Artificial turf infill is a system component, not a universal add-on. Depending on the documented turf construction and application, an infill may support fibers, influence surface behavior, add ballast, or contribute to other specified functions. Some systems may use a different approach. The correct decision starts with the exact turf model, intended use, base, drainage, installation instructions, and maintenance plan.
This guide helps sports and training venues, schools, designers, contractors, facility managers, and distributors build a traceable infill submittal and RFQ. It does not assign an infill type, particle size, application rate, environmental status, or performance value without product-specific evidence.
Define what the infill is expected to do
Ask the supplier to state the proposed infill’s function within the offered system. The answer should be linked to the turf model and application rather than copied from a different product. Separate fiber support, ballast, surface interaction, maintenance behavior, and any performance contribution in the submittal. This makes it easier to see which claims are documented and which are merely assumptions.
Also document non-use scenarios. An indoor training lane, a decorative surface, a landscape area, and a field system may have different requirements. Do not add infill to a system that is documented for another construction simply because a generic article recommends it.
Use an application-and-system matrix
| Input | Questions for the project brief | Required evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Sport, training, landscape, indoor, outdoor, traffic, footwear | Written suitability for the offered turf and use |
| Turf construction | Product code, fiber, pile, backing, drainage approach | Current product data and installation instructions |
| Infill | Material name, grade, packaging, application basis | Supplier data mapped to the exact system |
| Site | Base, slope, drains, containment, weather, cleaning | Approved project details and responsibility matrix |
| Operations | Inspection, grooming, top-up, contamination, replacement | System-specific maintenance guidance |
For the wider system decision, begin with Courtiva’s artificial turf products and commercial artificial turf RFQ guide. The infill review should remain tied to the construction ultimately quoted.
Keep material terminology precise
Project teams may encounter broad terms such as sand, mineral, organic, coated, elastomeric, or alternative infill. A category name alone does not establish composition, particle distribution, source consistency, suitability, or environmental characteristics. Record the supplier’s full product name, grade, manufacturer, packaging, and current technical documentation.
Particle or grain descriptions, bulk density, application quantity, test values, recycled content, emissions, migration, heat, drainage, or environmental claims should be quoted only from an applicable document. If a project requires a particular standard or disclosure, name it in the RFQ and require a document-to-product match.
Check compatibility with fibers and backing
The turf supplier should confirm that the proposed infill is approved for the exact product construction. Ask how the material interacts with the fiber geometry, pile arrangement, backing, seams, markings, underlay, and attachment method. An infill used with one turf model should not be substituted into another without written review.
If the project has color requirements, indoor air concerns, skin-contact expectations, equipment use, or special cleaning rules, include them before the supplier proposes the system. Any compatibility decision should remain traceable to the offered product code and current instructions.
Coordinate the base and drainage path
Infill cannot correct an unsuitable base. Record indoor slab moisture, cracks, joints, flatness, coatings, and transitions, or exterior subgrade, base course, slope, drains, curbs, and discharge routes. The finished drainage behavior depends on the complete assembly and site design.
Show perimeter containment, door thresholds, trench drains, low points, and adjacent finishes. Ask who prevents loose material from migrating into drains or circulation routes, who cleans those areas, and how recovered material is handled. For installation planning around bases and seams, refer to the gym turf installation checklist.
Assign installation responsibility
The RFQ should identify who supplies, stores, applies, distributes, verifies, and records the infill. The installer should follow the approved system instructions and site conditions. Do not invent a universal rate or number of passes. Ask how the project verifies quantity, evenness, fiber condition, seams, markings, perimeter cleanliness, and handover.
Protect packaged infill from contamination and moisture as required by its documentation. Record batch or lot references where provided, retain delivery records, and reconcile installed quantity with the approved basis. A clear responsibility matrix prevents the turf supplier, infill supplier, and installer from each assuming another party owns the final result.
Plan for migration, top-up, and maintenance
Operational planning should cover inspection frequency, grooming or brushing only where instructed, localized movement, high-use zones, entrance control, cleaning equipment, spills, and foreign material. Ask the supplier for the criteria and method for redistribution or top-up. More material is not automatically better.
Keep a maintenance log with dates, observations, actions, quantities, and the person responsible. If the surface changes, investigate the system and use conditions before adding or replacing material. Cleaning chemicals and equipment should be compatible with the turf and infill documentation.
Build a decision-ready submittal
Request a labeled turf-and-infill sample or mock-up where appropriate. Review appearance and handling, but do not treat a small sample as proof of full-area performance. The submittal should include the turf and infill product identifications, applicable data sheets, installation guidance, maintenance instructions, requested reports, proposed application basis, packaging, storage, responsibility matrix, and exclusions.
Use a comparison sheet that records the same fields for every bidder. Courtiva’s sports flooring procurement checklist can help keep technical evidence, samples, commercial scope, and delivery information aligned.
Artificial turf infill RFQ checklist
- Application, indoor or outdoor condition, traffic, footwear, and operating schedule.
- Exact turf product or the information needed for the supplier to select one.
- Area, drawings, base, slope, drainage, perimeter, and adjacent finishes.
- Proposed infill product, function, compatibility statement, and application basis.
- Required standards, declarations, test reports, or environmental documents.
- Packaging, lot identification, storage, waste, and delivery requirements.
- Installer scope, equipment, site conditions, verification, and handover records.
- Maintenance, migration control, inspection, top-up criteria, and spare stock.
- Samples or mock-up, approval parties, substitutions, and deviation schedule.
- Quantity basis, pricing inclusions, shipping term, destination, and schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Is silica sand suitable for every artificial turf system?
No. A material category does not prove compatibility. Confirm the proposed product, grade, application basis, and function against the exact turf system’s written documentation.
Can infill solve poor drainage?
No single component can establish drainage. The backing, base, slopes, drains, perimeters, installation, and maintenance all need coordinated review.
How much infill should a project order?
Use the offered system’s documented application basis, area, waste allowance, packaging, and any maintenance stock agreed in the quotation. Do not rely on a generic rate.
Does a sample prove environmental or sports performance?
No. A sample supports visual and handling review. Required claims need applicable reports or declarations mapped to the exact offered products.
Ask Courtiva for a system-specific review
Send the turf application, indoor or outdoor condition, proposed product construction, area, base and drainage information, maintenance regime, required project standards, delivery market, and schedule. Courtiva can review infill compatibility, applicable documents, samples, and quotation scope. Request a project quote.
