Garden Edging Calculator
Enter your garden bed’s length, width, or diameter to find out exactly how many edging sections, stakes, and dollars you’ll need.
Covers curves, corners and offcuts. 5–15% is normal.
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.
Ordering tips
—
Coverage & waste
Material profile
For a 50 ft straight run of steel edging with 10% waste, you need 7 sections (8 ft each) and 28 stakes set every 2 ft. At $9 per section and $1.25 per stake, that’s about $98 in materials.
Edging needed for common bed shapes
Quantities include a 10% waste allowance and, where the material uses stakes, a 2 ft stake spacing.
| Bed shape | Perimeter | Sections/units | Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight run, 20 ft — Steel edging | 20 ft | 3 sections | 12 stakes |
| Straight run, 50 ft — Aluminum edging | 50 ft | 7 sections | 28 stakes |
| Rectangular bed, 10 × 12 ft — Plastic roll edging | 44 ft | 3 rolls | 25 stakes |
| Rectangular bed, 8 × 10 ft — Brick-on-edge | 36 ft | 119 bricks | — |
| Circular bed, 10 ft diameter — Edging pavers | 31.4 ft | 70 pavers | — |
| Circular bed, 6 ft diameter — Fieldstone edging | 18.8 ft | 21 stones | — |
How to calculate garden edging you need
- Measure your bed's length or perimeter. For a straight run, measure the length. For a rectangle, add up all four sides (2 × length + 2 × width). For a circle, multiply diameter by π (≈3.1416).
- Add a waste allowance. Multiply by 1 plus your waste percentage — 10% covers cuts, overlaps, and curved-bed trimming.
- Divide by material coverage. Divide by the linear feet one unit covers — 8 ft per rigid section, 20 ft per roll, or a fraction of a foot per brick, paver, or stone.
- Round up to full units. You can’t buy a partial section or roll, so round the result up to the next whole unit.
- Calculate stakes if needed. For rigid and roll edging, divide the waste-adjusted length by your stake spacing (commonly 2 ft) and add one stake for the starting point.
Worked example
Using the calculator’s defaults: a 50 ft straight run, steel edging, 10% waste, 2 ft stake spacing, $9 per section, $1.25 per stake.
- Bed length50 ft
- Length with 10% waste55 ft
- Sections needed (55 ÷ 8, rounded up)7 sections
- Stakes needed (55 ÷ 2, rounded down, +1)28 stakes
- Section cost (7 × $9)$63.00
- Stake cost (28 × $1.25)$35.00
- Total estimated cost$98.00
Choosing an edging material
Match the edging type to your bed’s shape, your budget, and how permanent you want the border to be.
- Steel or aluminum edgingStraight or gently curved beds where you want a crisp, nearly invisible permanent line — steel is stiffer, aluminum is lighter and rust-proof.
- Plastic roll edgingCurved beds and budget projects — flexible enough for tight curves but less durable and visible above grade than metal.
- Brick-on-edgeTraditional borders where you want a classic look without mortar — works well for straight runs and gentle curves.
- Edging paversLow-profile mowing strips that let a mower wheel ride directly on top, eliminating string-trimming along the bed.
- Fieldstone edgingInformal, cottage-garden beds where an irregular, natural border fits the overall landscape style.
Common mistakes
- Measuring bed area instead of perimeter.Edging follows the border length, not the square footage inside the bed — a common mix-up with other material calculators.
- Skipping waste on curved beds.Curves require more overlap and trimming than straight runs — increase your waste percentage for anything but a straight line.
- Forgetting stakes for rigid and roll edging.Steel, aluminum, and plastic edging need stakes to hold their shape and depth — brick, paver, and stone edging generally don’t.
- Using diameter instead of circumference for circular beds.A circular bed’s edging length is π × diameter, not the diameter itself — using diameter alone under-orders material by a wide margin.
- Not accounting for buried depth.Edging installed with several inches below grade needs taller material than what’s visible above the soil line.
- Buying exact material with no waste allowance.A single miscut or misjudged corner on rigid edging can mean a trip back to the store — always round up.
What this calculator assumes
Adjust your result if your project differs from these.
- Bed perimeter is measured at the edging’s actual path, not a simplified straight-line approximation.
- A 10% waste allowance covers standard cuts, overlaps, and corner trimming for straight and gently curved beds.
- Stakes are spaced every 2 ft along rigid and roll edging, plus one stake at the starting point.
- Brick-on-edge, pavers, and fieldstone are assumed to need no stakes, relying on ground contact and soil backfill for stability.
- Circular bed length is calculated as π × diameter (circumference).
- Material coverage per unit (8 ft per steel/aluminum section, 20 ft per plastic roll, etc.) reflects standard manufacturer sizing — confirm against the specific product you’re buying.
Common questions
How much garden edging do I need for a 50 ft bed?
For a 50 ft straight run with 10% waste, you need 7 sections of 8 ft steel or aluminum edging, or about 3 rolls of 20 ft plastic edging.
Do I need stakes for brick or paver edging?
No — brick-on-edge, pavers, and stone edging are typically held in place by ground contact and soil backfill, not stakes.
How far apart should edging stakes be?
2 ft spacing is standard for most steel, aluminum, and plastic edging systems — check your product’s instructions for specifics.
How do I calculate edging for a circular bed?
Multiply the bed’s diameter by π (about 3.1416) to get the circumference, then divide by your material’s coverage per unit.
What's the best edging for curved beds?
Flexible plastic roll edging handles tight curves best. Steel and aluminum can curve gently but are stiffer to bend.
How much waste should I add for garden edging?
10% is standard for straight or gently curved beds. Increase to 15-20% for tightly curved or irregular shapes.
How many bricks do I need per foot for brick-on-edge?
About 3 bricks per linear foot, based on a standard brick laid on its long edge.
Is metal or plastic edging better?
Metal (steel or aluminum) holds a straighter, more permanent line and resists lawn mower damage better than plastic, but costs more.
How deep should garden edging be buried?
Most rigid edging is installed with 2-4in below grade and stakes driven through pre-punched holes to hold that depth.
Can I mix edging materials in one yard?
Yes — many landscapes use rigid metal edging for lawn borders and brick or stone for planting beds, based on each area’s needs.
Embed this calculator
Related calculators
Garden Edging Calculator Estimate
—
materialcalculate.com/tools/garden-edging-calculator/
Project
| Shape | — |
| Dimensions | — |
| Total length | — |
| Material | — |
| Waste allowance | — |
Shopping list
| Units needed | — |
| Stakes | — |
| Estimated total cost | — |
Notes
Estimate generated by materialcalculate.com. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.