An artificial grass lawn is only as good as the base underneath it. Sunken patches, a musty smell after a warm shower, or puddles that remain for days: the problem is rarely in the artificial grass layer. These are the three issues we see coming back most often.
Problem 1
Subsidence due to an unstable sub-base
Subsidence occurs when pressure is not distributed evenly across the sub-base. A traditional foundation with aggregate must therefore be rolled to the correct thickness and properly compacted. If that doesn’t happen, or only partially, or if fine particles are washed away over time by water seeping into the ground, voids form. The mat then sinks into them and hollows develop where rainwater remains standing.
Frost makes it worse. A wet, poorly draining sub-base expands when it freezes and contracts again when it thaws. Each time, the grass layer comes further loose and the bearing surface eventually becomes uneven. The result: ripples, edges that no longer fit together and soft spots in your lawn.
Problem 2
Unpleasant smells under the turf
Smell almost always comes from stagnant water combined with dirt and a lack of oxygen. The water can’t drain away beneath the artificial grass backing; leaf debris, dust and your pets’ urine build up, and bacteria are free to multiply. Add a sunny day on top, and you can almost smell the ammonia and sulphur odour.
That same stagnant water also causes the underside of the artificial grass to start rotting. So the smell isn’t just unpleasant for the customer, but also an early sign that the installation is ageing faster than it should.
The cause once again lies in the base. A sub-base that holds onto water instead of draining it creates exactly the conditions in which smell and rotting develop.
Problem 3
Flooding
Artificial grass lets water through, but that’s of little use if the layer underneath isn’t permeable or doesn’t retain water. During a heavy downpour the water then has nowhere to go: you either end up with puddles of standing water, or it washes off sideways and carries fine material with it. And in the longer term that leads back to problem 1: subsidence.
On a roof terrace or a base you can’t simply dig out, it becomes more difficult. There’s no deep foundation layer for the water to soak into, and often there’s no buffer at all. Without space to hold water, such a surface overflows straight away in heavy rain. Stricter requirements around permeable paving also make this more important: water must be captured on site and released slowly, not drained away more quickly.
Three different complaints—subsidence, odour and water nuisance—with each time the same underlying cause: a foundation that doesn’t spread the load and doesn’t keep the water under control.
The answer: Drainbase
Drainbase is a water-buffering support structure in HDPE that addresses exactly those three points. The panels measure 60 by 60 by 3 cm and are laid directly on a prepared sub-base, without the classic foundation works.
- Against subsidence: spreading pressure and following the sub-base. Each panel distributes the weight over a large contact area instead of via separate pressure points. Nine flexible zones per panel follow the sub-base, even if it is uneven, so the load remains spread. The click system between the panels has built-in expansion joints: the panels can contract and expand within their own dimensions, so no stress or bulging occurs in warm and/or cold weather. The HDPE also remains flexible at low temperatures, which makes it more resistant to frost and thaw.
- Against odour and rot: Drainbase is fully water-permeable and keeps the area under the artificial grass backing dry. Because no water remains standing under the mat, you also don’t get the conditions in which odour and rot develop. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against water nuisance: Each square metre of Drainbase captures 30 litres of rainwater and releases it slowly into the sub-base. This way a heavy downpour is absorbed instead of being immediately channelled away, and the build-up meets the requirements for permeable paving: in gardens and patios, but also on a roof terrace, where the low weight and the buffer make the difference.
On the top side, 1,010 anti-slip pins of 2 mm keep the artificial grass in place. For projects that need to fit into a specification or sustainability report, there’s an extra argument too: Drainbase is made from 100% recycled HDPE and, at the end of its life, is itself 100% recyclable.
The answer: Drainbase
Drainbase is a water-buffering support structure in HDPE that addresses exactly those three points. The panels measure 60 by 60 by 3 cm and are laid directly on a prepared sub-base, without the classic foundation works.
- Against subsidence: spreading pressure and following the sub-base. Each panel distributes the weight over a large contact area instead of via separate pressure points. Nine flexible zones per panel follow the sub-base, even if it is uneven, so the load remains spread. The click system between the panels has built-in expansion joints: the panels can contract and expand within their own dimensions, so no stress or bulging occurs in warm and/or cold weather. The HDPE also remains flexible at low temperatures, which makes it more resistant to frost and thaw.
- Against odour and rot: Drainbase is fully water-permeable and keeps the area under the artificial grass backing dry. Because no water remains standing under the mat, you also don’t get the conditions in which odour and rot develop. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against water nuisance: Each square metre of Drainbase captures 30 litres of rainwater and releases it slowly into the sub-base. This way a heavy downpour is absorbed instead of being immediately channelled away, and the build-up meets the requirements for permeable paving: in gardens and patios, but also on a roof terrace, where the low weight and the buffer make the difference.
On the top side, 1,010 anti-slip pins of 2 mm keep the artificial grass in place. For projects that need to fit into a specification or sustainability report, there’s an extra argument too: Drainbase is made from 100% recycled HDPE and, at the end of its life, is itself 100% recyclable.
What does this mean for the placement?
With Drainbase, you double your gain. Digging out, compacting, tamping and stabilising as with a traditional foundation isn’t necessary, which saves time and costs while also reducing the risk of problems afterwards.
A garden installation only requires a geotextile and a well-compacted levelling layer of at least 5 cm of crushed stone. Then you click the panels together, roll out the artificial grass and secure it with the fixing caps every 80 to 100 cm.
Any issues with edges curling up or coming loose and ruining your finish are also a thing of the past with Drainbase. The Drainbase Border clamps the artificial grass along the edge and keeps it taut. The optional L-profile finishes off the sides, holds back topsoil and prevents vermin from crawling under the panels. That way the entire build-up remains correct, from the base to the edge.
A foundation that spreads the pressure, collects the water and keeps the mat dry doesn’t tackle subsidence, odour and drainage separately, but addresses the problem at its source.
View the technical specifications and the step-by-step plan on the Drainbase product page or contact your nearest distributor.