An artificial grass lawn is only as good as the foundation underneath it. Sunken spots, a musty smell after a warm shower, or puddles that stay for days: the problem is rarely in the artificial grass layer. These are the three problems we see coming back most often.
Problem 1
Subsidence due to an unstable subsoil
Subsidence occurs when pressure isn’t distributed evenly over the sub-base. A traditional foundation with aggregate needs to be laid to the correct thickness and properly compacted. If this isn’t done, or is done only partially, or if fine particles gradually wash away over time with water seeping into the ground, voids form. The mat then sinks into these, creating depressions 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 works looser and the bearing surface eventually becomes uneven. The result: ripples, edges that no longer meet, and soft spots in your lawn area.
Problem 2
Nasty 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 under the artificial grass backing, leaf debris, dust and your pets’ urine build up, and bacteria get free rein. Add a sunny day on top, and you can almost smell the ammonia and sulphur odour already.
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 lies, once again, in the base. A sub-base that holds onto water instead of draining it away creates exactly the conditions in which smell and rot 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 store water. In a heavy downpour, the water then has nowhere to go: you either end up with puddles of standing water, or it washes sideways and carries fine material with it. And in the long run 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 collect water, such a surface overflows immediately during heavy rain. The stricter requirements around permeable paving also make this more important: water must be collected on site and released slowly, not drained away more quickly.
Three different complaints—subsidence, odour and water nuisance—each with 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 precisely 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 through separate pressure points. Nine flexible zones per panel follow the sub-base, even if it’s uneven, so the load remains spread. The click system between the panels has built-in expansion joints: the panels can shrink and expand within their own dimensions, so no stress or buckling occurs in warm and/or cold weather. The HDPE also remains flexible at low temperatures, making it more resistant to frost and thaw.
- Against odour and rot: Drainbase is fully permeable and keeps the area under the artificial grass backing dry. Because no water remains standing under the mat, you also avoid the conditions in which odour and rot develop. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against water nuisance: Every 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 sent on, and the build-up meets the requirements for permeable paving: in gardens and on patios, but also on a roof terrace, where the low weight and buffer make all the difference.
On the top side, 1010 anti-slip pins of 2 mm keep the artificial grass in place. For projects that need to fit within a specification or sustainability report, there’s also an extra argument: 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 precisely 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 through separate pressure points. Nine flexible zones per panel follow the sub-base, even if it’s uneven, so the load remains spread. The click system between the panels has built-in expansion joints: the panels can shrink and expand within their own dimensions, so no stress or buckling occurs in warm and/or cold weather. The HDPE also remains flexible at low temperatures, making it more resistant to frost and thaw.
- Against odour and rot: Drainbase is fully permeable and keeps the area under the artificial grass backing dry. Because no water remains standing under the mat, you also avoid the conditions in which odour and rot develop. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against water nuisance: Every 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 sent on, and the build-up meets the requirements for permeable paving: in gardens and on patios, but also on a roof terrace, where the low weight and buffer make all the difference.
On the top side, 1010 anti-slip pins of 2 mm keep the artificial grass in place. For projects that need to fit within a specification or sustainability report, there’s also an extra argument: 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 get double the benefit. Excavating, rolling/compacting, compacting and stabilising as with a traditional foundation isn’t necessary, which saves time and costs, while also reducing the risk of problems later on.
A garden application only needs a geotextile and a well-compacted levelling layer of at least 5 cm of crushed stone. Then you click the panels into place, 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 the sides, holds back topsoil and prevents pests from crawling under the panels. That way, the entire build-up stays right, from the load-bearing base right to the edge.
A foundation that spreads the load, collects the water and keeps the mat dry doesn’t solve subsidence, odour and drainage separately; it tackles the problem at the source.
View the technical specifications and step-by-step plan on the Drainbase product page or contact your nearest distributor.