What thickness of artificial grass is best?

When choosing artificial turf, you'll undoubtedly consider the question of "turf thickness." You might think: the thickest one must be the best, most comfortable, and most durable. However, this is like a misconception—thinking that the larger the engine displacement of a car, the better, while ignoring fuel consumption, intended use, and driving scenarios.

In fact, the "optimal thickness" of artificial turf depends on your intended use, performance requirements, and budget.

What makes up the thickness of synthetic turf?

1. Grass Fiber Height

The vertical distance from the base fabric to the tip of the grass fiber is the most prominent figure on the product specification sheet.

Influencing Factors:

• Aesthetics and Realism: Higher grass fiber height better simulates the natural drape and density of natural grass.
• Softness Underfoot: Higher grass fiber height provides more cushioning space when stepped on, resulting in a softer initial feel.
• Performance and Maintenance: Excessively high and insufficiently dense grass fiber height makes the grass prone to flattening and fraying, and more likely to trap leaves and other debris; too low a height results in a cheap, plasticky appearance and insufficient cushioning.

2. Overall Thickness

This is the true "usable thickness." It consists of the grass fiber height + infill thickness + cushioning pad.

Influencing Factors:

• Sports Safety: For sports fields, international standards (such as FIFA) primarily assess the entire system's ability to absorb the impact of falls. This is mainly achieved through the infill layer and specialized cushioning pad, which is crucial for preventing sports injuries.
• Durability and Resilience: A high-quality infill layer can anchor the grass fiber roots, preventing premature wear and lodging, and ensuring that the rebound of balls conforms to the laws of motion.
• Drainage Performance: The overall structure of the turf, especially the type of underlay and the gradation of the infill, determines how quickly rainwater can drain away.

Choose the best thickness for different purposes

The thickness of artificial turf directly affects its comfort, durability and visual effect. Whether it is used in stadiums, landscape decoration or home courtyards, a reasonable thickness can ensure the best use experience. Too thin artificial turf may lack cushioning effect, while too thick turf may affect sports performance and increase costs and maintenance difficulties. Therefore, when choosing artificial turf, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the purpose of the venue, budget and usage requirements to find the most suitable thickness.

Artificial turf for stadiums-durability and sports performance

For high-intensity sports venues such as football fields and rugby fields, the thickness of artificial turf is usually selected between 30mm-50mm. This thickness can provide good cushioning performance, reduce the risk of injury when athletes fall, and ensure the bounce and rolling effect of the ball. For example:

Football field

The recommended thickness is 40mm-50mm, high-density grass fibers enhance wear resistance, and can be filled with quartz sand and rubber particles to improve shock absorption.

Golf course greens

usually use 12mm-15mm high-density short grass to ensure smooth rolling of the putter ball.

Tennis courts and multi-purpose sports fields

suitable for 18mm-30mm thickness, providing moderate elasticity and friction.

Artificial turf for landscape decoration - both beauty and naturalness

Artificial turf used in gardens, courtyards, roof terraces, commercial landscapes and other environments mainly emphasizes beauty and comfort, and generally chooses a thickness of 20mm-40mm:

20mm-30mm: suitable for lightweight landscapes such as balconies, courtyards, rooftop greening, etc., easy to clean and maintain.

35mm-40mm: closer to natural lawns, suitable for gardens, parks and other areas, providing a softer foot feel and natural visual effects.

For landscape lawns, in addition to thickness, grass density and color matching should also be considered to enhance simulation and overall appearance.

Indoor carpet-style artificial turf - soft and comfortable, suitable for home and commercial places

In gyms, children's play areas, exhibition venues or pet areas, artificial turf should not only be durable, but also have a certain cushioning effect. The recommended thickness is 10mm-30mm:

10mm-20mm: suitable for indoor decoration and exhibition carpets, easy to clean, and provide basic cushioning effect.

25mm-30mm: suitable for gyms and children's play areas, increase comfort and reduce injuries when falling.

If used in pet activity areas, it is recommended to choose high-density wear-resistant materials and match them with appropriate drainage design to clean up pet excrement.

Other factors affecting the selection of artificial turf thickness

In addition to thickness, there are several key factors that affect the performance of artificial turf:

Material type: PE (polyethylene) is softer and suitable for landscape and football fields; PP (polypropylene) is harder and suitable for golf greens and tennis courts.

Density and grass length: High-density lawns are more durable, and the length of grass determines the foot feel and visual effect.

Filler: For sports fields, rubber particles or quartz sand are usually added to improve shock absorption and anti-slip properties.

How to Choose the Right Thickness?

Still unsure? Follow this simple decision-making process:

Step 1: Define Your Primary Purpose

Ask yourself: Is it for decoration, leisure, children's play, or professional sports? This is the first question to consider.

Step 2: Budget Range

The price of artificial turf is directly proportional to the height, density, and material of the grass fibers. Define your budget to avoid getting lost among numerous options.

Step 3: Evaluate Performance (What Do You Need Most?)

A. Safety and Comfort (Highest Priority) → Prefer medium height (30-40mm) + Consider adding safety cushioning pads.

B. Durability and Low Maintenance → Prioritize medium height, high density, and good adhesive backing, and ensure proper infill.

C. Professional Sports Performance → Consult a professional contractor immediately; UNIGRASS offers integrated services.

Find the best thickness to ensure the best use experience

Artificial turf for different purposes has different requirements for thickness. The following is a summary of recommended thickness:

Football field: 40mm-50mm, durable and shock-absorbing.

Golf course green: 12mm-15mm, high-density short grass to ensure ball speed.

Courtyard and park: 30mm-40mm, high simulation, comfortable and natural.

Balcony and roof greening: 20mm-30mm, light and easy to maintain.

Gym and children's play area: 25mm-30mm, with buffer protection.

Comprehensively consider the use needs, budget and maintenance costs, and choose the appropriate thickness to ensure that artificial turf can play the best effect in various environments and bring users a comfortable, durable and beautiful experience.