Why blend cork, coconut, and sand
Mixing infills lets you dial in surface temperature, odor management, traction, and long term stability. No single material wins at everything. A smart blend gets you balanced performance tailored to your site and how the space is used.
What each infill contributes
- Cork: Low thermal conductivity for cooler surfaces, light resilience, reduced splash, and comfortable feel underfoot.
- Coconut fiber: Wicks and releases moisture to help the surface dry faster, supports fresh feel, and softens footfall.
- Sand: Bulk stability, ballast, blade support, traction, and consistent ball roll. Choose clean, kiln dried silica sand with low fines.
Recommended blend ratios by use case
Use these as starting points. Always follow your turf system specifications for total infill depth and weight.
- Hot residential lawns: 40 to 50 percent cork, 10 to 20 percent coconut, 40 to 50 percent sand.
- Pet friendly yards and dog runs: 30 to 40 percent cork, 20 to 30 percent coconut, 30 to 50 percent sand.
- Play areas: 40 to 50 percent cork and coconut combined, 50 to 60 percent sand for stability. Verify safety requirements for your project.
- Multi use and light sports: 30 to 40 percent cork and coconut combined, 60 to 70 percent sand to control traction and splash.
- Shady or damp sites: 20 to 40 percent cork, minimal coconut, 60 to 80 percent sand to discourage prolonged moisture retention.
How much total infill
- Follow the turf manufacturer data sheet for target infill depth or weight.
- As a rule of thumb for landscape turf, fill until fibers stand upright with a visible, uniform thatch and no overfilled matting.
- Heavier traffic and taller pile heights typically require more sand for support.
How to mix and install a blended infill
- Confirm specs: Check turf model recommendations for infill type, total depth, and maintenance.
- Measure materials: Calculate total infill needed, then allocate each component by your target percentages.
- Choose a method:
- Layered: Install a sand base lift for ballast and blade support, then topdress with your cork and coconut blend.
- Premixed: Dry blend cork, coconut, and sand in a clean tub so every pass drops a consistent mix.
- Spread evenly: Use a drop spreader in light passes. Work in multiple directions.
- Brush in: Power broom or stiff push broom against and then with the grain until fibers stand uniformly.
- Settle and check: Lightly mist to settle sand if required, let organics dry, then verify depth with a gauge in several spots.
- Edge control: Add a touch more sand at perimeters and high traffic transitions to resist migration.
Pro tips
- Use kiln dried, washed silica sand with low dust and the gradation your turf spec calls for.
- Keep all materials dry during mixing and installation for accurate distribution.
- Store cork and coconut off the ground and covered to prevent moisture uptake before use.
Climate and site factors
- Heat: Favor more cork in hot, sunny zones to lower surface temperature.
- Humidity and rainfall: Favor more sand and slightly less coconut where surfaces stay damp. Ensure base drainage is proven.
- Wind exposure: Increase sand proportion for weight where wind uplift or infill splash is a concern.
- Freeze thaw: Maintain correct total depth and keep infill even to avoid ridging.
- Shade: Prioritize clean, low fines sand and proactive maintenance to manage moisture.
Performance tuning checklist
- Cooling: Increase cork share.
- Odor management: Maintain cleaning schedule and airflow. Coconut can help surfaces dry between cleanings.
- Stability and traction: Increase sand share, verify even compaction, and maintain infill depth.
- Feel underfoot: Add a light cork and coconut topdress for softer step without sacrificing support.
Maintenance with blended infills
- Brush monthly or as traffic demands to redistribute infill and lift fibers.
- Top off seasonally where organics settle or migrate.
- Rinse and treat pet zones as needed. Keep the surface free of debris to support drying.
- Inspect after heavy rain or events. Re level and add material where thin.
Cost and sustainability
- Sand is the ballast workhorse and budget friendly.
- Cork and coconut are renewable and lighten surface temperature and feel.
- Blending often reduces cost versus going all organic while preserving key benefits.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using damp materials that clump and distribute unevenly.
- Choosing play sand or materials with fines that impede drainage.
- Overfilling to the blade tips, which mats fibers and traps heat.
- Skipping mechanical brushing that sets infill and lifts pile.
When a single infill may be sufficient
- Simple, low heat, low traffic areas can perform well with all sand within spec.
- Flood prone or very windy sites may favor higher sand content for weight.
- Projects with strict specs may require a single approved material. Blends still excel where specs allow.
Test your blend before full install
- Create two small test patches with different ratios.
- Measure surface temperature, traction, and brushing effort over a few days of typical weather.
- Choose the ratio that best meets your goals, then scale it across the project.
Compatibility and warranty checkpoints
- Confirm that blended infills are approved for your specific turf model.
- Meet the total infill depth and weight in the product spec.
- Use clean, kiln dried materials and document sources for your records.
