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Types & materials

Artificial Turf Types and Materials

Face weight, pile height, blade shape, backing, and infill, explained plainly. What separates good turf from cheap, and which type fits a lawn, a pet run, or a putting green.

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Artificial turf is a synthetic grass surface built to look and feel like a real lawn while needing no mowing, no water, and almost no upkeep. Not all of it is the same, though. Face weight, pile height, blade shape, backing, and infill are what separate turf that still looks real in year eight from turf that mats down and goes shiny in two. This page explains what those specs mean and which turf suits which use, so you can read a sample instead of just taking a salesperson's word.

Last reviewed July 2026 by Daniels Landscaping, LIC #1138709

What is artificial turf made of?

Modern artificial turf is built in layers. The blades are strands of polyethylene or polypropylene tufted into a backing, usually with a curled, crinkled layer at the base called thatch that mimics the brown undergrowth of a real lawn and helps the blades stand up. The backing is a perforated sheet that holds the blades and lets water drain through. On top, once it is installed, a granular infill is brushed down between the blades.

That is the whole product: blades, thatch, backing, and infill. The quality of each, and the base underneath, is what decides how it looks and how long it lasts.

What do face weight and pile height mean?

Face weight is how much yarn is packed into the turf, measured in ounces per square yard, and it is the single best indicator of quality. Higher face weight means denser, fuller turf that resists matting and holds up to traffic. Cheap turf skimps here, and it shows within a year as the blades lie flat and the base shows through.

Pile height is how tall the blades are. Taller is not better. Blades that are too long fold over under their own weight and look flat and fake, while a moderate pile stands up and reads as a real, mown lawn. For most yards a mid-range pile with a high face weight is the combination that looks right.

Magnified cross section of an artificial turf surface A close side view of turf blades standing from a perforated backing over a thatch layer and sand infill, with compacted aggregate base and subgrade below, and water passing down through the backing. What makes artificial turf feel real Face weight, pile height, and infill do the work. The green is the easy part. Pile height Blade length above the backing Thatch layer Short curled yarn, resists matting Perforated backing Drainage holes pass water through Infill Sand at the base, adds weight and holds blades upright Compacted base Compacted subgrade Face weight, the weight of yarn per square yard, is what separates turf that stays upright from turf that flattens under traffic. WITHOUT INFILL, BLADES LIE DOWN AND STAY DOWN Daniels Landscaping · LIC #1138709
Pile height, face weight, infill, and the compacted base underneath are what decide how turf looks on day one and how it wears after years of traffic.

Why does blade shape matter?

The cross-section of each blade decides whether it stands up or mats down. Flat, ribbon-shaped blades are cheapest and mat fastest. Blades with a spine or a shaped profile, described as S-shaped, C-shaped, W-shaped, or with a raised central rib, are stiffer and spring back after they are walked on.

That stiffness is what keeps a turf lawn looking upright and full over years of foot traffic. It is worth running your hand across a sample and pressing it down: good turf pops back, cheap turf stays flat.

What is infill, and why is it not optional?

Infill is the granular material brushed down into the turf after it is laid. It does three jobs: it weighs the turf down so it lies flat, it holds the blades upright, and it protects the backing from the sun. Leaving it out to save money is a false economy, because the turf mats and wears far faster without it.

The type depends on the use. A standard lawn gets a rounded silica sand. Pet areas get an antimicrobial or zeolite-based infill that traps the ammonia in urine, which is what keeps a dog yard from turning sour in the heat. Play areas can add a shock-absorbing infill under the surface.

How is turf actually installed?

The turf is the last and easiest step. Almost everything that decides the result happens underneath, in the base. The old lawn and a few inches of soil come out, the ground is regraded to drain, then crushed rock goes in and is compacted in layers until it is genuinely solid. A weed barrier goes down, the turf is rolled out, seamed with the blade grain running the same direction so joints disappear, fastened at the edges, and the infill is brushed in.

That base is the part cheap installs skip, and it is exactly why those lawns go wavy and puddle within two summers. The diagram below shows the layers.

Cross section of an artificial turf installation A side view of the layers under artificial turf, top to bottom: turf blades and thatch, infill worked down between the blades, the perforated turf backing, three to four inches of compacted crushed base, and compacted native subgrade. Arrows show water draining down through the backing and base. What is under artificial turf that lasts The turf is the part you see. The base is what keeps it flat and draining. Turf blades and thatch face weight and pile decide the look Infill, then perforated backing Compacted crushed base 3 to 4 in, drains and stays flat Compacted subgrade water drains down A LUMPY LAWN STARTS HERE Daniels Landscaping · LIC #1138709
The layers under artificial turf. A compacted, free-draining base is what keeps it flat and dry for years.

What are the different types of turf?

Turf is made in grades for different uses. Landscape turf is the all-purpose lawn grade, tuned to look like real grass. Pet turf uses a more open, fully perforated backing so urine drains straight through, paired with odor-controlling infill. Play turf is softer and often laid over a shock pad for safety under play equipment. Putting green turf is short, dense, and very smooth for a true roll, usually with a separate fringe turf around it.

Using the right grade for the use matters as much as the quality. A beautiful landscape turf makes a poor pet run, and a pet turf looks too utilitarian for a front lawn.

How long does artificial turf last?

Good turf on a properly built base lasts fifteen years or more, and its manufacturer warranty usually reflects that. What shortens it is rarely traffic. It is sun on a low-grade product, or a base that was never compacted, or missing infill letting the blades mat. Spend on face weight, fibre that is UV-stabilised through the strand rather than sprayed on, and a real base, and the turf outlives the warranty rather than embarrassing it.

Where do we do artificial turf?

We install artificial turf across the San Fernando Valley. See the detail, local projects, and pricing for your city: