Artificial Turf Seams, Done Right
A seam you can see is the one thing a customer never forgets. Here is the method that makes it disappear, and why the two common shortcuts fail.
An artificial turf seam is two edges butted together over seam tape, not overlapped and not wrapped. Cut both edges from the back along a stitch row, lay 6-inch seam tape flat and centered under the joint, spread turf adhesive on the tape in an S-bead, and press both edges onto it with a 2 to 3 mm gap so the blades blend. Nail through the seam every 4 to 6 inches, let it cure 20 to 30 minutes, then power-broom across the line. Both pieces must run the same blade direction or the seam shows as a color change.
The method, in order
- Match the grain. Every piece runs the same blade direction. Set both rolls, look down the yard, and confirm the lean matches before a single cut.
- Back-cut both edges. Flip the edge, find a stitch row, and cut between the rows so you leave a full row of tufts on each side. See cutting artificial turf for the knife work.
- Dry-fit. Butt the edges with a 2 to 3 mm gap. Too tight and the tufts bunch into a raised line; too wide and you see tape.
- Tape under, centered. Fold both edges back, lay 6-inch seam tape flat on the base with about 3 inches under each side, fabric side up.
- Adhesive. Turf glue in an S-bead down the tape, or peel-and-stick tape if that is what you are running. Do not flood it; glue that squeezes up through the gap is the seam you can see.
- Set and roll. Lay one edge, then the other, keep the gap, walk or roll the seam. Nail through it every 4 to 6 inches on top of the tape.
- Cure, then broom. 20 to 30 minutes before traffic. Power-broom across the seam, against the grain, to lift the blades over the line.
Side seams vs head seams
| Seam | Where | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side seam | Long edge to long edge, along the roll | Standard | Stitch rows run the length of the roll, so back-cutting is straight and easy. Most lawns have one or two. |
| Head seam | End of one roll to the start of the next | Harder | The cut runs across the stitch rows; take extra care to cut square, and add nails at 4 inches. Avoid them by ordering roll lengths that span the yard. |
| S-seam | Any seam the eye would otherwise follow | Pro | A gentle S-curve cut through both pieces at once breaks the straight line. Worth it on greens and front lawns. |
Roll width is 15 feet and lengths run to 100 feet, so most residential jobs can be laid without a head seam if the layout is planned first. The roll calculator shows how the cuts fall on your yard.
Peaking and creep, and what caused them
Peaking is a raised ridge along the seam. It comes from edges butted with no gap, or from tape laid over a hump in the base. Fix: cut the seam open, re-cut one edge to restore the gap, re-tape flat. Creep is a seam that slowly opens. It comes from no adhesive, adhesive that never cured because it was set in the cold, or turf that was seamed before it relaxed and then shrank in the sun. Fix: reopen, clean the backing, re-glue and re-nail. Both are avoidable: gap, glue, cure, and let the turf sit in the sun 30 to 60 minutes before cutting so it has done its shrinking before you seam it.
Two things you will see online that do not work
- Tape wrapped around the turf edge. Seam tape goes flat under the joint. It is not a binding.
- Overlapped edges. One piece laid over the other and nailed. It reads as a ridge and the top edge curls within a season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you seam artificial turf?
Back-cut both edges along a stitch row, lay seam tape flat and centered under the joint, spread turf adhesive on the tape, press the edges onto it with a 2 to 3 mm gap, nail every 4 to 6 inches, cure 20 to 30 minutes, then brush across the seam.
Do you need glue for turf seams?
Yes. Nails alone let the seam creep open over a season. Use turf adhesive on the tape or a pre-coated peel-and-stick seam tape.
Why can I see the seam in my artificial grass?
Usually mismatched blade direction, which reads as a color change, or edges butted with no gap so the tufts bunch. Less often, glue that squeezed up through the joint. The first two mean re-cutting the seam.
How wide should the gap be at a turf seam?
2 to 3 millimeters, about the thickness of a nickel. That lets the blades from each side blend over the line without bunching.
SourcesSynthetic Turf Council
Tape, Glue and Nails on the Same Truck.
Seam tape, turf adhesive and 5-inch galvanized nails ride with every roll order, factory-direct from Fontana.
Request the Wholesale SheetOr call 888-9-MIGHTY