Every lawn and putting green we install leaves with a specific infill brushed into it, chosen for the job the surface does: curb appeal out front, dogs in the back, bare feet beside a pool, or a ball rolling true to the cup. Each of our five after-install care guides names the infill for that line, and each one carries the same instruction: call us before adding any infill.
This post explains why. On a front lawn, the wrong sand can cost you your warranty coverage. On a pet lawn, it is a problem that only new turf fixes.
What infill does in the first place
Infill is the granular material that sits between the fibers, at the base of the pile. It does two jobs.
First, it is ballast. Synthetic turf expands in summer heat and contracts in winter cold. The weight of the infill holds the turf flat through that movement. Without enough of it, the turf can wrinkle, lift, or rupture at the seams. Our turf maintenance guide covers this in more detail.
Second, it supports the fibers. Infill spread evenly around each blade helps it stand upright after foot traffic, which is why every care guide asks you to brush in two or three directions.
Infill also settles and washes out over time. In the first two weeks you may see granules on the surface. That is normal. Brush them back in with a stiff synthetic broom; do not sweep or blow them off. After that, the annual Green Guard service includes an infill check and top-off, the re-infilling step on our turf cleaning page.
Which infill is in which line
Here is the infill each line is installed with, straight from its care guide.
- Signature 50 (front yard): 20/40 silica sand only.
- The Reserve (landscape and backyard): 20/40 silica sand, or an Envirofill or HydroChill upgrade if you chose one at install.
- Estate 84 (estate grounds and pool surrounds): Envirofill, with HydroChill or Greenplay Cork at pool surrounds.
- K9 Guard Ultra (pet system): a three-layer system of ZeoFill, then Envirofill, then ZeoFill again. Nothing else.
- Tour Master (putting greens): fine 30/50 silica sand only.
If you are not sure which line you have, the care guide you were given names it on the first page. If your green’s guide is titled Tour Master Pro Poly, that is our Tour Master line. The full set of guides is on ourturf care guide hub.
Lawn lines: silica sand, Envirofill and the cooling infills
Signature 50 keeps it simple: 20/40 silica sand only. The Reserve starts with the same 20/40 silica, unless you chose an Envirofill or HydroChill upgrade at install. Either way, a top-off has to match what is already in the lawn, which is why the Reserve guide says to call us before adding any infill so it matches what was installed.
Estate 84 is installed with Envirofill, an antimicrobial coated sand, with HydroChill or Greenplay Cork at pool surrounds. Those two are cooling infills, and they cool best when they are damp. Water activates HydroChill's cooling, so a quick rinse before a hot afternoon is part of the routine. Our post on whether artificial turf gets too hot in Texas covers the rest of the heat picture. The Estate 84 guide adds two pool rules: never store or mix pool chemicals on the turf, and rinse splash-out areas with fresh water after heavy swim days.
K9 Guard Ultra: never add sand
K9 Guard Ultra is a pet system, and its infill is part of the odor control, not just ballast. Urine passes down through a layer of ZeoFill, then Envirofill, then ZeoFill again. The ZeoFill traps ammonia. The Envirofill carries an antimicrobial coating. How that works is explained in our post on dog urine odor and pet turf, so we will not repeat the chemistry here.
The care guide's rule for this line is the strictest of the five. Never add silica sand, play sand, or crumb rubber to K9 Guard Ultra. They trap urine, and the guide is blunt about the fix: the only one is replacing the turf. Silica sand is named specifically in the warranty exclusions for this line.
ZeoFill also gets used up as it traps ammonia, so the annual K9 Guard Ultra service includes a ZeoFill top-off, and we supply the ZeoFill. If a potty area holds odor between services, hose it well, apply a pet-safe enzyme cleaner, and call us if the smell persists. Topping off the ZeoFill restores full odor control. Nothing else is approved for this line.
Tour Master: fine sand only, because speed lives in the infill
A putting green is a different brief: the infill is one of the things that sets how the green plays. Tour Master uses fine 30/50 silica sand only. In the first two weeks you may see fine sand on the surface as it settles. Brush it back in. Over the first 30 days, putt from every cup. If a spot rolls slow, bounces, or breaks off line, call us and we will top off and re-brush it.
Do not add Envirofill, coated sand, or standard 20/40 sand to a green. They ruin the roll. Our post on poly and nylon putting turf explains how infill depth is one of the ways the speed of a green is set.
The warranty point, and the one rule
Signature 50, The Reserve, Estate 84 and K9 Guard Ultra each carry a 15-year material warranty and a 2-year labor warranty. Coverage applies when the lawn is maintained as described in its care guide, and the guides list the same exclusions: unapproved infill, chemical damage, burns, and alterations by others. Unapproved infill is the first item on that list. It changes how a lawn holds odor, cools, or plays, and on a pet lawn it cannot be undone without new turf.
So the rule is short. Call us before adding any infill, on any line. That includes a landscape crew offering to top up the sand or a bag of play sand from the hardware store. We will tell you what is in your lawn and bring the matching material if it needs topping off.
When to call us. Call before any infill goes down, and sooner if you see a potty area holding odor, fibers lying flat, or a green that has slowed. Each line's guide has the full routine: Signature 50, The Reserve, Estate 84, K9 Guard Ultra, and Tour Master. For a question about your lawn, or to schedule the annual service, call or text (469) 797-0334.