On a roof or podium deck you are choosing two things: the turf and what it sits on. For turf, pick a product with published fire test data and drainage numbers. SYNLawn Roofdeck Premium and Roofdeck Platinum are both listed by SYNLawn as ASTM E108 Class A without infill; Platinum uses 100% nylon for melt resistance against window reflections. ForeverLawn markets its Select line for rooftops and Fusion for reflected heat from low-E glass. For support, a direct lay on a protection and drainage layer is simplest when the membrane, slope and drains allow it. When they don't, an elevated system keeps water moving underneath: Skydeck SkyWalk grates on SkyJack pedestals, Tile Tech Turf-Tray (about 3.5 lb/sq ft including tray, turf and infill, per Tile Tech) or Archatrak MiniMesh fiberglass grating (under 7 lb/sq ft with turf and sand, per Archatrak). A licensed structural engineer approves the final weights, not us and not a brochure. Disclosure: DreamFields USA is a New Jersey turf installer. We sell installation and service, not a turf brand, and no manufacturer paid for this page.
Our rooftop artificial turf installation guide covers the process: the structural, membrane and wind questions, New Jersey permits, condo and HOA approvals, and how a rooftop job runs. It deliberately doesn't name products or publish weights, because those depend on the building. This page is the next step, for owners, property managers and architects who already know the roof can take an amenity and want to compare actual systems. Every product fact here comes from the manufacturer's own product page or specification, linked at the bottom. Where a manufacturer doesn't publish a number, we say so instead of guessing.
| System | Type | Fire testing (as published) | Drainage (as published) | Weight (as published) | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SYNLawn Roofdeck Premium | Rooftop turf | ASTM E108 Class A, no infill needed | >1,000 in/hr permeability | 128 oz/sq yd total turf weight; 1 5/8" pile | Plush lounge and amenity decks; heat-reducing yarn |
| SYNLawn Roofdeck Platinum | Rooftop turf | ASTM E108 Class A, no infill needed | >500 in/hr permeability | 88 oz/sq yd total turf weight; 1 1/8" pile | Glass-heavy urban roofs (100% nylon, melt resistance); high traffic |
| ForeverLawn Select line / Fusion | Turf marketed for rooftops | Not published on the rooftop page; ask for test data | See product spec | Varies by product | Natural look (Select); reflected-heat areas (Fusion) |
| Skydeck SkyWalk Rooftop Turf Grate System | Pedestal grate + rolled turf | Brochure describes its turfs as non-flammable; ask for test reports | Water passes through turf and grate to the drainage plane below | Not stated in the spec manual | Sloped decks; full-width rolled turf with fewer seams; drain access |
| Tile Tech Turf-Tray | Pedestal tray (24" x 24") + turf | ASTM E108 listed for the tray | Pedestals over a sloped, drained substrate | ~3.5 lb/sq ft including tray, turf and infill | Matching paver deck heights; lightweight modular zones |
| Archatrak MiniMesh grating | Fiberglass grating (4' x 8') under turf | Not stated on the product page | 1/4" apertures for rapid drainage | 3.5–4.0 lb/sq ft grating; <7 lb/sq ft with turf and sand | Level surface tied to parapets for wind resistance |
No prices, ratings or reviews are shown on purpose. Specs are as published by each manufacturer and accessed October 23, 2026. Confirm on the submittal.
SYNLawn positions Roofdeck Premium as the only turf to achieve an ASTM E108 Class A fire rating without infill. Its product table lists a 1 5/8-inch polyethylene pile, 100 oz face weight and 128 oz total weight per square yard, a 22 oz EnviroLoc+ secondary backing, permeability over 1,000 inches per hour, and a 15-foot roll width. It adds SYNLawn's Super Yarn package: DualChill infrared-reflective yarn for lower surface heat, Sanitized antimicrobial treatment and StatBlock antistatic. Test data listed include ASTM E108, D2859 and E648 for fire, F1292 and F1951, and CAL 1350 emissions. It's the plusher of the two and suits lounge, yoga and family decks where feel matters.
Platinum is SYNLawn's spec for architects working on urban roofs. The difference is fiber: 100% nylon, which SYNLawn says gives high melt resistance against window reflectivity, the focused sunlight bounced off glass facades that can deform polyethylene turf. It is shorter and lighter, with a 1 1/8-inch pile, 60 oz face weight and 88 oz total weight per square yard, tuft bind over 8 lb, grab tear strength over 200 lb and permeability over 500 inches per hour by ASTM D1551. It also carries an ASTM E108 Class A rating without infill. Choose it for decks surrounded by glass, high-traffic restaurant and hotel terraces, and anywhere infill isn't wanted.
ForeverLawn's landscape division markets its Select line (VR, LX, HD and EL) for rooftops and balconies, with installed examples on a Nashville rooftop restaurant, a Cleveland apartment courtyard and a Chelsea, Manhattan terrace. It describes Select HD as similar in look to Select VR at a lighter weight, and Select EL as built to limit infill requirements. Its Fusion product uses a proprietary fiber that ForeverLawn says has a uniquely high level of heat resistance aimed at damage from low-E windows. ForeverLawn's rooftop page does not publish fire test results, and its Select HD specification says rubber infill is not mandatory but is required for warranty validation (up to 0.50 lb per square foot), which adds weight and loose material on a roof, so ask a ForeverLawn dealer for E108 data and the infill requirement before you specify it on a roof.
On a flat, sound podium deck where the roofing manufacturer approves it, turf can go down on a protection layer and a drainage mat, held by weight, perimeter restraint and approved adhesive. That's the lightest and simplest build. Elevated systems earn their place when the deck slopes to drains, when turf has to meet the height of pavers on pedestals, or when the owner wants the membrane and drains reachable without pulling up the lawn.
Skydeck's 2026 spec manual describes interlocking SkyWalk grate panels fastened with grate clips to SkyJack adjustable pedestals, with optional roof protection pads under each pedestal to protect the membrane and reduce sound transfer, plus slope correctors and self-leveling heads. Full-width rolled turf goes over the grates, which Skydeck says reduces visible seams and avoids a modular turf-tile look. Water passes through the turf and grate to the drainage plane below, and the elevated build keeps access for roof inspection, drain maintenance and future service. The manual lists commercial, multifamily, hospitality and residential rooftop uses. It does not state a system weight, so request one for the engineer.
Tile Tech's Turf-Tray specification is unusually detailed. Trays are 24 by 24 inches, lock together and to the pedestals with hex lock disk washers and screws, and need an extra pedestal at the dead center of each tray. The spec says the system weighs approximately 3.5 lb per square foot including tray, synthetic turf and infill, with a maximum tray load of 500 psi and maximum tray temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Pedestal slope caps adjust in half-inch steps and correct slopes from 0 to 5 percent. It lists ASTM E108 fire testing for the tray and ASTM C293 load testing, requires perimeter restraint so trays can't move laterally, and asks the design professional to confirm dead and live loads and that any insulation can resist crushing. Warranty: five years on trays and pedestals and ten years on the turf, per the spec.
Archatrak uses 4 by 8 foot MiniMesh fiberglass grating panels with quarter-inch apertures, which it says give a solid base while draining quickly and preventing pooling. Panels lock together with stainless steel clips and can be secured to the parapet, which Archatrak says makes the connected surface highly resistant to wind uplift. Turf attaches by adhesive, by fixing to battens under the grate, or with quarter-inch aluminum rivets. Archatrak puts the grating at 3.5 to 4.0 lb per square foot and says grating plus turf stays under 7 lb per square foot even when sand-filled. It also notes the slight give of fiberglass feels more natural underfoot than turf over concrete.
| Your situation | Usually a good fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flat concrete podium over a garage, membrane approved for overburden | Direct lay: Roofdeck Premium or Platinum on protection + drainage mat | Lightest build; Class A turf with no infill keeps weight and blowing material down |
| Roof sloped to drains, turf must be level | SkyWalk grates or Turf-Tray on adjustable pedestals | Pedestals take out the slope; water drains under the surface |
| Turf zones between pedestal pavers | Turf-Tray or SkyWalk set to paver height | Same pedestal family keeps edges flush and avoids trip lips |
| Exposed, windy roof with parapets | Archatrak grating clipped and tied to parapets, or a pedestal system with wind clips | Connected surface resists uplift; avoid loose infill at edges |
| Deck surrounded by glass towers | Roofdeck Platinum or ForeverLawn Fusion | Fiber chosen for reflected-heat resistance |
| Pet relief area on a roof | High-permeability turf with a short drain path | Urine and rinse water must reach a drain quickly |
For upkeep after the install, see rooftop turf cleaning. For ground-level hardscape, see turf over concrete. For dogs, see best turf for dog runs.
Send the building address, rough deck size, who manages the roof and any engineer or architect involved. We'll scope the system and quote the real job after a site visit.
Request a rooftop turf quoteThere is no single best system, because the roof decides. If the deck can take turf laid on a protection and drainage layer, a rooftop-specific turf with published fire test data, such as SYNLawn Roofdeck Premium or Roofdeck Platinum (both listed by SYNLawn as ASTM E108 Class A without infill), is the simplest route. If the deck is sloped, uneven or has drains and pavers the turf must match, an elevated support such as Skydeck's SkyWalk grate on adjustable pedestals, Tile Tech's Turf-Tray (about 3.5 lb per sq ft including tray, turf and infill, per its spec) or Archatrak's MiniMesh fiberglass grating (under 7 lb per sq ft with turf and sand, per Archatrak) lets water run underneath and keeps the membrane reachable. A structural engineer still has to approve the weights.
It depends on the build-up. Manufacturer figures we found: SYNLawn lists Roofdeck Platinum at 88 oz per square yard and Roofdeck Premium at 128 oz per square yard for the turf alone, before any pad or infill. Tile Tech says its Turf-Tray system weighs approximately 3.5 lb per square foot including tray, turf and infill. Archatrak says its MiniMesh grating is 3.5 to 4.0 lb per square foot and the grating plus turf stays under 7 lb per square foot even when sand-filled. Saturated weight is higher than dry weight when there is infill, so give the engineer both.
The International Building Code, which New Jersey's building subcode adopts, classifies roof assemblies and roof coverings as Class A, B or C based on ASTM E108 or UL 790 testing. Whether your local official treats turf as a roof covering or as an amenity finish is their call, but a product with published ASTM E108 results gives them something to review. SYNLawn lists ASTM E108 Class A for both Roofdeck products without infill, and Tile Tech lists ASTM E108 testing for the Turf-Tray.
Sometimes, with the roofing manufacturer's approval and a protection or drainage layer in between. Nothing should be staked or screwed through the membrane. Where the membrane, slope or drains make a direct lay risky, a pedestal-supported grate or tray lifts the turf above the drainage plane and leaves the membrane and drains accessible.
It is a real risk on urban roofs. SYNLawn says Roofdeck Platinum's 100 percent nylon fiber gives high melt resistance against window reflectivity, and ForeverLawn markets its Fusion product for light-reflective heat from low-E windows. Ask any bidder what fiber is being quoted and whether the manufacturer's warranty covers reflected-heat damage.
DreamFields does not publish a rooftop price. Access and hoisting, roof condition, the support system (direct lay versus pedestals and grates or trays), the turf and infill, wind securing, drain access, engineering and size all change the number. We quote after a site visit and a written, line-item scope.
Sources (accessed October 23, 2026): SYNLawn Roofdeck Premium; SYNLawn Roofdeck Platinum; Roofdeck Platinum spec sheet (PDF); ForeverLawn grass for rooftops; ForeverLawn Select HD specification; Skydeck SkyWalk Rooftop Turf Grate System spec manual; Tile Tech Turf-Tray specification; Archatrak synthetic turf roof decks (ARCAT); IBC Chapter 15, roof assemblies (Section 1505 fire classification); NJ Uniform Construction Code. Specs are manufacturer-published and may change, so confirm them on the quote.