What most homeowners do not realize is that it is a completely different project from a standard yard install, not harder, but different in ways that matter if you want the result to hold up for fifteen years instead of three.
No base to excavate. No caliche to probe. No mechanical nails into the slab. And the biggest shift: water cannot drain downward through concrete. It can only move sideways across the surface and off the edge. That changes the drainage spec, the adhesive approach, and the infill requirements in ways that a generic turf installation tutorial does not account for, especially in Lubbock’s summer heat, where concrete amplifies surface temperature in ways that a soil install does not.
This post is the checklist we run before any roll of turf comes out of the truck on a concrete project.
Todd Truesdell says: The concrete projects that fail, almost always fail the same way; someone treated the slab like a soil install, skipped the hose test, used full-perimeter adhesive that blocked every drainage path, and wondered why it smelled like mildew by summer. Check the concrete first. The list is not long.
Why Concrete Changes Everything About the Installation
A standard LBK soil install has a drainage system built into it, the True Drain crushed washed limestone base moves water through its open particle structure and out through the treated caliche layer below. That system works because water has somewhere to go: down.
Concrete gives water nowhere to go down. The slab is impermeable. Water that drains through the turf backing perforations hits the concrete surface and stops. From there it has two options: move laterally across the concrete surface and off the edge, or sit there and cause problems. The entire drainage design on a concrete install is about making sure the first option is what happens.
That one difference cascades through every other decision in the project.
The Pre-Installation Checklist: Eight Things to Verify Before Turf Goes Down
We run through these eight checks on every concrete surface before we spec materials or schedule an install. They take about 20 minutes on site and they determine whether the project proceeds as planned, needs surface prep first, or in some cases needs us to have a different conversation about whether to pull the concrete instead of going over it.
| Check | What to Look For | Pass Condition | Flag Condition — Address Before Proceeding |
| Structural integrity | Surface cracks, heaving, crumbling edges, soft spots | Surface cracks under 1/4 inch wide, no heaving, edges solid | Cracks wider than 1/2 inch, any vertical displacement at a crack, surface crumble or delamination; repair or replace before turf goes over it |
| Drainage and slope | Hose test, run water and observe where it goes and whether it pools | Water moves off the surface within 2 to 3 minutes, no standing pools | Standing water anywhere on the surface after 5 minutes; drainage solution required before install |
| Surface cleanliness | Oil stains, algae, paint, sealers, bonding agents | Clean, bare concrete with no surface coating | Oil-stained concrete; degrease and test adhesion before proceeding; painted or sealed concrete; adhesive bond quality may be poor |
| Surface flatness | High spots, lips at expansion joints, surface undulation | No high point difference greater than 1/4 inch over a 6-foot span | High points at expansion joints greater than 1/4 inch; grind flush; dips greater than 1/2 inch; fill with self, leveling compound |
| Expansion joint width | Joint gaps between slabs | Joints under 1/2 inch wide, foam backer rod or underlayment bridges the gap cleanly | Joints wider than 1/2 inch; turf will dip into the joint visibly and create a surface irregularity; fill or bridge before install |
| Perimeter condition | Edge of the concrete at walls, fences, planters, or structure | Clean edge, turf can be adhered flush against the boundary | Damaged or spalled edges; repair first; adhesive does not bond reliably to crumbling concrete |
| Shade vs. direct sun exposure | How much of the surface is in direct afternoon sun | Partial to full shade; standard installation, cooling infill optional | Full afternoon sun; T°Cool or HydroChill cooling infill required; Lubbock concrete in full sun is significantly hotter than concrete in a temperate climate |
The drainage check is the most important item on that list. Run the hose test before anything else. If water pools anywhere on the surface for more than five minutes, that pooling location will be a problem zone under the turf; a place where moisture collects against the backing, promotes bacterial growth, and produces odor. It must be solved before the turf goes down, not after.
Fixing Drainage on Concrete: The Three Options
When the hose test reveals a drainage problem, three solutions are available depending on how significant the pooling is and how the slab is configured.
Option 1: Rely on existing slope with a drainage mat
If the concrete has reasonable slope; at least one percent, meaning about an eighth of an inch per foot; but pools slightly due to minor surface texture, a drainage mat installed between the concrete and the turf is often sufficient. A geocell or dimple; style drainage mat creates a void layer that water can move through laterally toward the slab edge. This is the most common drainage solution for Lubbock patio installs where the concrete was poured with some slope to begin with.
Option 2: Drill drainage relief holes
For flat concrete or concrete with persistent low, point pooling, drilling relief holes through the slab at the pool locations allows water to drain downward rather than relying entirely on lateral movement. Holes are typically drilled at 5/8 to 3/4 inch diameter, backfilled with small aggregate, pea gravel works well; to keep the hole open without creating a surface hazard. This is more disruptive than a drainage mat but more effective for concrete that has genuine flat spots where lateral drainage alone is not sufficient.
Option 3: Both
For pool surrounds and high use outdoor spaces where drainage performance under heavy rainfall is critical, we combine drainage relief holes at low points with a geocell drainage mat across the full slab surface. This gives water two exit paths, through the holes and off the edge via the mat; which handles both slow events and the intense convective thunderstorms Lubbock gets in summer.
Adhesive: The Only Fastening Option on Concrete
On a soil install, turf is secured with nails driven into the base at the perimeter and with PFS Board edging anchored mechanically into the ground. On concrete, neither of those options exists. The turf is secured with adhesive.
What adhesive goes on concrete
Polyurethane turf adhesive; applied at the perimeter, at seam joins, and in a grid pattern across the field; is the standard for concrete surface installations. Polyurethane bonds well to clean concrete, cures into a flexible rather than rigid adhesive layer, and tolerates the thermal expansion that Lubbock temperature extremes produce across seasons. Heat activated acrylic adhesives are also used on some concrete applications where the climate produces extended high temperatures that could soften standard polyurethane.
The critical mistake: continuous perimeter bead
The single most common installation error on concrete is applying a continuous bead of adhesive around the entire perimeter of the turf. It seems like the right move, full perimeter bonding for maximum edge hold. What it does is create a dam. Water that drains through the backing perforations into the space between the turf and the concrete has no way out. It sits there, warms up in the summer heat, and produces exactly the moisture related odor and backing degradation problems the drainage design was supposed to prevent.
The correct approach is spot adhesive application at the perimeter; bonding segments with gaps between them that function as weep holes. Water exits through those gaps rather than pooling behind a sealed perimeter bond. We cover this adhesive approach in detail for pool deck applications as well.
Foam Shock Pad: When You Need It and When You Do Not
A foam shock pad installed between the concrete surface and the turf backing adds two things: underfoot cushion and a small amount of thermal insulation between the concrete and the turf backing.
For a patio that will be used for barefoot lounging, entertaining, or kids and pets, which describes most Lubbock backyard concrete projects, a shock pad is the right call. Concrete provides zero give underfoot. Turf alone on concrete is noticeably firmer than turf on a compacted base. The shock pad changes that feel from firm to genuinely comfortable, which is most of the reason someone is converting a concrete patio to turf in the first place.
For a covered patio or a space where comfort under foot traffic is not the primary concern, a utility area, a commercial display surface, an indoor gym floor, the shock pad is optional. It adds cost and slightly reduces drainage speed compared to a drainage mat alone.
For play areas where children will be running and falling, a thicker shock pad in the 1.5 to 2 inch range is the right specification, the same principle as the foam pad used under playground turf for fall height compliance.
Heat: Concrete Makes the Lubbock Problem Worse
Artificial turf in direct Lubbock sun already runs surface temperatures significantly above ambient air temperature, in the 130 to 145 degree Fahrenheit range on an exposed surface. Concrete underneath that turf makes it worse, not better.
On a soil install, some cooling happens through ground moisture moving upward through the base. On concrete, that cooling mechanism does not exist. The concrete slab absorbs solar radiation all day and radiates heat upward through the turf from below, adding to the surface temperature load from above. The net effect is a turf on concrete surface that runs several degrees hotter than the same turf product on a True Drain base.
T°Cool or HydroChill cooling infill is not optional on a Lubbock concrete install that sees direct afternoon sun. It is the specification that makes the surface usable in July rather than just installed.
How Concrete and Soil Installs Compare Side by Side
| Installation Factor | Standard Soil Install (LBK) | Concrete Surface Install |
| Base material | True Drain crushed washed limestone, 3 to 4 inch compacted layer | No base, concrete IS the substrate; drainage mat or foam pad goes between concrete and turf |
| Drainage mechanism | Water drains through backing perforations into the True Drain base and out through the caliche-treated native soil below | Water drains through backing perforations into the drainage mat, then laterally off the concrete edge, no downward path exists |
| Fastening method | 6 inch turf nails driven into the base at the perimeter and field, PFS Board edging anchored mechanically | Polyurethane adhesive applied in a grid pattern and at perimeter, no nails, no stakes, nothing penetrates the concrete |
| Caliche assessment | Required on every Lubbock soil install, caliche depth determines base depth and drainage treatment | Not applicable, concrete is the subgrade, caliche below it is irrelevant to the turf installation |
| Heat performance | T°Cool or HydroChill infill recommended for full sun Lubbock exposure | T°Cool or HydroChill more important on concrete, concrete holds and radiates heat, amplifying surface temperature above what soil based installs produce |
| Shock pad requirement | Infill provides cushioning; pad not standard | Foam shock pad strongly recommended for patios, play areas, or any surface where barefoot comfort matters, concrete provides zero give without it |
| Surface prep | Excavation, caliche probe, grade establishment, base compaction | Concrete cleaning, crack repair, hose test for drainage, expansion joint assessment, surface leveling at high points |
The heat performance row in that table is the one most relevant to Lubbock specifically. Every other market’s concrete install guide treats cooling infill as optional. In West Texas, where ambient temperatures regularly hit the upper 90s to low 100s and the concrete below the turf is absorbing and radiating its own heat load, T°Cool is a required line item on any outdoor concrete install that sees meaningful afternoon sun exposure.
When to Pull the Concrete Instead of Going Over It
We are honest about this with homeowners because we do the concrete work too. Sometimes the right call is not to install turf over the existing slab; it is to remove the slab and replace it with either new concrete, a hardscape design, or a soil-based turf install.
Pull the concrete when:
- The slab has significant heaving, wide cracks with vertical displacement, or crumbling surface delamination that repair cannot adequately address. Turf over a compromised slab creates visible surface irregularities and ongoing edge problems.
- The slab grade drains toward a structure foundation rather than away from it. Turf on a slab that already has a drainage problem directed at the house compounds that problem rather than solving it.
- The homeowner wants a natural soil based turf install with True Drain performance. Concrete does not replicate what the True Drain base delivers; they are different drainage systems for different applications.
- The project includes design changes that the existing slab footprint does not accommodate; a pool addition, a new structure, a significant grade change.
In those situations, we will pour new concrete to the right spec, or excavate for a soil,based install, rather than recommend a surface application that will create problems the homeowner will not be happy with. The honest conversation before the project starts is worth more than a project that generates repair calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put artificial turf directly on concrete without removing it?
Yes, but you need to address drainage before any turf goes down. The hose test is the starting point. If water pools anywhere on the concrete surface, that pooling needs a solution, a drainage mat, relief holes drilled through the slab, or both, before the turf is installed. Turf laid directly on a pooling concrete surface will develop moisture related problems at those locations within one to two seasons.
What adhesive is used to install turf on concrete?
Polyurethane turf adhesive applied in a spot pattern rather than a continuous bead. The spot pattern at the perimeter creates weep gaps that allow drainage water to exit from under the turf. A continuous perimeter bead seals those exit paths and traps water against the backing. We apply adhesive at perimeter spots, at seam joins, and in a grid pattern across the field for consistent hold down.
Will artificial turf on concrete be slippery when wet?
No; that is one of the primary reasons homeowners convert concrete patios to turf. Concrete is genuinely slippery when wet. Artificial turf provides grip even when the surface is wet, which is why pool surrounds and patio applications benefit significantly from the conversion. The drainage mat between concrete and turf also prevents water from ponding under the turf, which would reduce the grip benefit.
Does artificial turf over concrete get hotter than a regular yard installation?
Yes; and this is the Lubbock specific issue that most guides do not address. Concrete absorbs solar radiation and radiates heat upward through the turf backing. A soil based install gets some ground cooling from soil moisture below the base. Concrete provides none of that. T°Cool or HydroChill cooling infill is not optional for a Lubbock outdoor concrete install in full afternoon sun, it is what makes the surface usable rather than just installed.
Can LBK Turf Guys remove existing concrete and install turf over the new ground?
Yes. LBK does the concrete work and the turf work. If the existing slab has conditions that make a surface installation the wrong call, heaving, structural cracks, grade draining toward a structure, we can remove the concrete, prep the ground, and install a soil, based turf system with the full True Drain base. That conversation happens during the site visit. We will tell you which approach is right for your specific slab and why.
How is maintenance different for turf installed over concrete?
The drainage system requires more active attention. On a soil install, the True Drain base moves water out continuously. On a concrete install, the drainage mat or relief holes are the only exit paths. Keeping those paths clear, occasional rinsing to flush fine material out through the drainage gaps, checking that perimeter weep gaps are not blocked by debris accumulation, is the primary additional maintenance item. The turf surface itself is maintained the same way as any LBK installation.
Have an Existing Concrete Patio You Want to Convert?
The site visit starts with the hose test and the checklist above. Bring us out and we will tell you exactly what the concrete needs before any turf goes on it, and whether the slab is the right substrate for the project you have in mind.
Reach out at lbkturfguys.com or call us at 806-999-4990.