When choosing which artificial grass product to install in their home, many clients, understandably, choose turf based on its appearance and feel. However, visual appeal isn’t the whole picture when it comes to something as functionally driven as synthetic grass landscaping.

Ignoring the backing quality when choosing your turf product can lead to long-term drainage issues in your yard, as well as other functional problems, so carefully consider artificial grass backing quality and which backing technology is best for your project’s needs before beginning your turf installation.

Non-Permeable Backing
A non-permeable backing does not allow water to pass through the turf and into the base. This type of turf backing is never advised for landscape applications, but it is commonly found in synthetic grass products specifically made for putting green and bocce ball use.

This is because both games require a very dense turf and high quantities of infill, making traditional drainage very difficult to incorporate. If you were to punch a hole into putting green turf, as is done in traditional permeable backings, there would be visible sections of turf missing. Since putting green turf’s low pile height and high density makes the missing sections obvious, non-permeable backings are typically reserved for these applications.

Hole-Punch Backing
Hole-punch backing is the industry standard for most synthetic grass products. In these products, the polyurethane backing is perforated regularly to allow for water drainage and airflow.

When installing artificial turf with a hole-punch backing, contractors typically incorporate a system like AirDrain, which creates a 1-inch air void underneath your artificial turf. By elevating the synthetic turf, the water can drain more easily through the holes, and the air is allowed to circulate, keeping surface temperatures lower and discouraging the growth of any contaminants.

All Synthetic Grass Warehouse products with 13 Pic, 15 Pic and K29 triple-layered backings use hole-punch technology to enable drainage. These turf varieties — which include our best-selling landscape turf products, including the Cascade series, Emerald series, Malibu series and more — all drain at a rate of over 30 inches per hour per square yard.

Flow-Through Backing
Flow-through backing is one of the newest and most advanced backing technologies on the market. Synthetic turf products with flow-through backings have 100 percent permeability, allowing liquids to drain uniformly throughout the turf instead of through periodically placed holes. This results in an unprecedented drainage rate of hundreds of inches per hour. Because of this, turf with an efficient flow-through backing is crucial for high-bacteria areas such as pet-friendly yards, playgrounds or athletic fields.

SGW’s new K29 quadruple-layered backing combines the efficiency of flow-through backing with the reliability of hole-punch backing for an industry innovator that combines the best of both worlds. This ultra-permeable backing allows water and fluids to drain at a rate of more than 400 inches per hour per square yard. Found in our most high-performance turf varieties, including TigerTurf Pet Turf, Playground series and Sierra series, SGW’s K29 quadruple-layered backing is the premier choice for installations that need extraordinary levels of durability and functionality.

If you want only the highest-quality artificial turf backing on the market, speak to your installer or contact your local Synthetic Grass Warehouse location today. We can help you find the perfect synthetic grass products for your home or business. Synthetic Grass Warehouse has been an industry leader for more than 20 years, helping distributors, installers and homeowners alike with all of their artificial grass installation needs. To find out more about artificial grass wholesale or to receive guidance with your next turf grass installation, contact your local Synthetic Grass Warehouse facility today.