Most instant turf is supplied in rolls of uniform width, with construction specifications commonly setting a minimum of 300 millimetres, while length stays variable because growers cut to area rather than fixed size. The real variable that drives weight and handling is thickness, known as the soil profile, which typically ranges from 25 millimetres up to 40 or 50 millimetre jumbo cuts. Because turf is a living product carrying moisture, the safest way to order is by square metre, confirming roll width, soil depth and delivery timing directly with your grower.
TL;DR:
- Turf with thicker soil profiles or higher moisture content will weigh more and require careful handling, especially for jumbo cuts over 50 millimetres.
- Ordering by square metre rather than roll count is essential because roll lengths vary, and wider rolls reduce seams but increase lift difficulty.
- Delivery must occur within 48 hours of cutting to prevent drying out, which limits the maximum order size and emphasizes staged deliveries for large projects.
- Use a staggered laying pattern and a light roller to ensure proper contact and minimize drying risks, particularly when handling heavier, thicker turf.
- Confirm soil type and moisture level at harvest to anticipate weight fluctuations and select the appropriate turf thickness for the specific application.
Construction specifications used across landscaping projects require turf rolls to be supplied in long lengths of a uniform width not less than 300 millimetres. In practice, growers often cut wider for larger commercial jobs to reduce the number of seams, while residential orders are commonly supplied in the narrower range. Length is rarely fixed: growers cut to whatever length suits the harvester and the paddock, so buyers should always think in square metres rather than roll count alone.
Thickness is where the real differences show up. A standard cut sits around 25 to 40 millimetres of soil attached to the root zone, while a jumbo cut can run to 50 millimetres or more for applications that need instant stability. Each extra millimetre of soil adds weight per square metre, since soil carries far more mass than the grass blade and root mat above it.
Turf typically weighs a moderate amount per square metre when freshly cut, with weight influenced by soil profile thickness, moisture, and turf variety, with the heavier end reflecting thicker soil profiles, wetter conditions at harvest or denser turf varieties. Moisture content shifts this figure more than almost any other factor, since rain in the days before harvest can add noticeable weight to a pallet.
Palletising follows the same logic. Standard cuts commonly fit more square metres per pallet than jumbo cuts, simply because the thicker soil profile takes up more volume and weight for the same footprint. A few factors worth checking before you order:
Getting the area right before you call a supplier saves time and avoids a second delivery. Follow this sequence:
Roll width matters here because it determines how many linear metres you need to cover a given area. A wider roll covers more ground per length and reduces the number of seams, but it also means each individual roll is heavier to lift and position, which matters if you are laying the lawn yourself rather than booking a crew.
Before placing an order, run through a short checklist: confirm the final measured area, decide on a waste allowance, ask the supplier about available roll width and soil depth, and lock in a delivery slot that matches your ability to lay the turf promptly.
Pro tip: If your site has limited access or you are working without extra labour, ask the supplier about staggering deliveries into smaller batches rather than accepting the full order in one drop.
Turf is a perishable product once it is cut, and this is the single biggest constraint on how much you should order at once. Municipal landscape guidance commonly requires turf to be delivered within 48 hours of cutting and laid within 36 hours of lifting, with a clear instruction that turf must not be allowed to dry out between harvest and laying.
If you cannot lay the turf immediately, keep rolls shaded and, for short delays, cover them with wet hessian to slow moisture loss. Rolling the turf grass-side up rather than leaving it stacked flat also helps limit heat build-up inside the roll. None of these measures buy much time though, and turf left too long on a pallet will suffer.
Practical ordering tactics follow from this timing constraint, and expert artificial turf installation by Village Precision Pros can help coordinate delivery and handling for large turf orders. Book your laying crew, whether that is Greener Lawn’s turf laying service or your own labour, to match the delivery date rather than the other way around. For thicker or jumbo cuts, confirm whether you need pallet handling equipment such as a trolley or forklift, since these heavier profiles are harder to move by hand.
Before booking delivery, ask your supplier:
The way turf is laid affects how well it establishes, and that should shape your ordering decisions before the truck arrives. Landscape construction guidance specifies a staggered, brick bond pattern, offsetting the joints between rows rather than lining them up, because continuous straight seams dry out faster and create weak lines across the finished lawn.
Immediately after laying, a single light pass with a roller helps press the turf into firm contact with the soil below and removes air pockets that would otherwise dry out the roots. Construction specifications commonly recommend a roller weighing around 80 kilograms per metre of width for this single pass, since heavier repeated rolling can compact the soil rather than simply settling the turf.
Thickness choice should match the job. Standard 25 to 40 millimetre cuts suit most residential lawns and keep handling manageable for a small crew. Thicker 40 to 50 millimetre jumbo cuts, the kind specified in some council tender documents for particular varieties, suit sports fields, sites needing instant load-bearing stability or slopes at risk of erosion. The trade-off is weight: jumbo rolls are harder to lift and cost more to freight, so only order them when the site genuinely calls for it.
Greener Lawn is a family-owned and operated turf grower and supplier based in the Hawkesbury, supplying premium quality turf to residential, trade and commercial customers since 1990. As licensed growers and a Lawn Solutions Australia partner, we supply AusGAP-certified varieties and can confirm roll width, soil profile and delivery scheduling before you commit to an order.
If you are getting ready to lay your own lawn, our shop stocks the equipment to match:
Measure your area, decide on a soil profile, then head to our shop to order or book a laying date that suits your site.
The roll widths, delivery windows and rolling advice in this guide come from published construction specifications and landscape training resources:
Construction specifications commonly set a minimum roll width of 300 millimetres, though growers often cut wider for larger jobs. Length varies by supplier, so it is best to order by total square metres rather than by a fixed roll count.
Pallet weight depends mainly on soil thickness and moisture content at harvest, with turf generally weighing 15 to 25 kilograms per square metre once cut. Jumbo cuts with thicker soil profiles carry noticeably more weight per pallet than standard cuts of the same area.
Industry guidance recommends laying turf as soon as possible, with municipal specifications suggesting delivery within 48 hours of cutting and laying within 36 hours of lifting. Turf left stacked and exposed for longer risks drying out and failing to establish.
Standard cuts of 25 to 40 millimetres suit most residential lawns, while jumbo cuts of 40 to 50 millimetres suit sports fields, slopes or sites needing instant stability. Thicker cuts are heavier to handle, so match the profile to your site rather than defaulting to the thickest option.
This covers trimming losses around edges and garden beds without leaving you short on the day.