Does all artificial grass require infill?

Do I need infill for my artificial grass; do you have non-infill artificial grass? Infill or non-infill, which one is better? These are some of the many questions frequently asked by homeowners. Artificial grass infill is any product that is placed between the blades of artificial grass. The commonly used infill types in the marketplace are sand and rubber, and they can either be used singly or together. It is possible to have your artificial turfs installed either with or without infill. Infill installation is the last step in artificial grass installation, and we may notice that our grass already looks great and wonder why we need infill at all. However, it is important to know what infill actually does and how important it is in artificial grass.

What is the purpose of infill?

We add infill to synthetic turfs for a variety of reasons:

  • Protection barrier. For pet lovers, this is reason enough why you should add infill to your artificial turfs. This is because it serves as a barrier to protecting the turf fibers and backing from your pets’ sharp claws and other detrimental objects.  The turf backing is not easily destroyed, but it is advisable to have an extra layer of protection just in case.
  • Serves as ballast. This means it is installed to provide extra weight on the turf to help keep it in place and more secured. In extreme heat or cold, synthetic turfs tend to expand or shrink, which leads to the formation of wrinkles that ruin the turfs’ natural aesthetic. The infill can be used in preventing the wrinkles that occur from changing temperatures.
  • Fiber support. Synthetic turfs need added support to prevent the grass from falling flat by keeping the grass blades upright.

The most popular type of infill product used in many landscape turf applications is silica sand due to its low cost. When your lawn is used as a playground, it is important to add granular rubber infill to your artificial turf, mainly for shock absorbency. For people who keep pets, then it is necessary to install a non-absorbent infill. Avoid installing sand as it will retain pet urine, bacteria, or smell and later compact.

Extra dense or short stuff may not need infill. This is because there is minimal space between the blades to distribute infill. A short turf will have greater tensile strength in a compact height and stand tall without infill.

Infill is not desirable for indoor use. This is where choosing the densest possible turfs is recommended. This is necessary to avoid the dislodgement of granules that will scatter out of the turf where you don’t want them.

There are several factors to consider before installing infill onto your artificial turf. For landscape and play areas, it is recommended that you use silica land infill to make the system more stable, durable, and flexible. It is important to consult with an installer to know whether your artificial grass needs infill or not.