Does artificial turf drain?

Key takeaways

• Drainage depends on the backing, the base and the grade — all three.
• Crushed-stone bases drain far better than compacted clay or fill.
• Low yards may need French drains, channel drains or regrading first.
• Turf removes muddy, puddled lawn areas when the base is built right.

How water moves through a turf lawn

Rain falls through the turf blades and infill, then through the backing — either through perforations or, with full-flow backings, across the entire surface. It then moves down into the stone base and either soaks into the soil below or travels along the grade toward a planned outlet.

Why the base and grade matter

An open, compacted crushed-stone base creates space for water to move quickly. Grading the base gently away from the house sends water where you want it. Skipping either step is the most common reason turf lawns puddle.

Wet yards, low spots and pluff mud

Some Lowcountry yards are low-lying, have a high water table or collect runoff from neighboring lots. In those yards we address drainage first — regrading, French drains, channel drains or dry wells — then install turf on top.

• Water standing for days after rain: plan added drainage.
• Water running across the yard from a neighbor: intercept it with a drain.
• Soggy only near downspouts: extend and redirect the downspouts.

Common questions

• DrainageDoes turf flood in a hurricane?

  In extreme rain any yard can hold water for a period, but turf on a graded stone base sheds water as fast as the ground and drainage below allow, and it does not turn to mud.

• DrainageCan turf go over an existing drainage problem?