Backing

The layer at the back of a synthetic carpet. The fibres are fixed to the backing to create a stable carpet. Carpet backings will typically have perforations, so they are permeable to water. Where a backing has a secondary coating applied it will usually have holes punched into it to ensure a suitable level of drainage is provided, otherwise surface water retention and flooding can occur. Carpets might have Primary Backing and Secondary Backing.

  Coated Rubber Crumb

Rubber crumb which has been coated with another material such as a colourants or sealant.

  Cork

A fine granular material which is used as an infill to synthetic grass carpets, especially those termed 3G carpets / surfaces. It is significantly more expensive than the more commonly applied rubber crumb material.

  Defibrillated

A synthetic fibre which has become torn and split at its tip. Fibrillation is the specific design of creating splits within a filament, but which will have a relatively even and smooth tip following manufacture.

  Defibrillation

The process of a filament becoming torn and split.

  Dressed Surface

An intermediate surface performance between a non-filled and filled surface, with about 60% of the pile length having applied material amongst its filaments. Most dressed surfaces would be termed Sand Dressed. The partly filled carpet of a 3G surface (which also typically has about 1/3rd of the fibres without any fill material) is strictly a dressed carpet, but due to the length of the fibres it is typically referred to as an infilled surface.

  Dynamic Base

An unbound but consolidated stone base on which a shockpad is typically initially laid, and then overlaid with an artificial carpet.

  Elasticity

The ability of a material or object to resume its original shape after being subjected to an impact, or after being stretched or compressed.

  Elastomer

A synthetic material which has elastic properties. Synthetic turf or rubber crumb infill are examples of an elastomer.

  Engineered Base

The laying of one or two layers of porous macadam over a sub-base. An engineered based creates a bound, firm, layer which reduces the potential for surface unevenness to develop in an artificial grass pitch. Two layers may typically be considered where ground conditions are particularly prone to sinkage or settling. The use of a macadam layer can also eliminate the need for a shockpad in some sports and situations.