Winners of The Block in 2012, Brad and Lara Cranfield take us through their Byron Bay outdoor renovation.
Carpet Court’s LuxTurf was an integral part of our design as we needed something that is functional, hard wearing and looked fantastic.
This area is small and has limited access, so maintenance was always a drama. Installing LuxTurf means we no longer have to mow and maintain this area.
Describe the outdoor space prior to the revamp?
A: The outdoor space that we revamped was a small area in our backyard on the northeast side of the house. It has high fencing on two sides and is adjacent to our rear deck. We also have high trees on our neighbour’s property, and a narrow strip running along the back boundary where we are planning to do several large steps.
Why did the space require a revamp - for both functional and aesthetic reasons?
A: Our small backyard isn’t an inviting place at all as it gets limited direct sunlight for large parts of the day. That means it is very hard to keep grass and plants alive and is always a little damp, so as a family we very rarely use this space. We wanted something that not only looked great but also made the area a more enjoyable place for the boys to play.
What design considerations did you make during the planning process? What were you trying to achieve?
A: The main design focus was to create a flat, useable space for the family to enjoy. That meant retaining along the boundary fences to create a level area for us to install Carpet Court’s LuxTurf.
Due to our sloping block we also had to build some large steps along the back boundary to give greater access around the external areas of our house (this has now become a racetrack/obstacle course for the boys!)
Why was Carpet Court’s LuxTurf integral to the backyard revamp?
A: Carpet Court’s LuxTurf was an integral part of our design as we needed something that is functional, hard wearing and looked fantastic. This area is small and has limited access, so maintenance was always a drama. Installing LuxTurf means we no longer have to mow and maintain this area.
How long did the LuxTurf installation process take with Carpet Court? Also, how long did the whole backyard revamp take?
A: We were really impressed by how quickly the PlaySafe padding and LuxTurf were installed. The Carpet Court team arrived in the morning and were done by mid-afternoon. We were amazed by what a dramatic difference the PlaySafe and LuxTurf products have made to this area in such a short amount of time. Due to the fact we had to build some retaining walls and fill the area, the total time taken to complete the job was just under a week.
The complete back yard revamp took longer than expected due to the El Niño which decided to pay a visit, dumping huge amounts of rain across Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers. This also affected our trades which caused longer delays. Despite all the rain, the LuxTurf still functioned perfectly allowing the boys to have somewhere to play in between showers!
Did you have to undertake any preparation before the Turf install - please detail?
A: After building the retaining walls and steps, we filled the space with crusher dust with the help of a couple of mates that we roped in. After countless wheelbarrow loads, we then compacted it all to give us a solid, level base to install the LuxTurf.
Describe the backyard now after it’s facelift?
A: The backyard is now one of our favourite places to relax! The boys now spend hours playing in this previously unusable area. The PlaySafe padding makes it a very safe place for them to practice all types of Kung Fu moves on each other. The LuxTurf has a soft, comfortable pile which makes it perfect for laying down with the boys and enjoying the sunshine. We have recently added a trampoline and discovered another positive of LuxTurf – the grass doesn’t die off underneath.
We really love this product, so much so that we are now planning to upgrade our front yard with LuxTurf at the forefront of that design. This is truly a fantastic product that we cannot recommend highly enough, especially if you have two very active kids!
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