How It Works
The Science Behind ExoStem™ Hybrid Turf
ExoStem hybrid turf is engineered to protect natural grass where repeated wear overwhelms traditional turf solutions. By combining material science with plant biology, ExoStem creates a protective system that shields living turf from damaging forces…without replacing it.
Rather than covering or removing grass, ExoStem works with living turf and soil to enable regeneration, resilience, and long-term performance in high-wear areas.
A Protective System. Not a Surface Replacement.
ExoStem functions as a protective canopy installed directly over soil, seed, or existing turf. Its structure intercepts wear forces above the ground while allowing grass to grow naturally through the system.
Every element of ExoStem is designed to address the underlying reason turf fails in high-traffic areas: damage to the grass at its growth point.
Protecting the Grass Growth Engine
Healthy turf regenerates from the crown and meristem, the plant’s vital growth points located at or just below the soil surface. In high-traffic areas, shoes, wheels, and mower turns repeatedly grind these growth points, preventing recovery and leading to bare soil and ruts.
ExoStem raises the shear plane above the soil surface. By lifting wear forces away from the crown and meristem, the system prevents direct grinding and shear damage. Grass remains protected at its most critical point, allowing it to recover and continue growing even under ongoing use.
This is the core difference between ExoStem and temporary turf repairs: instead of repeatedly replacing damaged grass, ExoStem protects the grass’s ability to regenerate.
A Resilient, Grass-Like Protective Canopy
ExoStem’s grass-like synthetic blades form a durable, flexible canopy above the soil. These blades absorb and distribute load from foot traffic and light wheeled equipment, reducing concentrated pressure on the turf below.
The blades are engineered with memory and rebound properties, allowing them to recover after compression. As traffic continues, the canopy resets itself, providing continuous protection without flattening or degradation.
This structure reduces rutting, prevents bare spots, and maintains a natural surface profile in areas subject to repeated use.
Maintaining a Living, Breathing Landscape
Unlike solid or heavy surface alternatives, ExoStem is designed to keep the soil ecosystem alive.
Approximately 50% open area allows:
Water to reach the soil profile
Air and gases to exchange naturally
Sunlight to support healthy turf growth
This permeability prevents soil suffocation and supports ongoing biological activity beneath the system. Nutrients, moisture, and oxygen continue to move through the soil as they would in a natural turf environment.
ExoStem also helps regulate soil temperature. The open, elevated structure allows soils to warm earlier in spring while maintaining surface temperatures similar to natural ground…never becoming hot or uncomfortable like hard, impermeable surfaces.
Designed for Long-Term Turf Management
ExoStem remains in place as turf grows and matures. Grass blades grow up through the canopy while the crown and meristem remain protected below.
The perforated structure also supports overseeding. Seed can be applied directly over ExoStem, falling through the openings to reach the soil without removing or disturbing the hybrid layer. This allows landscape professionals to integrate ExoStem into ongoing turf management and renewal programs.
Rather than creating a dead surface, ExoStem enables a reinforced, living system that evolves over time.
Why This Approach Works
By separating wear forces from the grass growth zone while preserving air flow, water movement, and biological function, ExoStem transforms high-wear areas into resilient, regenerating turf.
The result is not a covered-up problem but a protected landscape that stays green, functional, and alive for years under real-world use.
Talk to a Hybrid Turf Specialist
We can help guide you based on the wear challenges you face. Contact us via this form and we’ll set up a time to explain this alternative solution to replacing grass and the specifically engineered solutions that are available to protect your hard work.
If your inquiry is for your own home, we recommend you visit our consumer product sites:
natura-turf.com
dura-grass.com