Whether you have decided to install a new composite decking patio or an artificial grass lawn, it is important to be vigilant when measuring the space you have planned for the new installation. Measuring in advance will ensure you have purchased the right amount of material, which can save you time and money in the long run. In this blog post, we are going to be covering how we recommend you go about measuring your garden or outdoor space in preparation of new decking or grass area.
If you happen to have an outdoor space or garden that is already perfectly shaped in a straight forward rectangle, lucky you. Simple shapes are, of course, the easiest to measure quickly and easily. All you need to do is measure the length and the width of the area, then add those two numbers together to get your total area size. Simple right?
If you aren’t quite as lucky and your garden is not already in a nice easy rectangle, then you can start by simplifying it for yourself by breaking the space into rectangles. Measure the length and width of each rectangle to start, and multiply the area for each rectangle. All that’s left to do is add each rectangle’s area together to get the total area of the space. As a general rule, we suggest that the best way to go about this is selecting rectangular areas based on the longest sides of your garden.
Unfortunately, many of us are not lucky enough to have a perfectly rectangular garden and many come in much more complex shapes, geometrically speaking. There are often curves, wedges and weird shapes to our gardens that are slightly harder to work with when laying a new composite decking patio or artificial grass. For these more complex shapes, you will need to calculate the area of a “bounding rectangle”
What this means is that it is easiest to break up the shapes as you would in the above tip, where you divide the space into rectangles, but in this case, you will have to visualise these shapes into rectangles. Once you have fitted these curves and wedges into the shape of a rectangle, you can then calculate the area of each rectangle and add them together. Depending on the unusual shapes of your garden and the amount of excess space in your bounding rectangle, you may have more material than you need that can be used to fill other shapes.
If you are looking to fit a raised decking in your unusually shaped garden, this can prove slightly more difficult. In this case, you will need to think about the vertical elevation. If you’re building some decking that is raised above the ground, you may want to note the depth of your decking, so that you can order the correct quantity of boards for this space. Depending on the depth, you may need to also think about incorporating a step or two, which will require some extra boards.
In order to measure for a raised decking installation, it is always a good idea to sketch the design of how your deck will look from the side. This way it is easier to visualise your goal. Make sure to measure the dimensions of each elevation that will need extra decking. As before, break everything into rectangles to calculate individual areas then add it all together. Here at The Outdoor Look, we would always suggest ordering more material than you need, which allows you to have a fall back if any mistakes are made during the installation process. Excess material can also be used to make cool-side projects such as patio or garden furniture. You may want one of our metal balustrade kits to finish of the decking project, make sure you get the correct measurements for that as well. Shop the full range of composite decking patio or artificial grass and more here on our website or contact us for any more information.
