In a nutshell, your turfs’ face weight will determine the quality, feel, and durability of your artificial grass. The term face weight is simply the weight in ounces of the grass fibers and stitching measured per square yard of turf.

When deciding which type of turf you will need for your project, understanding how different face weight values affect the look, feel and durability is an important consideration. The face weight does not account for any of the filler or backing material, so face weight is only one of many considerations when shopping for the right turf.

How Face Weight Affects Turf Quality

The characteristics vary drastically across the spectrum of artificial grasses. If you are looking for less turf maintenance and increased ability to handle foot-traffic, a higher face weight -denser, more closely knit fibers- will tend to achieve this goal. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a lower face weight is the ideal choice for achieving quality aesthetic appeal that will experience lower foot traffic.

To better understand how face weight affects the turf quality, imagine a basket that is tightly woven (high face weight) versus a basket that is loosely woven (low face weight). The denser basket with the closely-knit fibers has less shifting and is held together tightly. This leads to increased strength, but a corresponding price tag to match since more materials are used in the production process.

With the lighter face weights, the illusion of fresh grass is still created without the higher price tag. Ideal for a backyard or lawn that won’t generally have kids or pets trampling on it regularly.

Other Considerations When Selecting A Turf

While the face weight is a major factor when choosing the correct turf, it is equally important to select the correct type of grass, backing, and filler. For sport and practice fields, a shorter trimmed grass with softer, more pliable backing can help to prevent sports injuries. If the field will be used for sporting activities that are less likely to involve contact with the ground, a less springy and more supportive backing may be ideal.

With so many different factors to consider, seeking guidance from our turf company before you begin work on your project is a great first step. Tell us all about your project and we’ll be glad to help you find the perfect turf.