Artificial grass is cut to length from 2m, 4m or 5m wide rolls, so the roll width decides how much you pay for, not just the lawn area.
Page last reviewed 26 October 2026 by the UkToolCalc team
Order by strips, not m². A 5 × 4m lawn fits one 4m-wide strip: 20.4m² with no joins. But a 6 × 4.5m lawn needs 36.8m² of 4m-wide grass (27% waste), or only 27.6m² in 2m widths.
Strips cut 100mm over length, laid the way that wastes least.
Lawn
Area
Roll width
Strips
Grass to order
Waste
3 × 3 m
9 m²
4m
1 × 3.1m
12.4 m²
27%
5 × 4 m
20 m²
4m
1 × 5.1m
20.4 m²
2%
6 × 4.5 m
27 m²
4m
2 × 4.6m
36.8 m²
27%
6 × 4.5 m
27 m²
2m
3 × 4.6m
27.6 m²
2%
8 × 5 m
40 m²
4m
2 × 5.1m
40.8 m²
2%
Narrower rolls mean more joins (9m of joining tape on the 6 × 4.5m lawn in 2m widths, against 4.5m in 4m widths), but they can save a lot of grass. Price both before you order.
The artificial grass calculator tries both directions for you, and adds the joining tape, adhesive, U-pins, sub-base and membrane.
Frequently asked questions
Should the grass run all the same way?
Yes. The pile leans one way, so every strip must point the same direction or the joins show as a colour change. Most people point the pile towards the house or the main view.
Why add 10cm to the length?
Each strip is cut about 100mm longer than the lawn so it can be trimmed neatly to the edges once it's laid.
What goes under artificial grass?
On soil: a weed membrane, about 50mm of compacted MOT Type 1, 25mm of granite dust or sharp sand, then a second membrane. On a patio, a foam underlay is enough.
