When hosting large parties, celebrations, or barbecues, you might want to consider installing temporary outdoor flooring over grass.
It’s an alternative choice compared with the classic party tent that will provide your guests with a flat dry surface on which they can walk and dance.
Here is how you can install temporary outdoor flooring over grass with the right equipment and materials.
What you’ll need:
- Staple Gun And Staples (use 3/8 Inch)
- Screw Driver
- Drill Source
- Outdoor Flooring Roll Source
- Rubber Mulch Source
- Border Edging Source
- Extra 2×4 Boards
Step 1: Draw a diagram of how you want things positioned
The best way to lay this out is by drawing a diagram with how you want things positioned on the ground. You can decide to run the borders around a square piece of grass in a back garden.
If your grass isn’t as level as ours, it might be a good idea to put down extra 2x4s under the areas that need leveling.
Start by cutting your two pieces of grass about 3-6 inches bigger than you need.
Note: it’s easier if you cut the corner off with an angle grinder or something like that.
Step 2: Lay out your border edging
Next up is to lay out your border edging. This time though, we’re putting them vertically instead of horizontally (just like they do on TV).
Note: If you decide not to use border edging, make sure when you cut your grass that you leave an extra inch on all sides so the flooring will sit flat.
Step 3: Lay out the grass and place the border edging against it
Mark where each of the holes in the edging is with a pen, then grab your drill and make your holes. The 3/8th inch screws we’re using fit perfectly through both our edging and into our decking boards.
Now that all your holes are drilled, you’ll want to start screwing one side down first. Don’t worry about getting them really tight-this is going to be covered up. Take a look at the picture below to see how everything looks while it’s being screwed together:
After you’ve got one side secured, go ahead and add another screw or two on each piece where needed (it’s okay if you don’t have a drill or screwdriver-you can usually place the screws by hand). If you’re following what we did, add all your screws on one side first.
Step 4: Flip it over and add another row of screws
Once everything is screwed in tight, flip it over and add another row of screws to secure it. This time instead of going into the boards that are already down, go into the other side of them so that everything will be nice and secure.
Step 5: Fill in all your gaps with rubber mulch
Now fill in all your gaps with rubber mulch. There’s no need to spread it out evenly because you’ll be running a lawnmower over it later anyways, so just dump some in each gap until they’re mostly filled up.
This also makes sure there aren’t any big holes left grass can poke through. Don’t fill them all the way up though-you’ll be covering that with your new Flooring roll.
Step 6: Add border edging to the sides and mark where the holes are
Next, add some border edging to the sides of your boards and mark where the holes are (so you don’t drill into any cables).
If you’re just using short sections on each side, it’s easiest if you skip this step. Make sure to drive screws in at an angle so they go through both pieces of edging and stick out a bit on the other side.
Step 7: Unroll your outdoor Flooring roll
Unroll your outdoor Flooring roll. We used two-ply because we wanted more cushioning underfoot, but one ply will work just fine too. Make sure to grab extra rolls of grass when you order.
You can always return them if they don’t work out-but chances are they’ll have your back.
This step is a bit trickier than the rest because you need to measure off how much room you have left on each side of the grass.
Once you’ve measured where both pieces of Flooring will go, it’s time to lay them down and cut them to size.
Remember that one side is going to be covered with rubber mulch, so no need to worry about it being perfect!
Once everything is cut to size, go ahead and unroll the carpet over the top of all your boards. Pay special attention not to fold any under or crease them too tightly (there’s nothing worse than having someone trip over an edge).
Grab some extra border edging and use it to secure the Flooring on all four sides (you’ll also want to make sure you cut the edges at an angle so they don’t stick out unless that’s your thing).
Step 8: Walk around on top of everything
This is to make sure there aren’t any spots where it feels like you’re going to fall through. If you do find a hole, just add another screw or two in that area until it’s nice and secure.
You can also cover up any noticeable seams by using extra rubber mulch and border edging. This will help keep grass from growing under them and make them obvious when people walk on them.
Be careful when mowing with this stuff still down-you’ll need to watch out for the Flooring at first. Normally you shouldn’t need to run over it more than once, but it’s always good to be safe rather than sorry.
Sections Of Temporary Outdoor Flooring Over Grass
Depending on what type of event you’re planning and how long it will last, these pieces can typically be purchased in sections that are either 2 feet by 2 feet or even larger for longer events/fairs.
You simply lay them down wherever you need to use them and when the time comes where you want to take them up, they can be easily picked up and put away in a corner somewhere (like in your storage closet).
The next time you want to utilize them is usually just as easy; all it takes is to peel off one side and then simply lay back down again.
There’s no waiting period like there would be you were laying outdoor carpet, for instance, you can usually walk on it within a few minutes of taking it out of the package.
The temporary outdoor flooring is almost as wide as a sidewalk and tough enough to handle those little tykes who haven’t perfected their walking skills yet.
They may slip now and then because there’s nothing there to prevent them from doing so but they won’t get seriously hurt if it’s only for a few seconds here and there.
These pieces are meant to be used outside so don’t try using them inside or on concrete because you’ll probably end up with some sort of injury (bumps, bruises, cuts, etc.).
Types Of Temporary Outdoor Flooring Over Grass
Because there are so many types of temporary outdoor flooring options out there, most fairs and carnivals use a construction grade piece that is usually around 5 feet wide with a black or green top surface.
This is just perfect to lay on grass because it will stay in place for the entire length of the event, even when people are walking over it several times.
You can also typically purchase them in 12-foot segments or even larger if you need to cover more space.
Construction Grade Tiles Over Grass
Even though these pieces have been used in some pretty famous places, they’re not only reserved for higher-profile events like amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals.
You can even find these tiles at your local hardware store (Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.) because they’re the same ones that are used to lay down on top of grass or dirt that people use when building patios for houses.
This means that you could technically go home with them after your event ends if you wanted to.
Depending on how much temporary outdoor flooring you need is going to determine the amount of money it will cost you for each piece.
If you think about it though, these things will last a lot longer than most regular types of outdoor carpet so it would definitely be a worthwhile purchase.
It’s even possible too to find places that offer cheaper prices if you look hard enough, they’re located all around the world and usually have plenty of other great products for sale too.
For those who aren’t worried about spending extra money on the temporary outdoor flooring over grass but still want a nice-looking piece, there are options out there that give off a more natural feel while still being easy to clean after usage has ended.
One example is the use of wood segments which can provide a similar look as real wood floors (minus the cost of course). They come in different widths, lengths, and thicknesses too to give you more options when laying out your event.
Use the type of temporary outdoor flooring over grass that gives off the look you want for your special day or event without worrying about cleaning it up after everything is said and done.
Even though it’s sold by different companies in different sections of the world, they will all offer you a similar look for less money than many other products on the market today if that’s something that interests you.
You’ll find that doing so may save you countless hours of searching without any results to show for it in the end, definitely worth looking into.
Outdoor flooring options for style and comfort – Turf vs Grass
Summary
It is possible to install temporary outdoor flooring over grass with the right tools and product.
If you match your needs to the correct material, most often a reusable decorative concrete stamp mat will work out great.
This rubber matting comes in different sizes and shapes including interlocking tiles, flexible mats, and other pre-cut sections that make it convenient for putting together a temporary workspace that’s custom fit to their project.
