Artificial turf looks fantastic and is perfect for replacing thirsty lawns with something that always looks beautiful, never needs water, and eliminates mud-covered kids and pets.

However, not all synthetic grass is created equal. To determine the best choice for your specific garden or outdoor living space, it is essential to understand what to look out for in terms of thickness.

Pile Height

When shopping for thick artificial grass, pile height is an essential factor to consider. This refers to how tall the synthetic turf blades are, and it can significantly impact how natural-looking and attractive your lawn will be. It also determines how well your turf can handle use and traffic.

For example, high-traffic areas like professional athletic fields require a higher pile height to withstand constant foot traffic. Similarly, homeowners who want synthetic grass to look lush and luxurious choose longer blades. However, these longer blades can flatten out quickly when trodden on. This can ruin the aesthetic and cause the turf to feel hard on bare feet. For this reason, we only recommend choosing a longer pile for low-traffic areas.

While pile height is a primary consideration, other factors, such as density and stitch rate, can affect the quality of artificial grass. These are important because they determine if you can see the primary backing of your synthetic grass when looking from the front side.

The primary backing of most synthetic grass is a woven polypropylene fabric that allows the synthetic grass fibres to be tufted into it in rows. This allows for seamless transitions between artificial turf patches, making seaming much more accessible and creating a more unified look. Secondary backings are used to hold the synthetic grass in place and provide support to the primary license. The most common secondary backings for artificial grass are latex and polyurethane coatings.

These backings are placed on either side of the synthetic grass to keep the fibres in place and prevent them from coming out of the surface. They also allow the grass to bend and bounce back more naturally, enhancing the performance of your lawn.

One final thing to note is that the type of thick artificial grass you purchase may vary slightly in colour, depending on the manufacturing process. This is because different rolls of artificial grass can have other dyes, affecting how the grass looks from the front and back sides. Ask the manufacturer about this if you’re shopping for a specific look.

Pile Density

Artificial grass is an excellent alternative to traditional lawns, saving homeowners the time and effort of watering and mowing. It can also look just as good, provide a more comfortable experience for children and pets, and be a great addition to any garden design. But with a large variety of different products available, choosing suitable artificial turf can be a little tricky. The two main factors to consider are pile height and density.

Pile height is the vertical distance between individual fibres of a synthetic grass product. Grass with a higher pile height will look and feel more like natural grass as it is thicker. For example, hay with a pile height of 40mm will have a luxurious feeling underfoot compared to a 20mm product. In most cases, our customers choose a pile height between 25mm and 45mm as this balances aesthetics and practicality.

Similarly to pile height, face weight is an indicator of the quality and durability of a particular product. A high face weight generally means that the yarn fibres are denser and sturdier, resulting in the turf having a longer lifespan than a low-face-weight product.

It is important to note that face weight only relates to the density of the yarn and does not include the thatch layer. Thatch is the additional fibre replicating the dead grass underlayer of an actual front or back garden and can be a crucial part of a realistic-looking artificial lawn.

Finally, it is worth noting that while a high weight per square metre is often considered an indication of a good product, it should always be combined with a reasonable stitch rate and gauge. If a product is manufactured with a very high stitch rate and a poor gauge, concealing the seams can be difficult, making your artificial lawn look less convincing.

Finally, it is essential to remember that thick artificial grass should be laid on a good base and infilled regularly. This helps with drainage, prevents urine from soaking into the turf and creating foul smells, and gives the grass a bouncier feel, making it more comfortable for pets and children to play on.

Stitch Rate

The stitch rate is a crucial indicator of the quality and durability of your turf. A higher stitch rate means more stitches per square metre of grass, leading to a denser, thicker turf. In addition, a lush lawn will be more durable and less likely to wear down over time. It’s important to discuss your artificial grass requirements and budget with a landscaping designer or professional turf installer so that you can find suitable artificial grass for you.