Landscape Edging Calculator
Calculate the total perimeter and required edging material length needed to borders a garden bed or walkway, including a waste allowance.
Calculation Results
The raw calculated horizontal boundary perimeter (excluding waste).
Total running length of edging material to purchase, including waste.
How This Calculator Works
To use the Landscape Edging Calculator:
- Enter the length and width of the garden bed or zone.
- Check the "Free-Standing Island" box if you need border materials on all four sides. Uncheck it if the garden bed runs along a patio, fence, or wall where edging is unnecessary on that side.
- Specify a waste factor (5% is standard to cover cutoffs, connections, and overlaps).
- The calculator immediately outputs the measured perimeter and the adjusted running feet to purchase.
Formula & Calculations
Landscape edging boundary is calculated based on the layout configuration:
- Free-Standing Island (4 Sides): The edging runs along all four borders.
Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width) - Attached Border (3 Sides): The edging runs along only three sides (e.g. against a house or wall).
Perimeter = (2 × Width) + Length
The total edging material needed including the waste allowance is calculated as:
Edging Required = Perimeter × (1 + Waste / 100)
Step-by-Step Calculation Examples
Free-Standing Island Bed
A free-standing oval/rectangular flower bed measuring 30ft by 15ft requiring borders on all 4 sides with 5% waste.
- garden_length: 30
- garden_width: 15
- is_island: true
- waste: 5
- total_perimeter: 90.0 ft
- edging_needed: 94.5 ft
Attached Patio Border
A border along a patio measuring 30ft by 15ft requiring edging on only 3 sides with 5% waste.
- garden_length: 30
- garden_width: 15
- is_island:
- waste: 5
- total_perimeter: 60.0 ft
- edging_needed: 63.0 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of landscape edging?
Landscape edging creates a clean boundary between grass lawns and garden beds, preventing grass roots from invading flower beds and keeping mulch, soil, or rock from washing away onto the lawn.
What materials are used for landscape edging?
Common materials include plastic (economical and flexible), metal (durable aluminum or steel for clean straight lines), wood (timbers or pressure-treated logs), and stone or brick pavers (premium masonry look).
How do you install plastic edging?
Dig a shallow trench along the bed line, place the plastic edging inside the trench with the rounded top lip sitting slightly above the turf level, secure it with steel anchor stakes driven in at angles, and backfill with soil or mulch.
Why do I need a waste factor for landscape edging?
When cutting plastic rolls or metal strips to fit the exact corners and runs of your garden beds, you will lose a few inches at joints. Also, standard sectional edging pieces (like wood timbers or metal strips) must overlap slightly at connection points, resulting in waste.
How do I calculate stone borders instead of strip edging?
Determine the total running length needed. Divide this by the length of a single stone block to find the number of stones. For example, if you need 60 feet of edging and each stone is 12 inches (1 ft) long, you will need 60 stones.