Turf & topsoil calculator
Turf rolls and topsoil volume from lawn area. Set the area and roll size — the rest updates as you go.
The lawn
Total area to be turfed.
100mm is typical prep depth for a new lawn.
Covers cuts around edges and settlement.
Turf rolls required
— standard rolls, laid by hand.
Illustrative only. Based on standard roll sizes and a typical topsoil bulk density. Ground preparation and levelling aren't included.
Short-order turf and you're back at the supplier for a few more rolls while the first delivery is already drying out on the pallet. Guess the topsoil and you're either short mid-job or paying to have spare tonnes taken away. This calculator gives a working figure for both from the same lawn area.
Standard rolls versus big rolls
Standard turf rolls (0.5m²) are what most domestic jobs use — light enough to carry and lay by hand, sold in small enough units that wastage on an odd-shaped lawn isn't costly. Big rolls (1.62m²) cover ground much faster and leave far fewer seams, but need a turf-laying machine to handle the weight — worth it on larger, regular-shaped lawns where speed matters more than flexibility around edges.
Why topsoil depth matters
100mm is a reasonable default for prepping a new lawn over reasonable existing ground. Poorer ground, or a lawn that needs proper levelling, pushes that deeper — and because topsoil is priced and delivered by the tonne, depth has a direct effect on cost. Doubling the depth doubles both the volume and the weight.
A worked example
A 50m² lawn at 100mm topsoil depth, with 5% waste, needs 105 standard rolls or 33 big rolls — same area, same coverage, very different unit count. The topsoil comes to 5.25m³, around 7.9 tonnes, or 7 bulk bags.
What this doesn't cover
This assumes a simple, regular lawn shape. Curves, borders and awkward corners increase real wastage beyond the allowance here. Ground preparation — rotavating, levelling, removing old turf or rubble — isn't included, and neither is the topsoil's actual quality; ask your supplier for screened topsoil suitable for turfing rather than general fill, since builders' topsoil can carry stones and debris that ruin a new lawn within a season.
Ordering with confidence
Turf is perishable — rolls left stacked for more than a day or two start to yellow and rot at the core, so order for a lay date, not a delivery date you might slip. Topsoil doesn't have that pressure, so it's fine to have it delivered a little ahead of the turf if access or storage on site is easier that way.
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