The Layer Below the Fibers Wears Out Too
Infill is the layer most homeowners never think about and the layer that does most of the work. It cushions the fibers, keeps them standing vertical, drains water to the base, and carries most of the heat and UV load that would otherwise break down the turf fibers themselves. When the infill degrades, everything above it degrades faster.
Infill replenishment is either a standalone service (top-off an installation that has lost material over time) or a step inside a deep cleaning or repair (replace contaminated infill with fresh). Turf Medic carries both standard infill types, silica sand and Envirofill, and we help you choose the right one during the assessment.
What Infill Does and Why It Fails
Artificial turf is three layers. The base below is crushed stone or decomposed granite, compacted. The turf itself is a woven fabric with fibers tufted into it. Between the fibers, sitting on the turf backing and filling the space up to about two-thirds of fiber height, is the infill.
Without infill, the fibers lay flat and the turf looks like a doormat that has been stepped on a thousand times. With healthy infill, the fibers stand vertical, the turf looks like turf, and the surface drains and breathes the way it was designed to.
How Infill Degrades
A single symptom is not always an infill problem. A combination of two or more usually is.
Compaction
Foot traffic, furniture, pet use, and wind-blown dust pack infill tighter over time. Compacted infill drains worse and cushions less. The matting you see is often this.
Contamination
Pet waste, organic debris, and mineral dust embed in the infill and do not rinse out. Uric acid crystals bond to silica chemically. This is where pet-yard smell actually lives.
Displacement
Infill migrates. Washes toward low spots, blows out of high spots, drags out on foot and pet traffic. Yards filled to spec often have significantly less infill five to seven years later.
Wrong material for use
Uncoated silica on a heavy pet yard never delivers the smell control an acrylic-coated Envirofill would. Switching materials on the next deep clean is often the right call.
When Replenishment Is Overdue
- Fibers lay flat and do not spring back when you push on them
- Water pools on the surface instead of draining
- Pet smell that comes back despite regular rinsing
- Visible difference in fiber height between high-use and low-use zones
- Infill visible on patio, deck, or pool decking where it has migrated out
- Turf that was five-plus years old at purchase (you bought the house with existing turf)
Silica Sand or Envirofill
Silica sand. The original and most common infill. Sharp-edged silica grains lock fibers in place effectively and are the lowest-cost option per square foot. Standard silica without an antimicrobial coating absorbs pet urine chemically, which is why older pet yards often still smell even after deep cleaning.
Envirofill. A premium coated-sand infill (acrylic-coated with antimicrobial properties) designed specifically for pet-heavy yards. Envirofill resists pet-urine bonding, does not off-gas ammonia the way uncoated silica does, and stays cleaner longer between deep cleans. Higher cost per square foot. Lasts longer and maintains better under pet load.
Both are pet-safe and non-toxic at installation. The difference is how each material holds up over time in a pet environment.
Which One Is Right for Your Yard
Use silica if: no pets, or a single small dog with light urine load, or the yard is primarily aesthetic. Silica is the right call on budget-driven projects where infill will be replaced on the standard cadence anyway.
Use Envirofill if: two or more dogs, a single large or high-output dog, children playing daily, or any yard where smell control is a priority. Also the right call if you plan to keep the turf in place for ten-plus years.
Use a mix if: the yard has distinct zones (for example a pet-use corner and a family-use open lawn). We can run Envirofill in the pet zone and silica in the rest, which optimizes performance and cost at the same time.
We explain the trade-offs during the on-site assessment based on your specific yard, pet load, and long-term plan. No upsell to Envirofill when silica is the right call.
How Replenishment Runs
1. Assessment. Walk the yard, test infill depth at multiple points, identify contamination and migration zones, scope the work.
2. Extraction (if needed). If existing infill is contaminated, we extract the compromised material with the Roll & Comb 602 QG-V25 before adding fresh.
3. Infill application. Fresh silica or Envirofill, spread with a commercial spreader, brushed in with the Stihl professional power broom until the fibers stand vertical and the infill sits at proper depth.
4. Final grooming and walkthrough. Groom the surface to blend the fresh infill with the existing material, top off low spots, walkthrough together.
Most residential jobs finish in one to two hours. Larger yards with full infill replacement (not just top-off) run two to four.
Beau, Founder
Turf Medic was founded in 2026 by Beau, a Las Vegas resident since 2018. Before Turf Medic, Beau built and sold a Las Vegas pool cleaning company and currently manages a residential real estate portfolio. He trained in Phoenix at Renew Turf, one of the Southwest's established turf-cleaning specialists, and maintains ongoing access to their expertise as Turf Medic grows.
Every Turf Medic job runs on equipment built specifically for artificial turf. professional hydrogen peroxide is EPA-registered and decomposes into water and oxygen. A Roll & Comb 602 QG-V25 walk-behind commercial groomer handles fiber lifting and infill extraction. A Stihl professional power broom handles aggressive brushing and infill redistribution.
Licensed Nevada business NV20263552570. Family-safe and pet-safe chemistry on every product we use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready for a Free On-Site Assessment?
Call (725) 777-4593 or fill out the free assessment form. Infill work is often bundled with a deep clean. We scope both during the same assessment.
Serving the Greater Las Vegas Valley
Thirty-two neighborhoods across the valley. Find yours:
Free Infill Assessment
Silica or Envirofill. We explain the trade-offs and let you choose.
(725) 777-4593