A turf specification sheet carries fifteen to twenty figures, and most buying decisions come down to three or four of them. Knowing which three depends entirely on the job: the number that decides a shaded side yard is not the number that decides a practice green.
This guide covers the figures that appear on every spec sheet in the trade, what each one measures, and the conditions under which it becomes the deciding factor.
Pile height
The length of the blade from the backing to the tip, stated in inches. Our range runs from 0.75 in on the putting line up to 2 in on the tallest landscape line.
Taller pile reads lusher when it is new and holds more infill. It also lays over sooner under traffic, and once it lays over it does not fully stand back up. Shorter pile looks tidier and closer-cropped, and it keeps that look far longer on a path, a dog run or a play surface.
Pile height is an appearance decision on a low-traffic lawn and a durability decision everywhere else.
Face weight
Ounces of yarn per square yard, excluding the backing, written as oz/sq yd. Our landscape lines run from 60 to 88 oz/sq yd. This is the figure that correlates most closely with density, with roll weight, and with what the material costs.
Heavier face weight means more yarn standing in the same area: fuller underfoot, better recovery, more resistance to matting. Lighter face weight is not a lesser product — on a large commercial area where the budget is fixed before the design is, a lighter roll covers more ground and weighs meaningfully less to move.
Compare face weight against face weight. Comparing a face weight on one sheet against a total weight on another is the most common error in turf buying, and it flatters the wrong product every time.
Total weight and the sum check
Total weight is the whole product per square yard: face yarn plus backing plus the coating. It gives you the single most useful sanity check available on any spec sheet in the market.
face weight + backing weight + coating = total weight
If the three do not add up to the stated total, something on that document is wrong. Ask before you specify it. This is a thirty-second check and it catches transcription errors on any brand's paperwork.
Gauge
The spacing between stitch rows across the width of the roll, written as a fraction of an inch. A 3/8 in gauge is the landscape standard. A 3/16 in gauge puts twice as many rows in the same width.
Tight gauge matters where the surface has to behave predictably rather than simply look right. Our putting line runs a 3/16 in gauge for exactly that reason: twice the stitch rows under the ball, and no thatch layer underneath to deflect a roll.
Dtex and filament shape
Dtex is the thickness of the individual filament. A paired value such as 9000/3000 tells you the product carries two different yarns — the face fibre and the thatch underneath it.
A heavier filament resists bending and abrasion on its own, without the product needing to carry more yarn overall. That is a different route to durability than raising the face weight, and on some lines it is the deliberate design choice.
Backing and permeability
The backing is the carrier the yarn is tufted through, plus the coating applied behind it to lock the tufts in. Two things about it affect your specification.
- Perforated backing. Holes punched at intervals through the coating. This is the standard landscape arrangement and it relies on the base beneath it to move water away.
- Fully permeable backing. Water passes through the whole backing area rather than only at the perforations. This is what our pet line carries, and it is the arrangement to specify where liquid needs to leave the surface across its whole area rather than at points.
- Coating condition. Whatever the backing, it only performs over a base that has been built and compacted correctly. The backing type is a material property; drainage on a finished job is a base question, and the base is the installer's work, not ours.
Which figure decides which job
| Job condition | The figure that decides it |
|---|---|
| Feature lawn, low traffic, appearance led | Pile height, then colour blend |
| Heavy foot traffic, path, commercial entry | Face weight, with a shorter pile |
| Large area, fixed budget | Face weight, balanced against roll weight and coverage |
| Full sun, inland or desert exposure | UV rating on the line, confirmed before you commit |
| Dog run or pet relief area | Backing permeability, then a short pile |
| Putting or practice surface | Gauge and pile height — a tight gauge and a short pile |
| Shade, north exposure, slope | Face weight, for a surface that stands up without sun |
Every line we stock is backed by the same limited warranty against UV fade and fibre loss, so the specification decision is about fit for the job rather than about coverage.
Common questions
- Is a higher face weight always better?
- No. Heavier face weight gives a fuller surface with better recovery, but a lighter roll covers more ground for the same material and weighs less to move. On a large area with a fixed budget, the lighter line is often the correct specification.
- What is the difference between face weight and total weight?
- Face weight is the yarn alone per square yard. Total weight adds the backing and the coating. Compare products on face weight — comparing a face weight against a total weight flatters the wrong product.
- What does gauge tell me?
- Gauge is the spacing between stitch rows. A 3/8 in gauge is the landscape standard; a 3/16 in gauge puts twice as many rows in the same width and is what a putting surface needs for a predictable roll.
- How long is the material warranted?
- Every line we stock carries our 16-year limited warranty against UV fade and fibre loss — 8 years of factory coverage plus 8 prorated years. Material has to be registered within 30 days of shipment.
Spec sheets for every line are on the product pages. If two lines look interchangeable on paper, call the trade desk at (619) 717-1342 and we will tell you where they actually differ on site.
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.