More homeowners are becoming interested in conserving water and spending less time maintaining their lawns by replacing their natural grass with artificial turf. While considering this option, it is common for folks to have lots of questions, particularly if they are not familiar with this landscaping product. One such question is whether or not synthetic grass has a pile direction.

The answer to this is that, yes, artificial grass has a directional pile, which means that the blades bend slightly in a single direction. This is important to know because it can make a big difference in achieving a satisfactory end result when installing a manufactured lawn.

In most cases, you want to make sure that all of the blades are bending in the same direction, which gives your lawn a more natural look. This is easy to achieve by unrolling and laying out your turf prior to installation, which you need to do anyway. It is particularly important if the size or shape of your lawn requires you to use more than one piece of turf, which will mean that you will have seams where the strips of turf connect. If you are using more than one piece of manufactured grass to create your new lawn, you will need to make sure that each piece has the grain going in the same direction. Otherwise, you will have noticeable seams.

Artificial grass directional pile is not something that most folks will even notice when looking at a properly installed lawn. However, if you have ever seen a synthetic turf lawn that has stripes that look as though it has been recently mowed, then you have seen just how different strips of grass can look when they are adjacent to each other with the grain running in opposite directions. This is why it is imperative that you ensure all of your fake grass blades are bending in the same direction – unless you are purposely trying to mimic that just-mown, striped look.

If you are not sure about your turf’s grain direction, you can lay out a section of the grass and look at it from all four sides. The direction in which the pile goes will be very apparent. Also remember that the pile direction will be lengthwise on the roll, which can help you quickly determine the direction.

How to Position Artificial Grass with Directional Pile

Your grass will look the most natural and most attractive when your vantage point is on the side towards which the blades bend. This means that you will generally want the pile direction of your turf to point towards your most-used outdoor living areas or your house.

How you position the directional pile will depend on your particular project. For example, if you have a long driveway bordered by fake grass that is mostly seen while your guests are approaching your house, you may want to face the grain direction towards your driveway on either side. Similarly, if you have a grand walkway leading to your main entrance, you may want your artificial lawn on either side installed with the pile direction facing the pathway.

When installing a front lawn between a house and a street, the grain is often positioned to face the street. When installing an artificial lawn in a backyard, the pile direction is generally towards the house or outdoor living areas. This may sound a little confusing on paper, but it is easy to see the grain and determine the preferred direction when you are looking at your synthetic turf prior to installation.

For the best results, work with an experienced artificial grass installation company. This will allow you work with a design consultant who can assist you in making important decisions about your installation, including in which direction the pile should be faced.