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 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 subsoil
Settling occurs when the pressure is not distributed evenly across the subsoil. A traditional foundation with crushed aggregate must be compacted to the correct thickness and properly densified. If that doesn’t happen, or only partially, or if fine particles are gradually washed away over time by water seeping into the ground, voids form. The mat then sags 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: undulations, edges that no longer meet, and soft spots in your lawn.
Problem 2
Unpleasant odours under the turf
Odour 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 get free rein. Add a sunny day on top of that, 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 is not only annoying for the customer, but also an early sign that the installation is ageing faster than it should.
The cause once again lies in the foundation. A sub-base that retains water instead of draining it away creates exactly the conditions in which odour 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 sideways and carries fine material away. And in the long run, that leads back to problem 1: subsidence.
On a roof terrace or a sub-base you can’t just excavate, things get trickier. There is 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 will overflow immediately in heavy rain. The 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—each time 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 settlement: distribute pressure and follow the sub-base. Each panel spreads the weight over a large contact surface instead of through isolated 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 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 don’t get the conditions in which odour and rot arise. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against waterlogging: Each square metre of Drainbase captures 30 litres of rainwater and releases it slowly into the sub-base. This way a cloudburst is absorbed instead of being sent on immediately, 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 buffering 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 within a specification or sustainability report, there is also an additional 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 settlement: distribute pressure and follow the sub-base. Each panel spreads the weight over a large contact surface instead of through isolated 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 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 don’t get the conditions in which odour and rot arise. The backing dries out, which extends the lifespan of the artificial grass.
- Against waterlogging: Each square metre of Drainbase captures 30 litres of rainwater and releases it slowly into the sub-base. This way a cloudburst is absorbed instead of being sent on immediately, 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 buffering 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 within a specification or sustainability report, there is also an additional 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, compacting, densifying and stabilising as with a classic foundation isn’t necessary, saving time and costs while also reducing the risk of problems afterwards.
A garden application 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 tight. The optional L-profile finishes the sides, holds back topsoil and prevents pests from crawling under the panels. This way, the entire build-up remains correct, from the load-bearing base right to the edge.
A foundation that spreads the load, collects water and keeps the mat dry doesn’t solve subsidence, odour and drainage separately, but tackles the problem at the source.
View the technical specifications and the step-by-step plan on the Drainbase product page or contact your nearest distributor.