2 Simple Ways to Remove Infill [Artificial Grass]

Repurposed turf usually comes with infill.

Infill keeps your artificial grass standing straight. It creates a more natural look, and protects turf from flattening and matting over time. 

However infill is also heavy! In fact, it can almost double the weight of used turf. This can make turf with infill tougher to move and install.

Should I Remove the Infill From My Turf?

That’s up to you! 

Keeping infill may save you time and money in the long run. You absolutely need infill if you want your turf lawn to last.

But there are definitely advantages to removing it too! For one thing, it makes turf easier to work with. Without infill turf is about half a pound per square foot. Removing it will also save you the trouble of getting heavy machinery to move it.

To save time and money, we suggest first extracting the infill and then collecting it to reuse later. Though, if you want all new infill, we have options for that as well.

Here are a couple techniques for removing infill! The right approach for you will depend on your situation and the tools available to you.

Removing Infill With A Truck

You can easily remove the infill yourself using a car or truck, a boxcutter, and some rope!

1. Cut a small incision near the edge of your turf roll, just wide enough to fit a rope through. 
   
   
2. Tie both ends of the rope to a trailer hitch or the bumper of a car or truck.
   
   
3. Drive slowly forward until your turf is unrolled and the infill falls out.
   
   
4. Use a box cutter to cut the turf into 20 foot sections.
   
   
5. Grab a corner and shake out the remaining infill from each section.
   
   
6. Collect infill if you wish to reuse it.

Removing Infill With A Forklift

Or if you have access to a forklift, you can also use that to remove infill.

1. Use the forklift to lift a section of your turf roll about four feet or so off the ground.
   
   
2. Use a broom to lightly hit the turf and shake the infill out.
   
   
3. Lower the turf back to the ground.
   
   
4. Repeat this process for the entire roll.

Note: This process is only recommended if you’re skilled in the operation of a forklift. Do not attempt if you are not able to comfortably operate a forklift. 

Re-Adding the Infill

After you remove the infill, you can scoop into a bin using a broom and pan. Then, after you’ve installed your turf, use a drop spreader to evenly distribute the infill. 

Brush the infill in using a stiff bristled brush to get it standing straight.

Talk to an Expert!

For more tips and info on repurposed turf, talk to a turf expert: