If you've unrolled your artificial grass and found unsightly creases, dark lines or patches, you're in the right place. Luckily, they're all easy to fix.

Lines and creases in artificial grass occur for a variety of reasons. 

The first occurs during the manufacturing process, when the grass is measured and cut. During this stage, a mechanical measuring wheel is passed over the top of the grass in order to ensure the rolls are aligned. This can sometimes cause grass fibers to ruffle and cause lines. In the final step of preparing the grass for shipping, it is tightly wrapped around a cardboard tube, before being secured. A tiny amount of additional pressure can cause dark patches or lines, so when the grass is opened at its destination, it appears flat and lifeless. When the backing material cools, it will conform to whatever shape is underneath, which will also contribute to creasing.

In addition if the grass is installed during a hot day, the backing may expand and contract, causing wrinkles.

How should I proceed?

In advance of installation:

Let's get one thing straight - don't panic. The appearance of creases and lines is perfectly normal, and they can easily be corrected.

1, You should let the grass warm through for at least an hour after rolling it out. It's best to do this on a warm day, as it will soften the backing, and reduce the severity of the crease or line.

2, During winter, the grass may still be creased. If this is the case, brush the grass around the creased area. In case the crease has occurred near the edge, pull on its edges. Wait another 10-15 minutes for it to settle.

3, Now flip over the area, and reverse the process. As soon as you flip the area back over, all creases and lines should be gone. You can now install your grass.

An example:

In this example, you can see a particularly extreme case of creasing - intentionally created to demonstrate how easily it can be removed. Also worth noting is how flat and lifeless the grass looks, and because the day these photos were taken was not particularly warm, the grass did not lie flat due to the stiff latex backing. I can understand why someone might panic at this point, and render the grass useless even before installation, but if you follow these steps, you can eliminate creases with minimal effort.

As you can see in the image below, even the most severe creases can be removed using this method. After allowing the latex backing to warm in the sun and pulling it tight again, your artificial lawn will look beautiful and ready for installation.

Following installation

Wrinkles can sometimes appear after installation. In hot weather, the backing becomes supple again, possibly stretching, and when it cools again, can leave wrinkles. A proper installation prevents wrinkles from occurring, but if they do occur, contact a professional installer who will be able to recommend a refit.