Artificial Turf Replacement in Portland, OR: Three Hillside Terraces With 36 Stairs of Access

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Sta-Built Construction replaced the artificial turf on three terraces at a hillside home in Portland, OR in April 2026, reusing the existing gravel base, and rebuilt the side yard path with two Weston Stone steps and a Belgard Catalina Grana paver landing. Nearly everything was carried down about 36 stairs by hand.

Before and after

The existing condition

This modern home steps down a Portland hillside. Below the house, a long terrace runs between a stacked stone retaining wall and the deck’s cable railing, and it already had artificial turf on it. A second fenced strip of turf runs along the far side of the house, and a narrow side yard connects the two with concrete pads set in river rock and timber-edged steps. The project scope covered all three turf areas plus the side yard path and steps.

What the project manager found

The April 8 pre-construction walk measured the lower terrace at about 39 feet long and 9 feet wide, opening to 12 feet at the far end; the fenced strip at about 37 feet 4 inches by 9 feet 4 inches; and the side yard at 19 feet 6 inches by 3 feet. The bigger finding was access: roughly 36 stairs from the street down to the main work areas and 15 down to the side yard, with no practical machine access. The other finding worked in the homeowners’ favor. Because turf already covered these areas, the gravel base underneath was in place and needed only minor repair, so the plan called for minimal excavation.

The solution

Sta-Built pulled the old turf from all three areas, regraded and recompacted the existing gravel base, and laid new Real Feel turf with infill. To limit waste, the design cut the two large pieces first and used the remnants for the narrow side yard. The side yard’s timber steps and concrete pads were replaced with two Weston Stone step builds, each 2 feet 9 inches wide and 1 foot 6 inches deep, capped with Marina coping in Charcoal, landing on a Catalina Grana paver pad with a Holland sailor-course border in Charcoal.

The materials

The turf is Real Feel artificial turf with infill, with no separate border, held on the existing base. The steps are Belgard Weston Stone, tumbled, in Victorian, with Marina coping in Charcoal on the treads. The landing is Belgard Catalina Grana in Victorian laid in a random pattern with a Belgard Holland border in Charcoal set as a sailor course. The turf, infill, and nails were shipped to Sta-Built’s Vancouver office and brought to the site with the crew, and the pavers were dropped curbside in the gravel planter pockets at the top of the stairs.

How it was built

The crew stripped all three areas on April 16, 2026 and carried the old turf up the stairs. With the base exposed, they regraded and recompacted it rather than rebuilding it. New turf went down on the lower terrace and the fenced strip on April 17, and the same day the side yard steps and paver landing were built. Cleanup and final grooming finished on April 21.

The finished result

All three terraces have fresh turf with a consistent pile, the side yard has real steps and a paver landing instead of timbers and loose pads, and nothing about the hillside itself had to change. The stone wall and the deck were left alone.

What a project like this costs

Project investment range: $12,200 to $19,200. This range reflects the scope of this completed project and is not a current quote.

Reusing the existing base kept this project well below what a from-scratch turf install of the same size would cost, since there was little excavation and no base material to haul down. The access pushed the other way: 36 stairs means every roll of turf, every bag of infill, and every block for the steps moved by hand. The two Weston Stone step builds and the paver landing added hardscape cost on top of the turf.

See more on our artificial turf page. We install turf throughout the Portland area from our Portland service area. Related project: a 1,004 sq ft paver patio and walkway in Portland, OR.

Related questions

How much does it cost to replace artificial turf in Portland, OR?

This three-area replacement, with new Weston Stone steps and a paver landing in the side yard, came in between $12,200 and $19,200. Reusing the existing gravel base held the cost down; the stair-only access and the added hardscape pushed it up.

Can new artificial turf go over an existing turf base?

It did here. The old turf came off, the gravel base underneath was regraded and recompacted where it needed it, and the new turf was installed on top. Whether that works depends on the condition of the base, which is why Sta-Built checks it during the pre-construction walk.

What turf and materials were used on this project?

Real Feel artificial turf with infill, Belgard Weston Stone steps in Victorian with Marina coping in Charcoal, and a Belgard Catalina Grana paver landing in Victorian with a Holland sailor-course border in Charcoal.

How did the crew handle a site with no machine access?

Everything moved by hand down about 36 stairs. Pavers and block were delivered curbside into gravel planter pockets at the street, and the turf, infill, and nails came with the crew from the Vancouver office. Reusing the existing base meant no base gravel had to be carried down.

Does Sta-Built install artificial turf in Portland?

Yes. This project is in Portland, and Sta-Built installs artificial turf, putting greens, and pavers throughout the Portland metro area from the Vancouver, WA showroom. Oregon license: 242261.

Planning something similar?

If your turf has aged out or your hillside yard is hard to reach, Sta-Built can walk the space and recommend the right approach. Schedule a free design consultation.

This project documentation was prepared by Sta-Built Construction from the project records and photos from our crew, September 2026. Technical review by Ben Metsker, Manager.