Artificial Turf Calculator

Calculate how much artificial turf to order from a 15, 12 or 13 ft roll, plus seam tape, infill, crushed rock base and turf nails for a synthetic lawn or putting green.

By CalcBuilt Editorial TeamUpdated September 9, 2026Formulas checked against manufacturer specs, see how we calculate.

Quick answer: To find how much artificial turf you need, divide the narrow side of the area by the roll width and round up for the number of runs, multiply by the other side for linear feet of roll, then add waste. A 30 x 20 ft lawn takes two 20 ft runs of 15 ft wide turf, or 44 ft with 10% waste, which is 660 sq ft of turf, 900 lb of infill and 5.56 cubic yards of base rock.

Results

Turf to order: 44 ft of 15 ft wide roll; 660 sq ft of turf for a 600 sq ft area: 2 runs of 20 ft plus 10% waste
Seam tape: 20 ft; 1 seam of 20 ft; tape and turf adhesive go under every seam
Infill: 900 lb; 18 bags of 50 lb at 1.5 lb per sq ft
Base gravel: 5.56 cu yd; 3 in of crushed rock over 600 sq ft, about 7.8 tons; order 15 to 20% extra for compaction
Turf nails: 200 nails; One every 6 in around the 100 ft perimeter, plus one every 12 in along seams; use 5 in or 6 in galvanized turf nails

Artificial Turf formula

Runs = Area width / roll width, rounded up  (also try Area length / roll width)
Roll length = Runs x run length x (1 + waste %), using the orientation with less turf
Infill (lb) = Area (sq ft) x lb per sq ft;  Base (cu yd) = Area x depth (in) / 12 / 27
Seam tape = (Runs - 1) x run length;  Nails = Perimeter (ft) x 2

Worked example

An 18 x 35 ft side yard on a 15 ft roll: runs along the 18 ft side need 3 runs of 18 ft = 54 ft, while runs along the 35 ft side need 2 runs of 35 ft = 70 ft. Take 54 ft, add 10% for 59.4 ft, and round up to 60 ft of roll. 60 x 15 = 900 sq ft of turf for a 630 sq ft yard, with 2 seams of 18 ft, so 36 ft of seam tape.

Infill at 1.5 lb per sq ft: 630 x 1.5 = 945 lb, or 19 bags of 50 lb. Base at 3 in: 630 x 0.25 = 157.5 cubic feet, or 5.83 cubic yards of crushed rock. Nails: the perimeter is 2 x (18 + 35) = 106 ft, and one nail every 6 in is 212 nails.

Quick reference

Artificial turf from a 15 ft roll (10% waste, 1.5 lb infill, 3 in base)
Area	Roll length	Turf	Infill	Base rock
10 x 10 ft	11 ft	165 sq ft	150 lb	0.93 cu yd
15 x 20 ft	22 ft	330 sq ft	450 lb	2.78 cu yd
20 x 20 ft	44 ft	660 sq ft	600 lb	3.70 cu yd
20 x 30 ft	44 ft	660 sq ft	900 lb	5.56 cu yd
25 x 40 ft	83 ft	1,245 sq ft	1,500 lb	9.26 cu yd
30 x 50 ft	110 ft	1,650 sq ft	2,250 lb	13.89 cu yd
40 x 60 ft	176 ft	2,640 sq ft	3,600 lb	22.22 cu yd

How to measure for artificial turf

Synthetic turf comes off a roll, almost always 15 feet wide, so you buy a length of roll rather than the exact square footage. Divide the narrow side of the area by 15, round up to get the number of runs, and multiply by the long side for the length of roll. A 12 by 25 foot strip fits in one 25 foot run; a 20 by 30 foot lawn needs two runs either way, and two 20 foot runs (40 feet) beat two 30 foot runs (60 feet).

Add 10 percent for trimming and squaring the ends, or 15 percent if the shape has curves, a patio cut into it, or a putting green cup layout. Every run has to face the same direction because the blades lean, so you cannot flip a leftover piece to fill a gap. Order all the turf for a job at once from the same dye lot.

Base, infill and seams

Strip 3 to 4 inches of sod and soil, then spread and compact class II road base or decomposed granite in two lifts, with a slight slope for drainage. The base is what keeps turf flat for its 15 to 20 year life, so compaction matters more than any other step. Rent a plate compactor and order 15 to 20 percent more rock than the loose volume.

Seams are joined from below with 12 inch seam tape and turf adhesive, never nailed alone. Once the turf is stretched and nailed around the perimeter every 6 inches, spread infill with a drop spreader and brush it in with a power broom. Sand holds the blades upright, protects the backing from UV and adds weight so the turf does not lift or wrinkle in heat.

Key facts

Most artificial turf is sold from 15 ft wide rolls cut to the length you need; 12 ft and 13 ft (4 m) widths exist for some products.
Landscape turf takes 1 to 2 lb of silica sand infill per square foot, so a 50 lb bag covers 25 to 50 sq ft.
The base is 3 to 4 in of compacted crushed rock, and loose crushed rock compacts about 15 to 20 percent, so order extra.
Turf nails go every 6 in around the perimeter and every 12 in along seams; 5 and 6 in galvanized nails are standard.
Every run must be laid with the pile grain facing the same direction, or the seams show as a shade change in the light.

Frequently asked questions

How much artificial turf do I need for a 20x30 area?

Two 20 ft runs of 15 ft wide roll, or 44 ft with 10% waste. That is 660 sq ft of turf for a 600 sq ft lawn, with one 20 ft seam.

How much infill does artificial grass need?

1 to 2 lb of silica sand per square foot, or about 1.5 lb for a typical landscape turf. A 600 sq ft lawn takes about 900 lb, which is 18 bags of 50 lb.

How much base rock goes under artificial turf?

3 to 4 in of compacted crushed rock. At 3 in, 600 sq ft needs 150 cubic feet, or 5.56 cubic yards, plus 15 to 20% extra because the rock compacts.

How many nails do I need for artificial turf?

One every 6 in around the perimeter, so a 30 x 20 ft lawn with a 100 ft perimeter takes about 200 nails, plus a nail every 12 in along each seam.

Sources and references

Considerations When Buying Synthetic Grass for Landscape Use (infill and drainage guidelines) (Synthetic Turf Council)
Synthetic Turf Council technical guidelines (landscape installation, base systems, infill) (Synthetic Turf Council)

Next steps for this project

The usual order for a landscaping & outdoor project. See all landscaping & outdoor calculators.

Results are estimates based on standard formulas and typical product specifications. Confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.