Artificial turf calculator
Turf comes in 12–15 ft rolls, sold by the square foot. Enter your area — get the square footage with cutting waste, the linear feet to order, and the infill you'll need.
Turf needed
How much artificial turf do I need?
Turf is manufactured in wide rolls (commonly 12, 13.1 or 15 ft) and sold by the square foot. Your order needs the area plus 10% for cutting waste — offcuts from fitting around edges, curves and obstacles are unavoidable, and rolls can't be returned once cut.
Worked example: a 30 × 14 ft yard (420 ft²) needs 462 ft² of turf. On a 15 ft roll: 462 ÷ 15 = 31 linear ft — one 100 ft roll cut to length, with the offcut saved for patches or a putting green.
Watch the roll width
Rolls run 100 ft long and can't be rotated — the fibers have a lean (grain) that shows at seams if pieces face different directions. On a 14 ft wide yard, a 15 ft roll covers the width in one piece; a 12 ft roll forces a 2 ft seam strip. Sometimes paying for the wider roll saves the seam.
| Area width | Best roll | Result |
|---|---|---|
| up to 12 ft | 12 ft | single piece, no seam |
| 12–13 ft | 13.1 ft | single piece |
| 13–15 ft | 15 ft | single piece |
| over 15 ft | 15 ft | seamed rows, stagger joints |
Base and infill — the hidden quantities
Turf doesn't lie on dirt. Excavate 3–4 inches and install compacted crushed rock base (use that calculator for the stone tonnage). On top, most lawns use silica sand infill: 1–2 lb per ft² — a 420 ft² lawn takes 420–840 lb, brushed into the fibers. Infill weighs blades down, keeps them upright and adds UV ballast.
What does artificial turf cost?
Material runs $1.50–$4 per ft² depending on pile height and face weight; installed lawns land at $8–$14 per ft² with base and labor. DIY with a good base gets a usable lawn at $4–$7 per ft². Seaming tape, nails (every 6 in on seams, ~1 lb per 50 ft² elsewhere) and infill add up — budget them in from the start.