Types of Sprinkler Heads

close-up of an automatic pop up sprinkler watering the lawn

The five main types of sprinkler heads are spray heads, rotor sprinkler heads, rotary sprinkler heads, pop-up sprinkler heads, shrub sprinkler heads, and bubbler sprinkler heads. They’re divided by their mechanisms and water delivery methods.

The different types of lawn sprinkler heads have different purposes and are better for certain areas of your lawn and landscape. Let’s find out which ones are the best for your needs:

1. Spray heads

in-ground sprinkler watering the grass
Pexels
  • Best for: Small to medium-sized lawns, shrubs, and ground cover
  • Coverage: 4 to 15 feet
  • Water output: 1 to 2 inches per hour
  • Water pressure: 20 to 30 PSI

Spray heads are stationary, meaning they don’t rotate like a rotor sprinkler head. However, spray irrigation heads can spray water 360, 180, or 90 degrees depending on their nozzle (which typically can’t be changed). The nozzle is a part of the sprinkler head that controls the spray pattern.

Putting out 1 to 2 inches of water per hour, this type of sprinkler head sprays out a lot of water very fast in a mist. However, this mist is easily blown away by the wind. Fixed lawn sprinkler heads are not equipped to handle higher water pressures – only up to 30 PSI.

Spray heads have a smaller reach, only able to water areas in a 15-foot radius. So, install them no further than 15 feet apart. Any further than that and you will end up with dry spots on your lawn.

ProsCons
✓ Lots of options to customize your watering setup
✓ Affordable
✓ Easier and cheaper to repair
✗ Not water-efficient
✗ Not good for windy areas
✗ More prone to clogging

2. Rotor sprinkler heads

  • Best for: Medium to large-sized lawns, lawns with slow-draining or slow-absorbing soil, and slopes
  • Coverage: Up to 150 feet, depending on type
  • Water output: ½ to 1 inch per hour
  • Water pressure: Can handle water pressure greater than 30 PSI

Unlike fixed sprinkler heads, rotor sprinkler heads rotate as they deliver water. They can rotate up to 360 degrees and can be adjusted. Learn more about adjusting sprinkler heads in our article about how to adjust sprinkler heads.

Rotor sprinkler heads put out less water than a fixed sprinkler head – only able to deliver ½ to 1 inch of water per hour. They irrigate water in a single stream, which won’t be blown away by the wind, has less runoff, and is more water-efficient. Rotors can handle water pressures greater than 30 PSI.

This type of sprinkler head can irrigate a large area evenly, with a radius of up to 150 feet. Generally, you want to place them based on the water pressure you will be supplying them. For example, if your water pressure is 30 PSI, install them less than 30 feet apart. 

Because they cover such a large area, they’re not very good if you have curves or irregularly-shaped areas. They will end up spewing water onto areas that don’t need irrigation, such as walkways, driveways, and walls.

ProsCons
✓ Good for larger areas
✓ More water-efficient
✓ Better for flood-prone areas and slopes
✓ Better for windy areas
✗ Puts out less water
✗ More expensive
✗ Not good for irregularly-shaped lawns

There are two types of rotor sprinkler heads:

  • Impact sprinkler heads
  • Gear-drive sprinkler heads

Impact sprinkler heads

sprinkler on grass shooting out water
Shaylor | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
  • Best for: Large lawns and areas with hard water
  • Coverage: 80 to 150 feet
  • Water output: ½ to 1 inch per hour
  • Water pressure: Can handle water pressure greater than 30 PSI

Also called impulse sprinkler heads, impact sprinkler heads are powerhouses that can deliver water in an 80 to 150-foot radius. However, the higher the radius they water, the less uniform its coverage can be as the water spreads in the air. They will also need a higher water pressure and more water to effectively water that far.

They rotate due to the force (or impact) of the outgoing water hitting the spring-loaded arm of the sprinkler head. You can adjust its rotation pattern from 360 degrees down to 15 degrees. Impact sprinklers make a ticking sound as they run.

Impact sprinkler heads deliver water in an uninterrupted stream of water, which makes them less prone to plugging and clogging issues. As such, they’re great for areas that have hard, mineral-heavy water.

ProsCons
✓ Good for larger areas
✓ Less likely to clog
✓ Good for hard water
✓ Penetrates soil deeply
✗ Noisy
✗ Less uniform coverage
✗ May need more water than a gear-drive sprinkler head
✗ Not good for newly-seeded grass

According to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, this type of sprinkler is thought to have been invented by a citrus grower from Florida way back in 1932. However, they are being replaced by newer gear-drive sprinklers on residential lawns.

Gear-drive sprinkler heads

  • Best for: Medium to large lawns, newly-seeded lawns, clay soil
  • Coverage: 80 to 150 feet
  • Water output: ½ to 1 inch per hour
  • Water pressure: Can handle water pressure greater than 30 PSI

Also called gear-driven sprinkler heads, gear-drive sprinklers are more uniform than their impact head counterparts. Unlike impact sprinkler heads, they move when water passes through an internal turbine, which in turn powers the gears that rotate the sprinkler nozzle. Gear-driven sprinklers are quieter than impact heads.

Gear-drive sprinkler heads can also put out water over large distances – up to 55 feet. They still water uniformly at higher water pressures and work better than impact heads at lower water pressure. They’re also rather gentle, making them a good irrigation option for newly-seeded lawns and clay soil.

However, these sprinkler heads are not as effective in windy areas.

This type of sprinkler heads has replaced many impact sprinkler heads because of their efficiency, uniformity, and quietness. They are harder to repair, though.

ProsCons
✓ Can handle lower water pressure with ease
✓ Uniform coverage
✓ Quiet operation
✓ Gentler water output
✗ Harder to repair
✗ Not as effective in windy areas
✗ More expensive

3. Rotary sprinkler heads

rotary sprinkler head close-up
el cajon yacht club | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
  • Best for: Slopes, groundcover, uneven terrain, windy areas, and slow-draining soil
  • Coverage: 8 to 30 feet
  • Water output: ½ to 1 inch per hour
  • Water pressure: Can handle water pressure greater than 30 PSI

While rotary sprinklers may sound very similar to rotor sprinklers (and they’re often used interchangeably), they’re technically different things. 

Also called multiple stream rotor heads, rotary sprinkler heads irrigate yards with multiple streams of water. They cover a smaller area than other rotor sprinkler heads, usually only up to around 30 feet.

The streams put out by rotary sprinkler heads are slow and result in less runoff. So, they’re great for uphill slopes, uneven terrain, and areas that absorb water slowly. The water streamed out by this type of sprinkler head comes out in bigger, heavier droplets, so it’s also good for windy areas that will blow away lighter droplets.

ProsCons
✓ Irrigates evenly
✓ Water-efficient
✓ Better for windy areas
✓ Inexpensive
✗ Smaller range than other rotor sprinkler heads
✗ Prone to hard water buildup

4. Pop-up sprinkler heads

ground sprinklers watering a lawn
Aqua Mechanical | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
  • Best for: Medium-sized lawns
  • Coverage: 7 to 30 feet
  • Water output: 1 to 2 ½ inches per hour
  • Water pressure: 30 to 50 PSI

Used in underground sprinkler systems, pop-up sprinkler heads are sprinkler heads that are visible only when in use; they retract into the ground after. This is for both practical and aesthetic purposes. A hidden sprinkler head can’t be damaged by mowers, pets, and foot traffic, and they won’t peek out from your turf.

Both fixed and rotor sprinkler heads can be pop-up heads. They come in different heights, from shorter 4-inch models that are better for lawns and taller 12-inch ones better for ground cover, shrubs, and flower beds.

They can put out as little as 1 inch to as much as 2 ½ inches of water an hour. You can also adjust their spray patterns by changing their nozzles. Because of this, they work well even in irregularly shaped areas.

ProsCons
✓ Hidden when not in use
✓ Can be fixed or rotor
✓ Versatile
✗ Harder to DIY
✗ Clogs easily
✗ Not as hardy as other sprinkler heads

How high of a pop-up sprinkler should I get for my lawn? The ideal pop-up height will differ based on the type of grass you’re growing. You want it to be taller than your turf’s ideal height (learn more about that here: “How High Should You Cut Your Grass?”). Here is a table of pop-up heights for different types of grass:

Grass typePop-up height
Bermudagrass4 inches
Fescues4 – 6 inches
Kentucky bluegrass4 – 6 inches
Ryegrass4 – 6 inches
St. Augustine grass5 – 6 inches
Zoysiagrass2 – 4 inches
Bahiagrass5 – 6 inches

5. Shrub sprinkler heads

Shrub sprinkler watering plants
Jakobien van der Weijden | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Best for: Groundcover, planters, areas with dense foliage
  • Coverage: 7 to 30 feet
  • Water output: 1 to 2 ½ inches per hour
  • Water pressure: 30 PSI

Shrub sprinkler heads are sort of the opposite of pop-up sprinkler heads. They are mounted on a much taller riser or vertical pipe and don’t retract into the ground. 

This type of sprinkler head is used in areas with taller plants that may block water, so keep it up off your lawn. Shrub sprinkler heads are also a pedestrian hazard. Don’t install them near areas that receive frequent foot traffic, such as walkways and driveways.

ProsCons
✓ Good for areas with tall shrubs and dense foliage✗ Potential tripping hazard

6. Bubbler sprinkler heads

  • Best for: Shrubs, trees, planters, groundcover
  • Coverage: 1 to 3 feet
  • Water output: ¼ gallon to 2 gallons per minute
  • Water pressure: Can handle around 20 to 90 PSI

Unlike the other sprinkler heads on this list, bubbler sprinkler heads are designed to release a lot of water very quickly. Delivering anywhere between ¼ gallon to 2 gallons per minute, this type of sprinkler head is used to irrigate shrubs, trees, planters, and groundcover by saturating the soil at the base of the plants. However, this is too much for turf to handle; keep it off of lawns.

It works by releasing water at a low pressure, letting it pool up and bubble over the nozzle. It prevents foliage rot that may happen from water landing on leaves, stems, trunks, and other parts of the plant. Bubbler sprinkler heads water a very small area – around 3 feet at most.

ProsCons
✓ Great for watering shrubs, trees, planters, and groundcover plants
✓ Good for watering newly-seeded plants
✗ Not ideal on lawns, slopes, and slow-draining soil
✗ Small coverage area

FAQs about lawn sprinkler heads

Can I mix and match sprinkler heads?

Yes, you can mix and match sprinkler heads – as long as they’re in different watering zones. Different sprinkler heads put out water at different rates, so you’ll end up with some zones that are overwatered and some that are underwatered.

For the most efficient sprinkler head setup, try hydrozoning your landscape. Hydrozoning is the act of grouping plants with similar water, sun, and soil requirements in your landscape.

Is drip irrigation a type of sprinkler head?

Drip irrigation is a type of above-ground irrigation system that doesn’t actually use sprinkler heads. You can learn more about different irrigation systems in these articles:

How many sprinkler heads do I need?

How many sprinkler heads you need depends on your lawn’s irrigation needs, how many zones you have, and the type of heads you’re using. Learn more in the DIY sprinkler system design section of our article on how to create a DIY sprinkler system for your lawn.

Hire an irrigation pro to install the right sprinklers for your lawn

Since water is such an important part of keeping your lawn and landscape healthy and lush, it’s important that you get the proper irrigation system and sprinkler heads set up.

If you need help, consult an irrigation pro near you. They can help you determine what sprinkler system you need and install it for you too.

Janine Caayao

Janine Caayao has always been fascinated with growing plants, from fruits and veggies to bonsai trees and orchids. Now, she’s interested in urban gardening with her family. She loves finding new tips and tricks to keep their plants thriving.