installation cheaper and it also won’t take as long.

Artificial grass offers a low maintenance, modern, fresh looking garden that can be utilised all year round.  It offers children the ability to play in the garden even in the rain, it also offers dog owners the ease of not having to clean up muddy paw prints every time they go outside.

artificial grass new build garden

Artificial grass is a long lasting, durable and low maintenance product, that can bring so much joy to new homeowners.  Many people find that the garden is just as important as the inside of the house so why not let your garden look immaculate as your new house, with a fraction of the work.

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PU Backed VS Latex Backed Artificial Grass

PU Backed VS Latex Backed Artificial Grass

5August
By: Jordan Rimmer

There are so many different articles online debating whether PU backed, Artificial Grass is better for your pet than latex backed, artificial grass, so Cheshire Artificial Grass took to gathering some information from our manufacturers.

Artificial grass is becoming more popular due to its many advantages, offering a low maintenance garden, especially for dog owners. Many homes who have a resident dog(s) find that their lawn suffers from the urine and ends up with patchy, dead areas.

Artificial grass can come with two backings, which is either the trustworthy favourite latex, or the newfound glory PU backed. The backing of the artificial grass which will be black in colour is the area we are talking about this is what keeps the strands of grass in place and what you fix to the timber or composite edging.

What is latex?
Natural latex is a milky white liquid that is extracted from the Hevea-Brasilienis tree, better known as the rubber tree. Rubber trees are native to South America and were spread around the world in the 19th century because of their great value. Rubber trees are tapped through a method that is very similar to maple trees being tapped for their maple syrup.

What is synthetic latex?
Synthetic latex is a synthetically produced compound that mimics the properties of natural latex. Rather than being harvested from rubber tress it is produced from petrochemicals. Several types of synthetic latex exist but SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) is the most common type of synthetic latex used in the production of synthetic latex foam.

What is Polyurethane?
Polyurethane was developed during world war ll. It was initially developed in order to replace rubber and was extremely difficult and expensive to obtain. Today it is used as a coating for various objects such as footwear, fridge freezers, steel railway carriages, wooden furniture and as well as gaskets for cars. Polyurethanes are polymers and best thought of, as chain of three-dimensional structures made up of long, repeating smaller units called monomers. Other well-known polymers include nylon, silicon, polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene.

PU Artificial Grass
The PU backed artificial grass is shiny in colour whereas the latex backed artificial grass is dull in colour.

Why use PU Backed or Latex Backed Artificial Grass?

It may sound silly, but research proves that dogs can be allergic to latex as well as us humans. The latex can affect dogs by causing a skin reaction such as redness, dry/scaly skin and hair loss. Constant scratching, chewing and licking can be a behaviour shown.

Pet urine is a big contributing factor when it comes to people choosing artificial grass. One of our most frequently asked questions is “Does pet urine stain or damage the artificial grass?”. The answer is no! It doesn’t stain, damage or burn the artificial grass whether it is PU backed or latex backed.
However, using a latex backed grass can cause an awful odour after the artificial grass has been installed for some time and if it has not been cleaned properly. If the latex backed artificial grass is not cleaned and washed through regularly this can cause the urine to crystallise and this can give you the bad smelling garden.

PU backed artificial grass doesn’t absorb moisture, liquids and therefore, urine. This is handy for dog owners as it greatly reduces the hygiene and odour issue associated with dogs. However, we do still advise you wash the area through regularly with water and if needed use a diluted disinfectant for hygiene reasons.

PU Artificial Grass

Unlike latex backed artificial grass, PU backed artificial grass is very weather resistant and corrosion resistant. Latex backed artificial grass can expand and contract in extreme temperature variations, which may result in your garden having air bubbles and wrinkles during very hot days. Don’t panic, this will contract when the weather starts to get colder leaving you with your normal artificial lawn.

Studies from our manufacturers show that PU backed artificial grass is very temperature stable and doesn’t expand in heat.

PU Artificial Grass

If you would like anymore information on the artificial grass which we have available here at Cheshire Artificial Grass, or wish to book a free site survey, please feel free to contact the team on 01625 860 601, www.cheshireartificialgrass.co.uk

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