What Is AstroTurf Actually Made Of? A Layer-by-Layer Guide for Ghana
August 11, 2026
What Is AstroTurf Actually Made Of?
Most people see artificial grass and think it's just plastic on a mat. It isn't. When someone asks what is AstroTurf made of, the honest answer involves four separate layers, each doing a specific job. Get one layer wrong, and the whole installation fails faster than it should. In Ghana's conditions, that failure comes quickly: intense UV, heavy harmattan dust, and rainstorms that dump water faster than most drainage can handle.
This guide breaks each layer down in plain language, and explains why it matters here, not in a temperate European climate where most of these products are tested.
Layer 1: The Backing, The Foundation Everything Sits On
The backing is the woven or non-woven sheet that holds the grass fibers in place. It's usually made from polypropylene or polyester, sometimes two layers stitched together.
Why does it matter in Ghana? Because backing is what determines whether water drains through the turf or pools on top of it. A backing with good perforation, meaning evenly spaced drainage holes, handles Accra's sudden downpours without turning your lawn or pitch into a swamp. A cheap, poorly perforated backing holds water underneath, which leads to mold, odor, and fiber roots loosening over time.
The backing also needs to resist UV degradation. Direct equatorial sun breaks down weaker polypropylene faster than manufacturers' warranties often account for, because those warranties are written for cooler climates. Ask specifically whether the backing has UV stabilizers added during manufacturing, not just the fibers on top.
Layer 2: The Fibers, What You See and Touch
This is the visible grass. There are two main types: monofilament and fibrillated.
Monofilament fibers are individual strands, each extruded separately. They look and feel more like real grass blades. They're more durable under foot traffic and tend to hold their upright shape longer. For a home garden, a school compound, or a commercial space where appearance matters, monofilament is usually the better choice.
Fibrillated fibers are cut from a flat film into a net-like structure that splits into smaller strands. They're less expensive to produce and work well for applications like sports pitches where dense coverage matters more than individual blade appearance.
In Ghana's heat, fiber material matters enormously. Low-grade polyethylene fibers go brittle under sustained UV exposure. They start to shed microplastic fragments and lose their color. Quality fibers use UV inhibitors and are tested for heat retention, because turf surface temperatures in direct Accra sun can climb significantly higher than the air temperature around them. That affects both durability and comfort for anyone using the space.
Fiber height, called pile height, also affects performance. Shorter pile suits high-traffic areas and is easier to maintain. Longer pile looks more natural but traps more dust and requires more brushing to stay upright, which matters given how much harmattan dust settles across Greater Accra between November and March.
Layer 3: The Infill, What Holds the Fibers Up
Infill is the material packed between the fiber blades at the base. It's what keeps fibers standing upright, cushions the surface, and regulates how the turf behaves underfoot. Understanding what is AstroTurf made of at this layer is where most buyers get surprised, because infill is not just one thing.
The three common infill types are:
Crumb rubber: recycled from old tires, this is common on sports pitches. It provides good cushioning and resilience. The concern in Ghana's climate is heat: rubber absorbs and retains heat, making the surface noticeably hotter during midday sun. For a school pitch used in the afternoon, that's a real consideration.
Sand: silica sand is simple, affordable, and doesn't retain heat the way rubber does. It's often used in residential and decorative installations. It adds weight that keeps the turf from shifting, and it drains well. The trade-off is that it provides less cushioning than rubber.
Organic infill: made from cork, coconut fibers, or similar materials. These are cooler underfoot, more environmentally friendly, and increasingly available. They're worth considering for spaces where children play barefoot or where surface temperature is a priority. They can require more maintenance and may need topping up over time.
Many quality installations use a combination: sand at the base for stability, with rubber or organic infill above for performance.
Layer 4: The Sub-Base, The Layer Nobody Sees
This is the ground preparation beneath the turf itself, and it is the layer most likely to be skipped or rushed by contractors cutting corners.
A proper sub-base typically involves compacted aggregate, crushed stone or gravel, laid to a specific depth and graded to slope slightly for drainage. On top of this, a geotextile membrane is often laid to prevent weeds from pushing up and to separate the aggregate from the soil below.
In Accra, sub-base design has to account for laterite soil, which is common across much of the city and surrounding areas. Laterite can be hard when dry and shift when saturated. Poor sub-base preparation on laterite leads to uneven surfaces, pooling water, and turf that buckles or ripples within a season or two.
The sub-base is also where slope planning happens. Even a gentle, deliberate gradient moves water away from the surface consistently. Without it, you're relying on the backing alone, and that's never enough when the rains come hard.
What This Means Before You Buy
Knowing what is AstroTurf made of layer by layer tells you what questions to ask any supplier or contractor:
- Does the backing have UV stabilizers and adequate drainage perforations?
- Are the fibers monofilament or fibrillated, and what UV rating do they carry?
- What infill type is being used, and is it appropriate for how the space will be used?
- How is the sub-base being prepared, and has the soil type been assessed?
The answers to these questions, not the surface appearance, determine how long the installation lasts and how it performs through Ghana's wet and dry seasons.
Talk to Borbor Before You Commit
At Borbor Limited, we assess the site before we recommend anything. Soil type, drainage conditions, sun exposure, and how the space will actually be used: all of that shapes which layers and materials are right for your specific situation.
We don't recommend the expensive option. We recommend the right one.
Book a free site assessment with Borbor Limited today. We'll walk the space with you, explain what we find, and give you a clear picture of what your installation actually needs. No guesswork, no upsell.