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How to Measure Lawn Size for Turf (UK Calculator)

How to measure lawn size for turf: length × width in metres, add 5% and divide by the roll size. Turf calculator, worked example and a quantity chart.

Quick answer: Measure the lawn’s length and width in metres and multiply them to get square metres, then add 5% for trimming. Most UK turf rolls are about 1.64 m × 0.61 m, which is 1 m², so the number of rolls equals the square metres. An 8 m × 5 m lawn is 40 m², so order 42 rolls.

Turf is a living product that needs laying soon after it arrives, so ordering the right amount first time matters more than with most garden materials. This page, part of our garden measuring guides, has a turf calculator, a chart of common lawn sizes and the method for awkward shapes. For the area maths in more depth, see how to measure a garden in square metres.

Turf calculator

=42 rolls (lawn area 40 m²)

Use "extra areas" for any part of the lawn outside the main rectangle, such as a rounded end or a strip beside the path. Change the roll size if your supplier sells larger "big roll" turf or a different format.

How do you work out how much turf you need?

Rolls = lawn area in m² × 1.05 ÷ area of one roll, rounded up. With standard 1 m² rolls, that is simply the area plus 5%. Rolawn and Turf Online, two UK turf suppliers, both describe rolls of about 610 mm × 1,640 mm covering one square metre, and both suggest adding around 5% to cover trimming and shaping.

Working out how much turf to orderAn 8 by 5 metre lawn drawn to scale and covered in turf rolls about 1.64 by 0.61 metres laid in staggered rows, with the last row cut to fit, and a calculation showing 40 square metres plus 5 percent equals 42 one-square-metre rolls.Measure, add 5%, divide by the roll sizeone roll ≈ 1.64 × 0.61 m8 m5 mShaded strip: last row cut to width. Rolls staggered like brickwork.Turf orderArea8 × 5 = 40 m²Add 5% extra40 × 1.05 = 42 m²Rolls of 1 m²42 ÷ 1 = 42Order 42 rolls
Drawn to scale: an 8 m × 5 m lawn takes eight full rows of 0.61 m wide rolls plus a narrow cut strip, which is why the extra 5% matters.

How do you measure a lawn for turf, step by step?

  1. Mark out the new lawn. Use canes, string or a hosepipe to show exactly where the turf will go, not where the old grass happened to reach.
  2. Measure the longest length and the widest width in metres with a long tape kept taut and level (see how to read a tape measure).
  3. Deal with odd shapes. Split the lawn into rectangles, triangles and part-circles and add their areas, or for a small curved lawn simply measure the rectangle that encloses it.
  4. Take away anything inside the lawn that will not be turfed, such as a bed, pond or patio.
  5. Add 5%, divide by the roll size and round up. Allow a little more for very curvy or narrow lawns, which create more offcuts.

Worked example: a lawn with a rounded end

A lawn 8 m long and 5 m wide with a semicircular end 5 m across needs 53 rolls. The rectangle is 8 × 5 = 40 m². The semicircle has a radius of 2.5 m, so its area is ½ × π × 2.5² = 9.82 m². Together that is 49.82 m², and adding 5% gives 52.31 m², which rounds up to 53 one-square-metre rolls.

Measuring the enclosing rectangle instead (10.5 m × 5 m = 52.5 m²) would give a similar answer here, but on larger curved lawns the rectangle method can overestimate by a lot, so split the shape when the curves are big.

Turf quantity chart for common lawn sizes

Read across from your lawn area to the number of 1 m² rolls to order. The 10% column is for curved, narrow or many-cornered lawns.

Lawn areaIn square feetRolls with 5% extraRolls with 10% extra
10 m²108 sq ft1111
20 m²215 sq ft2122
30 m²323 sq ft3233
40 m²431 sq ft4244
50 m²538 sq ft5355
60 m²646 sq ft6366
80 m²861 sq ft8488
100 m²1,076 sq ft105110
150 m²1,615 sq ft158165

What if your measurements are in feet or yards?

Multiply square feet by 0.0929, or square yards by 0.836, to get square metres. UK turf growers sell by the square metre, but older garden books and some American lawn advice still use square feet and yards. A 20 ft × 15 ft lawn is 300 sq ft, which is 27.87 m², so you would order 30 rolls with 5% extra. The area converter handles any other conversion, and the feet to cm converter helps if your tape reads in feet.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Measuring to the fence when a border runs along it.
  • Forgetting the extra 5% and running out on the last row.
  • Assuming every supplier's roll is 1 m²; check the product listing.
  • Ordering before the ground is prepared. Turf Online advises laying turf on the day of delivery in warm weather, so plan the delivery date around the work.

Frequently asked questions

How big is a roll of turf in the UK?

A standard roll is about 610 mm wide and 1,640 mm long, which covers about one square metre. Some suppliers also sell larger rolls, so check the listing.

How many rolls of turf do I need for 50 square metres?

With 1 square metre rolls and 5% extra, you need 53 rolls, because 50 × 1.05 = 52.5, which rounds up to 53.

How much extra turf should I order?

Around 5% is the usual allowance for trimming edges and shaping. Allow more for lawns with many curves or narrow strips.

How do I measure a curved lawn for turf?

Split it into rectangles, triangles and part-circles and add the areas, or for a small lawn measure the rectangle that encloses the curve. Then add 5% and divide by the roll size.

Sources

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