Faux Grass Padding (2026): How Thick a Foam Pad You Need and the 5 Best Pads
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A pad under faux grass makes it softer to walk on and kinder to fall on, and the right thickness depends on who uses it.
Faux grass padding is a foam or rubber layer laid under turf. It adds softness and hides the lines of whatever's underneath, like deck boards or concrete joints. Too thin, and the turf feels like carpet on a car park. Too thick, and chairs wobble and the surface feels spongy. So this page is about sizing the pad to the job.
To build it, we compared supplier specs from Greatmats and Amazon, plus guidance from UK retailer ExpressGrass. For a full comparison of everything that can go under turf, see our underlayment guide. For impact and fall ratings, see our shock pad guide.
When does faux grass need padding?
Pads matter most where turf sits on something hard or where people fall. Here's when to use one:
- On concrete and pavers. A pad hides joints and cracks, and takes the hardness out of the surface. See faux grass on concrete.
- On decks. A thin pad smooths out the gaps between boards, so they don't show as lines through the turf.
- Kids' play areas. Children fall constantly. A thicker pad makes those falls kinder. See faux grass for kids.
- Home gyms. Lunges, stretches and floor work are much more comfortable on a pad.
- Senior dogs. Older dogs with stiff joints find padded turf easier to lie and walk on. See faux grass for senior dogs.
Do you need padding under artificial grass? Not always. On a well-compacted soil base, for a decorative lawn, most homeowners skip it. The base already gives a firm, even surface. Padding becomes worth it on hard surfaces and wherever people play or fall.
How thick should the pad be?
Thickness should match the job: comfort, play or fall protection.
| Use | Typical pad thickness | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Decks and concrete, comfort only | About 7 to 8 mm | Hides lines and takes the edge off hard surfaces |
| Patios and pets | About 1/4 to 1/2 in | Softer underfoot, still stable for furniture |
| Home gym floors | About 1/2 to 5/8 in | Comfortable for floor work, stable for equipment |
| Play areas with no equipment | About 1 in | Softer falls for running and tumbling |
| Under play equipment | 1-1/4 in and up, or a certified system | Sized to the fall height |
These ranges come from supplier sizes. ExpressGrass sells a 7 mm pad for decks and concrete. Greatmats sells turf pads from 1/4 in up to 2-1/4 in thick.
Is a thicker pad better? Not always. Thicker pads feel softer and protect falls better. But they're less stable under chairs and tables, and they cost more. Match the thickness to the job, not the maximum.
For play equipment, thickness alone isn't enough. A pad should be rated for the fall height of the equipment. See our playground safety guide.
The 5 best faux grass pads
These five pads cover comfort through to play.
1. TurfShok 8 mm Rubber Underlay (Greatmats) — Best Thin Pad for Decks and Concrete
Thickness: 8 mm (also 10 and 12 mm) | Material: rubber | Width: 4 ft rolls, sold per sq ft | Sold by: Greatmats (non-affiliate)
On a deck or patio, you want the joints to disappear, not a spongy feel underfoot.
At 8 mm, TurfShok is thin enough that chairs and tables stay stable, but thick enough to hide deck board gaps and concrete joints. It's made for use under turf and comes in 4 ft wide rolls, sold by the square foot. If you want a little more give, the same pad comes in 10 and 12 mm.
Rubber is firm and durable, so it holds up under furniture and traffic better than soft foam.
But it's heavier than foam and not sold on Amazon.
Our take: from building turf-covered stages over hard floors, the board lines and slab joints are what give fake grass away; a thin, firm layer underneath hides them without making the surface feel bouncy.
2. VEVOR Interlocking Drainage Mats — Best Draining Pad for Patios
Size: 12 × 12 in, 12 per pack | Material: soft PVC | Feature: drainage holes, interlocking (seller-listed)
Outdoors, a pad that holds water is a problem. This one lets it through.
VEVOR's mats are soft PVC tiles with drainage holes that click together. Under turf on a patio, they add a little cushion and keep a gap for water to run off, instead of trapping it under the turf. At 12 × 12 in, you can cover an odd-shaped patio and cut edge tiles to fit. Buyers generally like them for wet areas.
But they're sold as wet-area floor mats, not specifically as turf pads. Check that your turf sits flat on the grid before you commit to a big area.
Our take: in our experience with outdoor grass, turf that can drain and breathe underneath stays fresher and keeps its colour longer than turf sitting on a wet surface.
3. Greatmats Foam Pad 2-1/4 in — Best Pad for Play Areas
Thickness: 2-1/4 in (also 1-1/4 in) | Size: 39-1/16 × 90-9/16 in panels | Sold by: Greatmats (non-affiliate)
Under a climbing frame, the pad is the safety equipment. Thickness counts.
Greatmats sells foam turf pads in 1-1/4 in and 2-1/4 in thicknesses, as large panels about 3 × 7.5 ft. The 2-1/4 in panel gives the most cushion of any pad here. The large panel size also means fewer joins under the turf, so fewer weak spots.
That makes it the pick for kids' play zones.
But for play equipment, check the fall height Greatmats states for this pad against your play set's height. If it isn't rated high enough, look at a certified playground system. See our shock pad guide.
Our take: from our hands-on turf work, the thicker the pad, the more any gap between panels shows as a dip in the grass, so butt the edges tight and tape every join.
4. ProsourceFit 1/2 in Puzzle Mats — Best Interlocking Foam Pad
Thickness: 1/2 in | Material: high-density EVA foam | Pack: 12 tiles, 48 sq ft
For an indoor gym, puzzle mats are the fastest pad you can lay.
ProsourceFit's 1/2 in EVA mats click together in minutes and cover 48 sq ft per pack. ProsourceFit describes them as high-density, water resistant and noise reducing. Under turf in a garage gym, they turn a hard slab into a comfortable floor for lunges and stretches. They're one of the most popular floor products on Amazon.
But EVA foam doesn't drain. Use it indoors only. See faux grass for garages and basements.
Our take: from laying turf over temporary floors, very short grass can show the jigsaw edges of puzzle mats; a slightly taller pile hides them much better.
5. Prime Unicorn Foam Underlayment 100 sq ft — Best Budget Indoor Pad Roll
Coverage: 100 sq ft roll | Material: closed-cell foam (seller-listed) | Use: indoor floors
Laying grass carpet indoors over wood? A thin foam roll adds a little comfort and protects the boards.
Prime Unicorn's underlayment is a closed-cell foam roll made for hardwood and laminate floors. The seller says the closed-cell foam acts as a natural moisture barrier, which helps if your turf has drain holes. One roll covers 100 sq ft, and you join the seams with tape.
So it's a low-cost option for indoor grass carpet. See our faux grass carpet guide.
But it's thin flooring underlay, not a cushioning or fall pad. And closed-cell foam traps water, so it's for indoors only.
Our take: in our experience putting grass down indoors, a moisture layer under perforated turf is what protects the floor; spills go straight through drain holes otherwise.
How do you lay padding under turf?
Offset the pad seams from the turf seams so neither shows. Here's how:
- Clean the surface. Sweep and wash it. Grit under a pad shows through as bumps.
- Lay the pad. Roll out or click together the pad across the whole area.
- Butt the joins. Push pad edges tightly together. Don't overlap them, or you'll get a ridge.
- Tape the pad seams. Use tape across pad joins so they can't drift apart.
- Plan the turf layout. Position turf so its seams don't sit on top of the pad seams. Offset them by at least a few inches.
- Lay and fix the turf. Fix the turf edges as normal. See our seam tape guide.
Do you glue the pad to concrete? Usually not. Most pads are loose-laid and held by the turf and its edge fixings. On a slope, a windy roof or a high-traffic commercial floor, the supplier may recommend adhesive.
Padding questions
These are the padding questions buyers ask most.
Does padding affect drainage? It can. Solid foam holds water. Outdoors, choose a perforated pad, a draining tile like #2 or rubber with drain holes. See our drainage guide.
Does padding make turf hotter? We found no good data showing that a pad changes surface temperature. Turf heat comes mainly from sun on the blades, so shade and cooling infill matter far more. See faux grass for hot climates.
Ready to install? See the full faux grass installation guide.