What is the "Backing" on Artificial Turf?

Artificial grass backing is vital for the stability, durability, and overall quality of synthetic turf. It keeps the grass blades securely in place, preventing them from being pulled out and providing strength and durability to the artificial grass. Opting for a high-quality backing with ample latex or polyurethane content ensures a robust and long-lasting turf that resists yarn loss, thinning, breaking, cracking, and layer separation.

A low-quality backing can cause some serious issues over time. Yarn loss and thinning of the turf fibers can become a real headache. Some manufacturers try to cut costs by reducing the amount of latex or polyurethane in the secondary layer of the backing, but that compromises the strength and longevity of the turf.

The backing material of artificial grass typically consists of two layers – the primary and secondary backing. Each layer serves a unique purpose in maintaining the integrity of the turf. By gaining an understanding of these components and the advantages and disadvantages of each coating, you can make an informed choice when selecting the right backing for your artificial grass.

Investing in a superior backing not only enhances the performance of your synthetic turf but also ensures its long-term appeal and functionality. Don’t compromise on quality – choose the backing that guarantees a vibrant, durable, and enduring artificial grass surface.

Turf Backing

1. Primary Backing

The primary backing consists of woven or non-woven fabric made from high-strength polyester or polypropylene. It provides a foundation for the synthetic grass fibers to be tufted into rows and facilitates seaming between panels. Three common types of primary backing include:

• One layer of polypropylene fabric + One layer of net fabric

• One layer of polypropylene fabric + One layer of non-woven fabric

• Two layers of polypropylene fabrics

2. Secondary Backing:

The secondary backing is applied to permanently secure the tufts and enhance the stability of the artificial turf system. The most commonly used coating materials are latex and polyurethane.

Natural latex, extracted from 10% of flowering plants, is a milky white liquid. It’s primarily harvested from the Hevea-Brasiliensis tree, also known as the rubber tree. Through a process called rubber tapping, a small incision is made in the latex vessel, and the collected results resemble the gathering of maple syrup from a maple tree. Native to South America, rubber trees thrive in hotter climates, making South America and Southeast Asia major sources of natural latex.

The difficult to source nature of natural latex led to the development of synthetic latex, a man-made compound designed to imitate the properties of natural latex. Instead of coming from rubber trees, synthetic latex is produced from petrochemicals. The most common type used in the production of synthetic grass is SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber).

Latex or SBR (Styrene-Butadiene Rubber) coating offers several key features that make it a popular choice for artificial turf backing:

• Durability: It withstands heavy foot traffic and outdoor conditions, ensuring long-lasting performance.
• Stability: A latex coating securely holds grass fibers in place, maintaining the appearance and functionality of the turf.
• Cost-effectiveness: Latex provides a balance between durability and affordability, making it suitable for various applications.
• Versatility: Latex is compatible with different types of grass fibers and infill materials.

During World War II, polyurethane was developed as a substitute for rubber and used to coat aircraft. Although initially challenging to obtain, it is now widely used in various applications, including footwear, fridge freezers, steel railway carriages, wooden furniture, and automotive gaskets.

Polyurethanes, which are polymers, consist of interconnected three-dimensional structures comprising repeating monomer units. Other well-known polymers include nylon, silicone, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene.

Polyurethane possesses several properties that make it an ideal material for manufacturing artificial grass. It provides robust bonding, ensuring the individual grass fibers stay in place and enhancing their durability. Its strength and resilience make it resistant to wear and tear, making it perfect for heavy foot traffic. Additionally, its flexibility simplifies the installation process, not to mention its lightweight nature.

Overall, polyurethane is a versatile material with exceptional qualities that enhance the performance and longevity of artificial grass. Polyurethane is the preferred modern alternative to rubber because it offers greater versatility, strength, flexibility and durability. It’s also resistant to UV rays, chemicals and water, making it invaluable in outdoor synthetic grass applications.

A polyurethane coating offers several advantages over other materials:
• Flexibility: Polyurethane is incredibly moldable and flexible, making it ideal for custom synthetic grass projects, especially those with uneven terrain or awkwardly shaped areas.
• Ease of Installation: Since polyurethane is thinner and more manageable than other backing materials, pieces of turf can be cut and adhered to one another much more easily.
• Durability: Compared to other backing materials such as latex or rubber, polyurethane does not crumble or degrade and has routinely held up better in aging tests. A polyurethane backing will help extend the lifespan of your synthetic grass.
• Temperature Resistance: Polyurethane can generally withstand temperatures ranging from 80° F – 194° F without breaking down.

Why is the Backing so Important?

When selecting artificial grass, it’s crucial to consider the quality of the backing. The backing serves as the glue that holds everything together. During the manufacturing process, the fibers (yarn) are tufted to a backing membrane, which is then coated in latex or polyurethane. Opting for synthetic turf with a subpar backing can lead to various issues.

One potential problem is excessive loss of yarn, where the fibers detach from the backing. This results in a progressively thinning pile, creating a patchy and sparse artificial lawn that cannot withstand foot traffic. Due to the sparse pile, the synthetic fibers remain in a permanent horizontal position.

Choosing fake grass with high-quality backing ensures a durable and visually appealing lawn that can handle daily use. Remember, quality backing is the backbone of a long-lasting and resilient synthetic turf.

How is Backing Strength Measured?

Backing strength is measured using newtons to determine the force required to extract a fiber from the backing material. For the majority of turf applications, we recommend choosing a product with a minimum force of 30 newtons to ensure minimal yarn loss. This will allow the turf to endure heavy usage, including sports activities and the playful antics of dogs and pets.

How Does the Backing Allow Water to Drain Through?

Artificial grass products are designed to drain water in one of two ways depending on their intended application. The most common type of drainage is a hole-punched or “perforated” backing, which provides adequate drainage for most residential and commercial applications. The other type of drainage is a fully permeable or “non-perforated” backing that allows water to pass through any point in the backing, making it ideal for pet-friendly applications. To learn more about the differences between hole-punched and fully-permeable backings, head over to our turf drainage page.

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