Measuring an odd shaped lawn (2024)

Measuring an odd shaped lawn is always interesting. If every lawn were either rectangular or circular, calculating how much turf to buy would always be easy. I don’t know about you, but I like my garden to be like Mother Nature – curvy.

If I were designing a garden I would have the sort of lawn that meanders between beds and borders. I would have borders around the edge and I’d have an island bed or two in the middle. Then I’d look at the plan and wonder how to calculate the amount of turf I’d need.

How to calculate turf requirements for an odd shaped lawn

The easiest way, but perhaps not the quickest, would be to draw a scale plan of the garden. Use squared paper and scale it so that one square = 1 square metre. Then count the squares and add on an extra 5 or 10 percent to allow for trimmings and last-minute design tweaks.

Remember 1 square metre = 1 roll of turf. At least that’s simple

At least that’s simple

Another way would be to divide the lawn up into roughly geographic shapes and calculate each shape separately.

Here are three examples of odd shaped lawns that I found on Pinterest

Figure-of-eight shaped lawn

This curvy lawn at the top of this blog looks like two circles to me with a bite taken out of the top one.

I would measure the diameter of each circle and use the formula below to calculate the area of each one, then add them together. I would order enough turf to cover the “bite” and that would be my allowance for trimming.

Rugby-ball shaped lawn

Measuring an odd shaped lawn (1)

In this lawn I can see a semi-circle at the far end ( work it out as if it were a full circle then divide the answer by 2); two triangles in the middle; a third triangle nearest the camera.

Triangle

Measuring an odd shaped lawn (2)

A modern and clean cut triangular shaped lawn.

Irregular shaped lawn

Measuring an odd shaped lawn (3)

This is a challenge! I think I’d look at it as a small rectangle in the distance and a larger rectangle for the main lawn – the curves on either side would cancel each other out – I think! How would you tackle it?

Doing the maths

Here are the formulae for working out areas – remember, when measuring for turf, always measure in metres. That way it’s easy to work out how many rolls to buy – 1 roll = 1 square metre.

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Measuring an odd shaped lawn (2024)

FAQs

How to measure an irregular shaped lawn? ›

Irregular Shapes

Formula: Measure the length of the longest axis across the area. Every 10 feet along the length, measure the width of the area at right angles to the length line. Total all widths and multiply by 10. Example: A= (40' + 30' + 50') x 10 = 1,200 sq.

How to measure an odd-shaped garden? ›

The easiest way, but perhaps not the quickest, would be to draw a scale plan of the garden. Use squared paper and scale it so that one square = 1 square metre. Then count the squares and add on an extra 5 or 10 percent to allow for trimmings and last-minute design tweaks.

How do you measure lawns? ›

If you'd like to measure your yard the old fashioned way, follow these steps: Walk the length of your lawn, figuring that one pace equals about 3 feet. Do the same with the width of the lawn. Then multiply the length by the width to arrive at the total.

How do you measure odd? ›

Calculating Odds from Probability

If you have a ratio describing probability, i.e. 33% or 1:2, calculate the odds by dividing the outcome you want over all possible outcomes (1/(1+2) = 1/3), then use the formula Odds = P / (1 - P), in this example O = . 33 / (1 - . 33) = . 5.

How do you measure odd shapes? ›

To find the area of an irregularly shaped site, establish a line down the middle of the site (lengthwise). Measure this line to determine the length. Then measure from side to side at several points along this line. The more side measurements you take, the more accurate your area measurement will be.

How do you measure irregular shaped land? ›

But you must follow the below steps if you have the land in an irregular shape like a parallelogram:
  1. Measure all sides of irregular shapes.
  2. Ensure all the measurements are done in a similar unit (feet, centimeters, meters, inches, or any other unit).
  3. Using the measurements you took, sketch the area on a sheet of paper.

How do you measure an irregular shaped object? ›

Irregularly Shaped Objects

The volume of these objects can be found by water displacement. A volume of water sufficient to cover the object is placed in a graduated cylinder and the volume read. The object is added to the cylinder and the volume read again.

How do you find the square footage of an odd shape? ›

To calculate the square footage of an irregular shape, divide the irregular shape into smaller shapes, find the area of each, and then add up all the results.

How do you measure a curved garden? ›

For curves and features in the middle of the garden, choose a straight line in the garden from which to measure them easily. This could be a boundary, the house wall and continuation into the garden, or a diagonal across the garden and is referred to as the 'baseline'.

How do you measure a circular lawn? ›

Measuring a circle

A slightly more difficult equation, to get the right measurement for your circular lawn you will need to take the radius (half the distance across the middle of the circle), square it and then multiply this number by Pi (3.142).

How do you measure a yard without a ruler? ›

One yard (36 inches or 92cm) is roughly the distance from your nose to the knuckle of your index finger (with your hand in a fist) on an outstretched arm. If you use this measurement often, measure your arm to see how close this measurement is to 1 yard.

How do you calculate the area of a lawn? ›

If you're lucky enough to have a square or rectangular lawn, measuring its area is simplicity itself. Measure the width and the length, and multiply the two together. This gives you your area.

How do you measure an ODD shaped lawn? ›

The area of a lawn with an irregular shape can be difficult to measure. To make measuring simpler, divide the irregular shape into smaller geometric shapes. Add individual areas together to calculate total area.

How to calculate the area of an irregular shape? ›

To find the area of an irregular shape, we first break the shape into common shapes. Then we find the area of each shape and add them. For example, if an irregular polygon is made up of a square and a triangle, then: Area of irregular polygon = Area of Square + Area of Triangle.

How to measure the diameter of irregular shapes? ›

For an irregularly closed curve, the diameter is the maximum distance between the points of the border (least upper bound of the set of all distances between pairs of points). In principle, it is not difficult to write an algorithm for determining this mathematical diameter for irregularly shaped holes.

How do we measure irregular shapes? ›

Explanation: To find the Area of Irregular shapes, first, we need to divide the Irregular shape into regular shapes that you can recognize such as triangles, rectangles, circles, squares and so forth. Then, find the Area of these individual shapes. Add them to get an Area of Irregular shapes.

What is the method of measuring irregular shaped object? ›

Irregularly Shaped Objects

The volume of these objects can be found by water displacement. A volume of water sufficient to cover the object is placed in a graduated cylinder and the volume read.

What are the methods of determining areas of irregular shapes? ›

To find the Area of Irregular Shapes, first, we need to divide the Irregular Shape into Regular Shapes that you can recognize such as triangles, rectangles, circles, Squares and so forth. Then, find the Area of these individual Shapes and add them to get an Area of Irregular Shapes.

How do you measure an irregular square? ›

To calculate the square footage of an irregular shape, divide the irregular shape into smaller shapes, find the area of each, and then add up all the results.

References

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