Artificial grass types are easier to understand once you stop thinking of turf as a single product. A pet lawn, a putting green and a soccer field all use tufted fibers in a backing, but the fiber, pile height, density, backing, infill and base are all different. Pick the wrong category and the surface mats, smells, drains poorly or rolls badly no matter how well it was laid. The installers Sports Turf Manager works with start every project by matching turf type to use, then matching base and infill to that turf. This guide lays out the main categories and what each one needs underneath.
What makes artificial grass types different
Every synthetic turf is built from fibers, a backing they are tufted through, a coating that locks them in, and usually an infill. The categories differ in how those parts are specified.
- Fiber material. Polyethylene (PE) is soft and realistic and dominates landscape and pet turf. Nylon is stiff and resilient, used for putting greens. Polypropylene (PP) is the least durable, used for thatch layers and some putting surfaces.
- Fiber shape. Flat fibers lie down; shaped fibers (C, W, S, diamond) stand up and reflect less light, which makes landscape turf look natural.
- Pile height. From under half an inch on a green to more than two inches on a football field.
- Backing. Standard perforated latex or polyurethane, or a fully permeable woven backing for pets and heavy rain.
- Infill. Silica sand, coated or antimicrobial sand, crumb rubber, organic materials like cork or walnut, or none at all.
The main types of artificial turf compared
| Type | Typical pile | Fiber | Infill | Base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape turf | 1.5 to 2 in | PE with PP thatch | Silica or coated sand | 3 to 4 in compacted aggregate |
| Pet turf | 1 to 1.5 in | PE, dense face | Antimicrobial or zeolite-blend infill | Open aggregate, fully permeable, often with drainage pad |
| Putting green turf | 0.5 to 0.75 in | Nylon or PP, textured | Fine sand, light | Laser-graded compacted fines |
| Sports field turf | 2 to 2.5 in | PE monofilament or slit film | Rubber and sand, or alternative | Engineered stone base with drainage and shock pad |
| Playground turf | 1.5 to 2 in | PE | Sand or none | Aggregate plus fall-rated foam pad |
| Indoor and rooftop turf | 0.5 to 1.25 in | PE or nylon | None or light sand | Drainage mat or bonded pad on slab or deck |
Landscape turf is what most homeowners mean by artificial grass: a tall green fiber with a curly tan thatch layer for depth, installed over a compacted aggregate base with a weed barrier and sand infill. It is the right choice for yards without heavy pet use.
Pet turf trades some realism for function: a shorter pile that is easy to rinse, a dense face that does not mat under paws, a fully permeable backing so urine passes straight through, an antimicrobial infill and a more open base.
Putting green turf has a very short, dense pile that lets a ball roll on the fiber tips. Nylon versions are faster and more durable than polypropylene, and the base is graded to tighter tolerances than any lawn.
Sports turf uses a long pile with deep infill of rubber and sand or organic alternatives, over a shock pad and an engineered drainage base, and is tested for hardness and traction.
Specialty turf covers playground systems with fall-rated padding, rooftop and deck products on drainage mats, and indoor training turf with bonded pads and no infill.
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Why each type needs its own base and infill
This is the part that gets skipped when turf is sold as a commodity. The product is only half the system.
Pet turf over a standard base with plain silica sand drains slowly and starts to smell; the same turf over open aggregate with zeolite-blended infill performs as designed. Tall landscape turf relies on sand infill for ballast; skip it and the turf mats and wrinkles within a year. A green with too much infill is sandy and slow; too little and footprints show.
Sports turf is the extreme case: a base designed for drainage in inches per hour, a shock pad to keep hardness within safe limits, and infill depth specified to the fiber height. None of that translates to a backyard, and a backyard product will not survive cleats.
Wet or special environments add another layer. Turf installed around a pool needs a backing and infill that tolerate constant splashing and chlorinated water, plus a base that drains fast enough that the deck never stays soggy. And turf going on concrete cannot use a nailed perimeter or an aggregate base at all; it depends on a drainage pad and adhesive, which changes which products are suitable.
Pro tip: when you request samples, ask the installer which base and infill they would use with each one and why. If the answer is the same for every sample, keep looking.
Choosing types of artificial turf for a backyard
Most residential projects come down to a few questions.
- Who uses it most?Dogs point to pet turf. Kids and entertaining point to landscape turf with a good shock-absorbing base or pad. Golfers want a putting green with a landscape fringe.
- How much sun and heat?Full-sun yards in hot climates benefit from lighter color blends and fibers designed to run cooler. Shaded yards can use darker, more saturated greens.
- How does the site drain?Clay soil, low spots or a concrete slab change the base design, which in turn narrows the turf choices to products with the right backing.
- Mixed uses?Many yards use two products: pet turf in a dog run and landscape turf for the main lawn, seamed carefully where they meet.
The installer’s job is to turn those answers into a product, base depth, drainage plan and infill spec that work together. A crew that walks the site, checks the soil and asks how the yard is used is doing that job. For a lawn that is matched correctly from the ground up, start with professional turf installation by vetted local crews.
Types of artificial turf FAQ
What are the different types of artificial turf?
Landscape, pet, putting green, sports field and specialty turf for playgrounds, rooftops, decks and indoor training. Each has a distinct fiber, pile height, infill and base specification.
What type of artificial turf grass is best for a backyard?
For a family yard without heavy dog use, a landscape turf with shaped PE fibers, a thatch layer and 1.5 to 2 inch pile over a compacted aggregate base. Add a pet turf zone if dogs use the yard daily.
Which types of artificial turf for backyard dogs?
Pet turf: shorter dense pile, fully permeable backing, antimicrobial infill and an open-draining base. Standard landscape turf over a standard base tends to hold odor.
The complete turf installation guide
What a quality install looks like, the eight installation steps, spec sheets, and how to choose an installer.