The artificial grass market has expanded enormously in Australia over the past decade — and with that expansion has come a wide range of quality levels, from genuinely excellent products to cheap imports that look passable in the showroom but deteriorate quickly in real-world Australian conditions. Knowing what to look for before you buy is the difference between a synthetic lawn that looks great and performs well for 15 years, and one that fades, flattens, and disappoints within five. This guide covers the key things to assess.
1. What to look for.
Pile Height — Match It to the Application
Pile height (the length of the grass blades) is one of the most visible product specifications and one of the most important to get right for your application. As a general guide:
- 20–25mm: Low profile, neat finish. Best for pool surrounds, balconies, high-traffic areas, and sports applications like putting greens
- 30mm: Balanced option. Best for pet areas and family backyards where appearance and practicality need to be balanced
- 35mm: Lush, premium look. Best for residential lawns where aesthetics are the priority and pet use is moderate
Longer is not automatically better. In heavy pet use areas, longer pile is harder to clean and maintain. In high-traffic areas, it flattens more readily. Match the pile height to how the area will actually be used.
2. Yarn Quality and Fibre Shape
Not all synthetic grass yarn is equal. The quality of the polyethylene (PE) used, the fibre cross-section shape, and the manufacturing process all affect how the turf looks, feels, and holds up over time.
Fibre shape matters more than many people realise. Flat, ribbon-like fibres are the cheapest to manufacture but lie flat easily and have an obviously artificial appearance. C-shaped and S-shaped fibres have engineered cross-sections that give them more structural resilience — they spring back better after compression, stand more naturally upright, and create a more realistic appearance. Look for products that specify their fibre shape; those that don’t usually have flat ribbon fibres.
Multi-colour yarn is another important quality indicator. Cheap turf often uses a single green colour that creates a flat, obviously artificial look. Quality products blend multiple yarn colours — greens, browns, and sometimes olive tones — to replicate the natural colour variation of real grass. The difference in realism is immediately apparent when products are placed side by side.
3. UV Stabilisation — Critical for Queensland
UV degradation is the enemy of synthetic turf longevity in Queensland. The UV intensity here is among the highest in the world — significantly higher than Europe or North America, where many products are designed and tested. UV stabilisers incorporated into the yarn during manufacturing slow the degradation of polymer chains that causes fading, brittleness, and eventual fibre breakdown.
Every supplier will claim their product is UV-stabilised, but there’s a significant difference between products that include meaningful UV stabilisation for Australian conditions and those with minimal UV treatment designed for European UV levels. Ask specifically whether the product is UV-tested and rated for Australian conditions. Quality suppliers will be able to answer this clearly.
4. Backing System — Durability and Drainage
The backing holds the turf fibres in place and determines how the product drains and how long the structural integrity of the turf lasts. There are several things to assess:
Single vs double backing: A double-backed turf has two layers of backing material — significantly stronger and more durable than a single-backed product. All Australis Grass products are double-backed as a minimum standard.
Drainage holes: Pre-punched drainage holes in the backing allow liquid to drain through efficiently. The density and distribution of these holes affects drainage performance — more holes, more evenly distributed, means better drainage.
Pet-specific backing: For homes with dogs, look for products with bacteria-resistant backing (PU backing with antimicrobial treatment) that actively resists the bacterial growth that causes odour in pet areas. Standard backing doesn’t have this property.
100% permeable backing: Our K9 Cool Supreme goes further than drainage holes — the backing itself is fully permeable, so liquid passes through the entire backing surface rather than only through discrete holes. This is the best drainage performance available.
5. Stitch Rate and Pile Density
Stitch rate refers to how many fibres per square metre are stitched into the backing. A higher stitch rate means a denser, fuller turf that looks more realistic, recovers better after compression, and generally lasts longer. Low stitch rate products look sparse and artificial — you can often see the backing through the pile when the grass is pushed aside.
A product with a high enough stitch rate won’t require sand infill in residential applications — the density of the fibres provides enough structure without it. If a supplier is insisting you need sand infill for a standard residential lawn application, it’s often an indicator that the stitch rate is too low.
6. Warranty — What’s Covered and for How Long
The warranty on synthetic turf tells you two things: how confident the manufacturer is in the product, and what protection you have if it doesn’t perform as expected. Key things to check:
- Length: A 7-year warranty is our standard — less than this on a supposedly premium product is a warning sign
- What’s covered: Does it cover colour fading? Backing deterioration? Fibre loss? Read the specific inclusions
- What’s excluded: Reflected heat damage, deliberate damage, and improper installation are standard exclusions. Be wary of warranties with extensive exclusions that undermine the core coverage
- Who backs it: A warranty is only as good as the company standing behind it. A local supplier who stocks locally and has been operating for years is a far more reliable warranty backstop than an unknown online importer
7. Safety Certifications — REACH and RoHS
If the turf is going into a space used by children or pets, chemical safety certifications matter. REACH and RoHS certification are the gold standard — they confirm that the product has been independently tested and found free from restricted harmful substances including heavy metals, toxic dyes, and other chemicals. Not all synthetic turf products carry these certifications. All Australis Grass products do.
8. Local Stock vs Online Import
Buying from a local supplier who stocks product on the ground — rather than ordering from an interstate warehouse or importing directly — offers several practical advantages: you can see and feel the product before buying, you can get it same day without freight delays, and you have a real person to call if you have questions during installation or need advice after the fact. These things matter more than most buyers anticipate when they’re comparing a local price to an online price.
At Australis Grass, we stock locally in Baringa and are happy to talk through any of the above with you before you buy. Samples are available so you can see and feel the difference between products before committing. Give Wayne a call on 0468 700 902 or drop into our warehouse at Unit 6/11 Packer Road, Baringa QLD 4551.
