Over-speccing costs the client money for performance the area never uses. Under-speccing costs you a callback. Both come from starting with the spec sheet instead of starting with the job.
This is the order of questions the trade desk works through when a contractor asks which line fits.
Choosing a line from the use case
Work from the site toward the sheet, not the other way round.
- 1. Name the primary use. Ornamental, family lawn, pets, play, putting or commercial traffic. One primary use; list the others as secondary.
- 2. Find where traffic concentrates. Lanes, gates, entries and play zones decide the spec more than the average of the area.
- 3. Set pile height from use and view. Taller piles read lush from a distance; shorter piles recover better underfoot and in lanes.
- 4. Set face weight from traffic. More yarn stands up better under repeated traffic. Where traffic is light, a heavier face weight adds little.
- 5. Check backing against the site. Match the backing construction to the use and to the published product guidance for that line.
- 6. Confirm against the warranty terms. Make sure the use sits inside the published warranty terms and any stated approved use.
Signs a job is over-specced
- Heavy face weight on a view-only area. Side yards, slopes and planters that nobody walks on gain nothing from extra yarn.
- Tall pile where it will be walked flat. A tall landscape line in a busy lane looks worse by year two than a shorter line would.
- One product for every zone. On larger sites, a traffic-lane line and a landscape line can serve different zones better than one compromise.
Signs a job is under-specced
- Landscape line in a play or pet area. Areas with daily, concentrated use need a line built for it.
- Choosing on colour alone. A sample that looks right in the hand says nothing about how it recovers under traffic.
- Ignoring the use the warranty states. If the application sits outside the published terms, the spec is wrong regardless of the figures.
The right spec is the lightest one that holds up in the busiest part of the job.
Quick reference
| Use | What usually drives the choice |
|---|---|
| Ornamental / low traffic | Appearance and pile height |
| Family lawn | Balance of pile height and recovery |
| Pets | Recovery, backing and the pet-area guidance |
| Play areas | Recovery under concentrated use |
| Commercial walkways | Shorter pile, heavier face weight |
| Putting | A purpose-built putting line |
Common questions
- Is a heavier face weight always better?
- No. Face weight matters where traffic is heavy and repeated. On view-only or light-use areas a heavier face weight adds little.
- What pile height should I specify?
- It depends on use and view. Taller piles read lush from a distance; shorter piles recover better where people walk every day.
- Can I use different lines on one site?
- Yes, and on larger sites it is often the better specification. Plan the transition line and pile direction carefully.
- Does Superior Turf Direct install?
- No. Superior supplies materials only and never installs.
Not sure which line fits? Call the trade desk at (619) 717-1342 with the use case and the layout.
Related pages
Superior Turf Direct supplies materials only and does not install. We are not licensed as contractors in California, Nevada, or Arizona, and we do not hold ourselves out as contractors in any state. Installation must be performed by an appropriately licensed contractor where the law requires one. cslb.ca.gov
Installed performance depends on base preparation, compaction, drainage design, seaming, fastening, infill selection where applicable, site conditions, subsurface drainage, traffic, weather, and maintenance — none of which is supplied or controlled by Superior. Read the full disclaimer.