Ordering turf is not the same as measuring square footage. Turf comes in rolls of a fixed width, so the shape of the area decides how many cuts you need, where the seams go and how much you trim off. Get the plan right and you buy less turf, run fewer seams and finish the job faster.
1. Measure the longest length and the widest width
Measure the area at its longest and widest points, even if it is not a perfect rectangle. Curves, beds and odd corners get trimmed out on site, so you plan the order around the rectangle that covers the whole area. Add a few inches on each side if the edges are not straight.
2. Plan the cuts on 15-foot rolls
Our rolls are 15 feet wide and cut to length. An area that is 30 feet wide needs two 15-foot pieces side by side; an area 32 feet wide needs three, with the third mostly trimmed off. That is why it often pays to run the pieces the other direction.
For example, a 45 × 30 foot yard:
- Run the pieces along the 45-foot side: two pieces, 15′ × 45′ each, with one 45-foot seam.
- Run them along the 30-foot side: three pieces, 15′ × 30′ each, with two seams.
Both cover 1,350 square feet, but the first plan has one seam instead of two. Our turf calculator checks both directions and picks the one with less waste.
3. Keep the blades running the same way
Turf has a grain: the blades lean slightly in one direction. Every piece in an area should run the same way, ideally with the grain facing where people look at it from (the house, the street). Never flip a piece to save material; the seam will show.
4. Work out the supplies
- Infill: about 1.5 lb per square foot for lawns and pet areas, about 2 lb for putting greens. Use an antimicrobial pet infill in dog areas.
- Seam tape: one foot of tape per foot of seam, plus turf adhesive.
- Nails: along every edge and seam, and in a grid across the field. Plan on a few boxes of 100 for an average backyard.
- Weed barrier: the same square footage as the base, if you use it.
5. Decide on delivery or pickup
Contractors can have the order dropped at the job site; retail and DIY buyers usually take a driveway drop. Delivery is priced by zone from the warehouse (see the delivery map). If you have a truck, will-call pickup at our Clearwater warehouse is free. Either way, call ahead so the turf is cut to your plan and ready.
Put your numbers in the turf calculator to see the cut plan, supplies and a price, then send it to us with one click. Contractors can open an account for the wholesale price book.