How to Choose Artificial Turf: Pile Height, Face Weight, Fibres and Backing

Artificial turf looks like one product in a photo, but the rolls behind a showroom counter can differ as much as carpets do. Some feel soft and look lush from a distance but flatten in a season under kids. Others are tough as a doormat. The spec sheet tells you which is which, once you know what the numbers mean. This guide explains how to choose artificial turf for the way you'll use it.

Pile height

Pile height is the length of the blades, usually quoted in millimetres or inches. Landscape turf commonly runs from about 25 mm (an inch) to 50 mm (two inches) or more.

• Shorter piles (around 25 to 35 mm) stand up better under traffic, are easier to keep clean, and suit dog runs, play areas and busy family yards.
• Taller piles (around 40 mm and up) look lusher and more like a freshly cut lawn from a distance, but they lean and flatten more where people walk, and they need more infill to hold them up.

Face weight and density

Face weight is how much fibre is in a square yard of turf, usually in ounces. Higher face weight means more fibre, so a fuller, more durable lawn, and a higher price. Density (stitch rate and gauge, the spacing between rows of tufts) tells you how tightly the fibres are packed. Two turfs with the same pile height can look and wear very differently because one is much denser. Compare face weight across samples of similar height rather than in isolation.

Fibre type

• Polyethylene (PE) is the common landscape fibre: soft, natural-looking, good UV resistance. Most residential turf is PE.
• Nylon is tougher and more resilient but stiffer. It's used for putting greens, high-wear areas and some pet turfs.
• Polypropylene (PP) is the cheapest and least durable. It often appears as the curly thatch layer, or in budget and decorative turf.

Blade shapes vary too: flat, W, V, ribbed or diamond profiles change how light reflects off the turf (less shine looks more natural) and how well blades spring back.

Thatch

Most landscape turfs have a thatch layer: short, curly, often tan or brown fibres among the green blades that mimic the dead grass in a real lawn and help hold the blades upright. More thatch looks more natural up close; less thatch makes pet waste easier to pick up.

Backing and drainage

The backing holds the fibres. Most is a woven primary backing with a coating, then either punched drainage holes or a fully permeable construction. Fully permeable backings drain everywhere and are the better choice for pets and flat clay yards. Ask how the fibres are locked in (a 'tuft bind' figure on the spec sheet) and how the backing handles UV.

Colour and heat

Many turfs blend two or three greens with the thatch to look natural in different light. In very sunny yards, some brands sell 'cool' or heat-reflective turfs. Research from Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research has found turf surfaces in full sun get far hotter than natural grass, and that differences between products are modest compared with the effect of shade. Treat heat-reducing claims as a small bonus, not a fix. See how hot turf gets.

Warranty

Read what the warranty covers, not just how long it is. Common items are UV fading, fibre loss and backing failure. The manufacturer's warranty covers the product; the installer's workmanship warranty covers seams, edges and the base. Ask for both in writing.

Matching turf to the job

• Kids and family traffic: mid pile height, high face weight, resilient PE or PE/nylon blend.
• Dogs: shorter, dense pile, fully permeable backing, light thatch, paired with an odour-control infill. See pet turf.
• Looks first (front yard, low traffic): taller pile, multi-tone colour with thatch.
• Shade: any good turf works; turf doesn't need sun. Plan for leaf clean-up.
• Putting: a dedicated putting turf, not landscape turf. See putting greens.
• Balconies: lighter, low- or no-infill turf. See balcony turf.

How to compare samples

Get full-size samples, not swatches, and look at them outside in daylight, from standing height, both with and against the grain. Step on them and watch how fast the blades spring back. Rub the fibres to check for shine and softness. Compare quotes with the exact product named, not 'premium turf'.

Questions to ask before you choose

• What's the exact product name, pile height, face weight and fibre?
• Is the backing fully permeable or perforated, and how fast does it drain?
• What infill does the maker recommend, and how much per square foot?
• What does the warranty cover, for how long, and is it pro-rated?
• Is the turf made for this use (pets, play, putting, landscape), or adapted to it?
• Can I see it installed somewhere nearby, after a winter or two?

An installer who has fitted the same product in your area for a few seasons knows how it holds up through Ontario winters and summers better than any spec sheet. Asking to see an older install, even just in photos, is one of the most useful things you can do before you choose.

Finally, think about the next ten years, not the first summer: the turf that still looks good after a few seasons of kids, dogs and snow is worth more than the one that looks best on the showroom floor.

Price

Better specs cost more. HomeStars puts budget installed turf at $5–$10 per sq ft and premium at $15–$20+ per sq ft; the cost guide lists every published figure.