So, you have chosen to turf an area of your garden but have no idea how many rolls of turf you need to order? Don’t worry! Follow our tips below to help.
Most turf suppliers sell turf in rolls which cover 1 square metre, but it is important to double check this with your chosen supplier before hand. Rather than being a 1m x 1m square however, the rolls are usually harvested in long thin strips to make it easy to lay, but the area they cover still works out at 1 square metre.
Square/ Rectangle
We will start with the easier shaped gardens! Measure the length and width of your garden and then follow the step below depending on which unit you have used.
- I have measured my garden in metres:
If you have measured the garden in metres, simply multiply the two values together to get the area in square metres. For example, if your garden in 7 metres long by 5 metres wide, the area would be 7 times 5, so 35 square metres.
Circle
Feeling a bit fancy and creating a circular lawn? If it has been a while since you left school, don’t worry! They make a very nice feature and aren’t too difficult to measure either.
- Measure a straight line from the centre of the circle to the outside – this is the radius.
- Multiply this value by itself and then multiply the answer by Pi. (If you don’t have a scientific calculator 3.142 will do the job!) This will give you the area.
- If you have measured in metres, you now have the area in square metres.
- If you have measured in feet or yards, look at the magic numbers section to convert this into square metres.
Triangle
The area of a triangle differs depending on both the length of the sides and the angles within it. We think the easiest way to measure is as follows:
- Look at your garden and identify the longest side of the triangle. Measure the length of this side – this will be the base.
- Identify the corner of the triangle that is opposite this side (ie not the ones either end of this line).
- Measure a straight line from this corner to the base, making sure that this line meets the base perpendicular – as close to 90°as possible. This will be the height.
- Then multiply the base by the height and divide this answer by 2. This will give you the area.
- If you have measured in metres, you now have the area in square metres. If you have measured in feet or yards, look at the magic numbers section to convert this into square metres.
Obscure Shape!
If your garden is a bit of an obscure shape, rather than trying to work out a fancy formula the best tactic is to divide it down into sections. Try to split the area into squares, rectangles and triangles and measure each section separately. Once you have finished, simply add all the areas up and you shouldn’t go wrong!