Why Is Infill Used In Artificial Grass

A lot of the concerns over artificial turf comes about because of the supposed toxicity of the rubber crumb that is used by the majority of artificial grass manufacturers. So the question that may need to be answered for some people is, why is infill required for artificial turf?

Now, just to be clear, infill is not needed for all artificial grass. The type of artificial grass we are talking about here is actually more properly known as artificial turf and is used on sporting fields and in playgrounds.

Infill may either be comprised of sand, rubber granules, a combination of both or, most recently, thermoplastics. Infill serves two purposes. It helps to structure the artificial grass fibers, helping them to stand upright and act like natural grass, without the infill the polyethylene turf would lie flat against the ground. The second purpose is to provide a cushioned surface for those using the field.

Some manufacturers are coming up with more innovative ways to move away from the use of rubber crumb particles as infill. The use of texturized nylon gives a more stable surface that isn't susceptible to becoming displaced by adverse weather or heavy foot traffic.

Landscaping synthetic grass does not require the type of infill that is commonly used by sporting fields. Doing so will make it look less like a lawn and more like a spotty carpet. Synthetic grass with a woven infill system would be the desired choice for a landscape synthetic grass solution. This removes all of the problems associated with using rubber granules as the infill and makes using synthetic grass for problem yards a real option.