Turf, infill, compacted base and seam tape for a synthetic lawn — sized to roll width, not just area.
Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.
⚠ Compact the base in shallow lifts with a plate compactor, not all at once — an under-compacted base is the top cause of a lawn that dips and puddles within the first season.
⚠ Crown or slope the finished base about 1–2% away from the house and any low spot so water percolates through the backing instead of pooling on top of it.
⚠ Strip all of the old grass and its roots, not just the visible blades — any live root left under the base can push a bump up through the turf months later.
| Flooring | $799–$1,082 |
| Soil & Fill | $258–$349 |
| Membrane & Fabric | $47–$63 |
| Fasteners & Hardware | $46–$62 |
| Total | $1,150–$1,556 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.
About this calculator
Enter your yard's length and width and the Artificial Turf Calculator works out how it's actually bought and installed — synthetic turf ships on a fixed-width roll, so a yard wider than that roll needs a second breadth seamed in, cut to length with a waste allowance for trimming curves and borders. It also sizes the compacted base beneath the turf, including extra material for the volume the base loses once it's compacted, plus the infill that weighs the blades down and keeps them standing upright.
Choose a pile height and infill type — silica sand, antimicrobial zeolite, or rubber crumb — and both the turf price and the infill quantity update, since taller pile carries more infill per square foot to keep it standing. Toggle pet use to bump infill coverage and add an odor-control treatment, and open advanced options to set roll width, base depth, the compaction allowance and a weed barrier.
Step by step
A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.
Measure your yard and run the calculator to get turf, infill and base quantities off your actual roll width, not a flat area guess. Order the base material for delivery a day or two before the turf arrives.
Strip the existing grass and its roots with a sod cutter, down to bare soil. Any live root left behind can push a bump up through the finished turf months later.
Grade the subgrade to a slight fall away from the house, then roll out weed-barrier fabric if you're using it. The fabric keeps the base and subsoil from mixing and stops weeds pushing up from below.
Spread the crushed rock or decomposed granite in shallow lifts, compacting each lift with a plate compactor before adding the next. A fully compacted base is what keeps the finished lawn from dipping later.
Unroll each breadth in the same direction so the pile nap leans one way across every seam, and let it relax in the sun for an hour before cutting. Join breadths with seaming tape and adhesive, brushing the nap across the joint to hide it.
Trim the edges to fit tight against hardscape and beds, then drive turf staples every 6 inches around the perimeter and along every seam, with a wider grid across the open field.
Spread infill evenly with a drop spreader and work it down to the backing with a stiff push broom, brushing against the grain so the blades stand up through the infill instead of matting flat.
Equip the job
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Keep planning
Garden & Yard
Answers
Measure your yard's length and width, then account for the roll: synthetic turf ships in a fixed width, typically 12 or 15 feet, so a yard wider than the roll needs a second breadth seamed in. Each breadth is cut to your yard's length plus 5–10% for trimming curves, beds and borders, then the whole order converts to square feet — the unit turf is sold and installed in. This calculator runs that math for your exact yard size and chosen roll width, so you order the amount a crew would actually cut and lay, not a flat length-times-width total.
Silica sand is the cheapest and most common infill — it weighs the blades down and cushions the base. Antimicrobial zeolite (often sold as pet or odor-control infill) is coated to resist bacteria growth and neutralize urine odor, which matters a lot more than the blade underneath it once pets are using the lawn daily. Rubber crumb (recycled SBR) adds spring and is common on sports turf, but it holds heat and odor more than sand or zeolite, so it's a weaker choice for a heavily used pet area even though it's usually the cheapest per pound.
Most residential turf jobs use 3 to 4 inches of compacted crushed rock or decomposed granite as the base, with a deeper base for poor drainage or heavy foot traffic. The trick is that loose base material fluffs up when it's dumped and shrinks once it's actually compacted to that finished depth, so this calculator adds a compaction allowance — typically 15 to 20% — on top of the straight depth-times-area volume. Order only the finished-depth volume and you'll run short mid-job, usually right when the delivery truck has already left.
Yes, with the right infill and drainage. A perforated backing lets urine drain through to the base rather than pooling on the surface, and antimicrobial zeolite infill resists the bacteria that cause odor far better than plain sand. Rinse high-traffic spots with a hose regularly and brush the pile against the grain occasionally to keep it from matting down. This calculator's pet-use toggle adds extra infill coverage and an enzyme treatment line, but no infill fully replaces routine rinsing in a yard where dogs use one or two favorite spots repeatedly.
Quality residential turf typically lasts 15 to 20 years before the fibers noticeably flatten and fade, depending on sun exposure and foot traffic. Taller pile heights (1.5 to 1.75 inches) look lusher and feel softer underfoot but need more infill per square foot to keep the blades standing upright — skimp on infill under tall pile and it mats down within a season. Lower 1.25 inch pile is more forgiving with less infill and holds up better under heavy pet or foot traffic, which is why sports and pet turf often run shorter than lawn-replacement turf.