How to Choose & Use Lawn Sprinklers

Setting up an irrigation system to water your lawn is a pretty common choice. However, incorrect irrigation can result in overwatering or underwatering the lawn, which can lead to weed growth or dry patches. That’s why choosing the right lawn sprinklers for irrigation is important.

When choosing the sprinklers for your lawn, you need to consider how much water that species of grass needs, the type of irrigation system you have, your overall irrigation budget and any relevant water restrictions or legislation in your area.

But this is not meant to discourage you, as cultivating a beautiful lawn is one of the great joys in life. With this guide, you’ll get to understand watering your lawn better so you can come home to a pretty yard.

What Are the Different Types of Sprinkler Heads?

The main types of sprinkler heads available are:

Spray sprinkler heads
Pop up sprinkler heads
Rotor sprinkler heads
Impact sprinkler heads
Gear drive rotor sprinkler heads
Dripline sprinkler heads

The difference between these sprinkler heads is the direction and pressure that they spray water, and their different applications. Let’s take a look at these sprinkler types and what they’re best for.

Spray Sprinkler Heads

Spray sprinkler heads are the most popular and most common type of sprinkler head. The water is distributed in a fan shape, and the water is sprayed in different patterns depending on the nozzle. Some nozzles in the market for spray sprinkler heads are short radius, narrow strips, and corners.

Water in fixed spray sprinkler heads is sprayed from one point and fans out in thin streams that usually reach a distance of 1 to 4.5m. They usually come with an operating pressure of 20 to 30 PSI. Their scope ranges from 40, 90, 180, 210, to 360 degrees. You can position it near a path and not worry about getting people wet.

Your only enemy with spray sprinkler heads is windy days. Because they spray fine mist, wind can blow them easily and reduce efficiency in watering your lawn.

Pop up Sprinkler Heads

Pop up sprinkler heads are hidden underground and then appear to water your garden. They automatically retract and hide underground after watering, so if you prefer to keep your garden aesthetic that way, pop up sprinkler heads should be your top choice.

They are also not obstructive when you’re mowing your lawn or when kids are running. Pop up sprinkler heads can be stationary or rotating. The scope of stationary pop up sprinklers reaches up to 4.5m, and the mist can go from 90, 180, to 360 degrees. You can position them approximately 5.5m apart for maximum effect. They are ideal for small gardens or small commercial spaces.

Rotating pop up sprinklers have a more consistent stream of water and less run-off. So, they’re great for irregular blocks, rocky soils, and garden beds. They usually come in 45- and 360-degree angles. You can position them at the edge or near a path and not worry about watering passersby. Because it moves, it requires more frequent maintenance than the stationary type. Old irrigation systems with low pressure or poor coverage can benefit from rotating pop up sprinklers.

But, a word of caution: inspect your sprinkler level occasionally to ensure that it pops up to the right level that can water your plants well. High-quality pop-ups use internal springs instead of relying on gravity, so ask your supplier before buying.

Rotor Sprinkler Heads

Rotor sprinklers, sprinkler rotors, or rotary heads turn from side to side and can water from 4.5 to 15.25m. They water more slowly than spray sprinklers, so they are ideal on slopes and slow-draining soils. There’s also less water wasted since there’s less runoff, and they’re not susceptible to windy weather.

Supplying above 30 PSI, these sprinklers are good for medium to large residential or commercial lawns. To determine the distance between each head, dedicate 0.3 metres below your PSI. If your PSI is 31, the distance between each head should at least be 30.7m.

Impact Sprinkler Heads

Impact sprinkler heads or impact rotor sprinklers have been in the market for a long time. They usually reach a distance of 6 to over 45m and arcs from 40 to 360 degrees. Operating at 25 to 50 PSI, they can spray in single or multiple streams. They are usually more expensive, being made from brass or bronze.

Impact sprinklers are suited for big grassy areas (like parks), and they are commonly used in commercial spaces because they can get noisy. However, they can still be found in many residential laws because they feed by hard water, bore water, or ditches, which do not do well with other sprinklers.

Because of the moving parts, impact sprinklers require more regular maintenance compared to other types of sprinklers. If you use lawn mowers in your yard, they can be a bit tricky to go around, as well.

Gear Drive Rotor Sprinklers

Gear drive rotor or gear-driven rotor sprinklers reach 5.5 to almost 17m in radius and have an arc rotation of 40 to 360 degrees. PSI can be regulated anywhere from 25 to 75, so you won’t have any problem with flow variance in your irrigation system.

Clay-type soils benefit from this type of irrigation because its lower precipitation rate ensures that the soil absorbs the water more efficiently.

These gear drive sprinklers are enclosed and are protected from debris. They are also less noisy than impact sprinklers, but they are still commonly found on commercial and industrial sites. They are advisable to use on medium to large lawns, and those with many slopes.

What Affects the Type of Sprinkler I Need?

The main factors that will affect the type of sprinkler you get is the species of grass you have and the size of your lawn. This will determine the most cost and environmentally effective sprinklers for you. Local water restrictions may also impact your choice of sprinkler.

Here are the most common factors that affect the type of sprinkler you should use:

Type of Grass

Many people do not consider the type of grass in their yard, but they may actually be underwatering or overwatering their grass. As a general rule, water once every four to eight days. But, of course, rain affects the frequency you water your lawn, which you’ll need to take into account.

The main species of grass in Australia that need little watering include:

Zoysia grass
Buffalo grass (including Sir Walter)
Tall fescue
Couch grass

There are other grass types in Australia like drought-tolerant Kikuyu grass which may be suitable if the right variety is chosen for your turf.

Water Pressure

The water pressure of your home will affect the type of sprinklers you get. Every sprinkler is compatible and works best using a different PSI, so ensuring that your home water pressure matches your irrigation system is essential for proper sprinkler usage.

Water pressure is measured in PSI (pounds per square inch), and that’s usually indicated by the manufacturer of your sprinklers. Spray heads and rotators usually take 30 PSI. Rotors work best at over 30 PSI. Drip heads, on the other hand, work at lower than 30 PSI, usually at 20 PSI. It’s important to correctly calculate your irrigation system pressure.

Why do these figures matter? If your water pressure is higher than what’s intended for your sprinkler, you may emit mist or fog, which is prone to evaporation, making your irrigation system inefficient. Higher operation cost is another consequence, as well as rapid wear and tear of your sprinkler or higher maintenance costs or replacement expenses. If your water pressure is too high, you can consider installing a pressure regulator.

Now, if your sprinkler is using lower water pressure, they may not work optimally, resulting in a patchy or brown lawn. Luckily, there are some options that work better than others at low PSI – you can find the top choices in our list of best sprinklers for low water pressure.

Alternatively, you can boost your sprinkler system’s pressure with an irrigation pressure pump.

Budget

Of course, budget always plays a role in any purchase, and that includes buying sprinkler heads for your yard. Depending on your budget you can go from a small sprinkler system to a dedicated, professionally installed irrigation system.

On the low end of the spectrum are the fixed sprinklers. The more moving parts there are in a sprinkler, the higher the cost is. So, if you have a lower budget, your more affordable options are fixed spray sprinklers. Impact rotor, gear drive, and pop up sprinklers are for a higher budget.

That said, also consider efficiency because treating dead patches in your lawn may be more costly than investing in the installation of, say, pop up or gear drive sprinklers. Going DIY or getting professional help also affects your budget.

Local Water Restrictions

Water restrictions, including using sprinkler systems, depend on the state. Please check with your state government or local council websites for details on local water restrictions:

Depending on the state you live in, your choice in available sprinklers may be affected. Some sprinklers and sprinkler heads may not be available in your state due to factors such as drought frequency and watering restrictions. To find out more, read the water restriction legislation for your state or speak to your sprinkler and irrigation supply store.

How to Choose the Right Lawn Sprinkler

To choose the right sprinkler, you need to consider the flow rate of your water system, the type of grass you have, and the size of the lawn you want to water. Choosing the right sprinkler head for your lawn will affect how healthy your grass is, and can help prevent dry patches and waterlogged ground.

Below is our step by step guide on what to consider when choosing sprinklers, and how to find the perfect sprinkler for the size and type of lawn you have.

1. Calculate Flow Rate

Firstly, before you do anything else, you need to accurately measure your flow rate (the amount of water available, as expressed in Litres Per Minute – LPM) from the tap you want to use for your watering system. As an example, let’s use 30 LPM as a safe flow rate.

2. Measure Your Lawn

Secondly, measure the perimeter dimensions of your lawn, taking into account all angles and curves along the edges. Working out the square meterage is not at all useful for sprinkler placement.

3. Choose Your Sprinkler Placement

Thirdly, sprinkler placement or spacing is vital for accurate coverage, eliminating overspray or underspray. If sprinklers are placed in the wrong position or too many/too few are used, this could lead to inefficient lawn watering, turf disease and pest problems which would result in unnecessary costs. Contrary to popular opinion, putting sprinklers in the middle of your lawn isn’t ideal and can cause flooding and drainage issues, whereas spacing your sprinklers on the perimeter edge, head to head is a far more efficient sprinkler placement plan.

Armed with our flow rate, a rectangular lawn area of 4m x 8m and the right knowledge to space out sprinklers with a head to head (sprinkler to sprinkler) coverage, we are ready to install. Almost.

Now we are ready to space our sprinklers in our rectangular lawn area of 4m x 8m. The ideal placement is 3 sprinklers on one of the 8m edges, preferably spraying away from the house or building. One sprinkler in the left corner spraying at an angle of 90 degrees, one sprinkler in the middle of the 8m edge spraying at an angle of 180 degrees and the last sprinkler in the right corner spraying at an angle of 90 degrees. If we use sprinkler nozzles that only spray 4m, they will not reach and overlap each other 100% and therefore, there will be dry patches.

Sprinkler nozzles that spray a minimum of 4.5m are required to cover the area completely. There will be some slight overspray with this setup but it should not affect any adjoining fences or gardens.

4. Consider Soil Type & Grass Variety

Determining the soil depth and quality as well as the type of lawn that will be watered is very important. Is the lawn area on a slope? That is something that also needs considering. What can be done when you have all these parameters?

In some areas, you may be faced with very rocky, hard ground, in which case a smaller sized pop up sprinkler would be suitable instead of the more common 4 inch pop up sprinkler. Buffalo grass, being a thick, tall bladed type of turf, would require at least a 4 inch pop up sprinkler as opposed to couch grass which doesn’t grow as tall. If you are faced with a situation where you need to spray up a slope, you will need a minimum 4 inch pop up sprinkler so that the spray doesn’t hit the bank halfway up. With the aid of articulated risers or swing arms, as they are most often called, setting the height of the sprinkler in the ground, is a breeze.

5. Choose the Right Sprinkler Nozzles

Before we dig our sprinklers in the ground, we need to make sure our flow rate (30LPM) is adequate for our 3 sprinklers. Most pop up sprinklers are just the sprinkler body without any nozzles installed. Rain Bird, as an example, has thousands of combinations available due to having over 40 types of sprinkler bodies and over 60 different nozzles.

Let’s choose the Rain Bird MPR range to start with. Most nozzles in the marketplace are distinguished by the distance they spray the water in metres from the sprinkler itself. So a Rain Bird 15H nozzle sprays water 4.5m in a half circle (hence the H in 15H) pattern, 4.5m to the left, 4.5m to the right and 4.5m in front of the nozzle in a semicircle pattern. All nozzle spray dimensions are calculated in a radius format (from the centre of a circle), not a diameter format.

So our nozzle choices for our 3 sprinklers would be a 15Q, 15H and another 15Q (Q meaning quarter circle or 90 degree angle). In this instance, our flow rate used would be 3.5LPM for a 15Q, 7 LPM for the 15H and 3.5LPM for the other 15Q. Total requirements would then be 14LPM @ 200kPa. So, yes, the 30 LPM we have available at the tap is sufficient to run the 3 pop up sprinklers.

What Is the Most Water Efficient Sprinkler?

Rotor sprinklers are some of the most efficient sprinklers on the market. These sprinklers have less water run off and supply water much slower, meaning less water is wasted, so you spend less time and money on watering your plants.

Rotor sprinklers in particular are incredibly water efficient. Rotary sprinklers work similarly to fixed head nozzles, except deliver the water at a much slower rate. This allows you to water your plants efficiently without drowning or over watering them, and will use significantly less water than other types of sprinklers.

What Is the Best Sprinkler Type for Large Lawns?

Rotor sprinklers are the best type of sprinkler for a large lawn. Water from rotor sprinklers won’t get carried by the wind and won’t evaporate quickly, meaning your lawn will be able to absorb water faster and easier, and you’ll need to run your sprinklers for a shorter amount of time.

The range of Rainbird rotor sprinklers is a great choice for all of your lawn sprinkler needs. These sprinklers are a fan favourite because the sprinklers are tough, efficient and affordable.

What Is the Best Sprinkler Type for Small Lawns?

For small lawns, your best bet is the pop up sprinkler. These sprinklers are space saving, inexpensive and do a great job of effectively watering small spaces. Its 4.5m reach and 90, -180-, and 360-degree arcs also work well in small spaces.

What Are the Best Pop up Sprinklers in Australia?

Some of the best sprinklers in Australia, in terms of power, efficiency and overall lifespan, include:

Hunter PGP-04 Ultra Gear Drive Pop Up Sprinklers
Rain Bird 1804 SAM Pop Up Body
Orbit Voyager II Adjustable Pop-Up Sprinkler Head
Toro 570 Pop Up Sprinkler
Hunter PSU Pop Up Sprinkler
Irritrol I-PRO Series 4” Pop Up Sprinkler Body

Hunter PGP-04 Ultra Gear Drive Pop Up Sprinklers – The Hunter PGP-04 Ultra Gear Drive Pop Up Sprinklers is one of the best-selling gear drive sprinklers in the market. It is silent, which makes it great for residential spaces, but it is also non-strippable and vandal-proof, which can make it withstand rugged trenches or public spaces where foot traffic is high.

It has a non-strippable drive and automatic arc return, which allow the turret to be turned if necessary. Its precision control also makes it great for any post. It also has a water-lubricated gear drive and factory-installed rubber cover.

Rain Bird 1804 SAM Pop Up Body – Rain Bird is a trusted brand whether you want an irrigation system for commercial or residential spaces.

The Rain Bird 1804-SAM series is ideal for sloping blocks or areas with changing elevations. Standing for Seal-A-Matic™, SAM refers to its water-saving features, like the check valve and PRS in-stem pressure regulator.

This sprinkler is made from durable UV-resistant plastic, corrosion-resistant stainless steel, and a co-moulded wiper seal. It has a precision-controlled flush, which removes debris, and it comes in 2”, 4”, 6” and 12” pop-up heights.

Orbit Voyager II Adjustable Pop-Up Sprinkler Head – The Orbit Voyager II Adjustable Pop-Up Sprinkler Head is great for medium to large areas. It has an adjustable diameter from 12 to 24m, and an adjustable swing arch ranging from 40 to 360 degrees.

This sprinkler, made by Orbit, has a built-in filter that is easy to take out and clean, so regular maintenance will be a breeze. It’s also flexible since it is compatible with all major brands of gear-driven rotor sprinklers.

Toro 570 Pop Up Sprinkler – The Toro 570 Pop Up Sprinkler is great for garden and turf areas. Part of Toro’s 570Z series sprinklers, this one has zero flush seals to ensure that flushing doesn’t happen upon pop up. Its retraction flushing also clears debris upon pop up. It has a low-pressure sealing and ratcheting riser, which makes arc adjustment easy. It’s made of durable plastic with a stainless steel retraction spring.

Hunter PSU Pop Up Sprinkler – The Hunter PSU Pop Up Sprinkler is a professional-grade sprinkler that comes in 2” and 3” models. They’re compact, slim, and pretty sleek. But, they are very durable and made for rugged irrigation trenches whether in a residential or commercial block.

Part of Hunter’s Pro-Spray® line, it has a pressure-activated co-moulded wiper seal, heavy-duty spring, check valve, and FloGuard™ technology, which can prevent erosion in your landscape. Its pop up sprays are also pressure-regulated.

Irritrol I-PRO Series 4” Pop Up Sprinkler Body – Part of Irritrol’s I-PRO™ Series, this features a pressure-activated seal with lubricant additive, a textured body for non-slip grip, stainless steel retraction spring, male-thread riser, ratcheting riser, and pre-installed flush plug. You can also add an optional check valve to prevent damage from erosion or flood.

How Many Pop Up Sprinklers Can I Run?

The number of pop up sprinklers you can run at one time depends on your flow rate and water pressure or basically how much water your home can supply.

You can manually do it using the bucket test. To do that, prepare a standard 9-litre bucket and do the following:

Turn on the tap at full bar.
Time how long the bucket fills.
Calculate the flow rate using this formula:

flow rate = 60 ÷ (seconds taken to fill bucket) x (bucket size in litres)
Just a note: it is best to do the bucket test at peak water usage.

This will allow you to calculate the tap flow rate for irrigation, which can be used to accurately determine how many pop up sprinklers you can run.

How to Choose the Best Sprinkler for Your Lawn: Australian Guide