Sod Calculator

Tip: schedule delivery for the morning you plan to lay it. Sod on a pallet heats up and starts to yellow within a day or two in warm weather.

Worked example

A rectangular back lawn measures 50 ft by 30 ft, which is 1,500 square feet. Adding 5% for trimming along beds and edges brings the order to 1,575 square feet.

At 450 square feet per pallet, 1,575 / 450 = 3.5 pallets, so you would order 4 pallets. If your supplier sells loose rolls of 10 square feet, the same lawn takes 158 rolls, or 3 full pallets plus 23 rolls, which avoids paying for half a pallet you do not need.

How to calculate sod

Sod is sold by area. Measure the lawn in feet and multiply length by width to get square feet. For a lawn that is not a rectangle, break it into rectangles, triangles and circles, find each area and add them up. Our guide to measuring square footage covers the formulas for each shape.

Add a small allowance for trimming. Sod rolls are cut with a knife to fit curves, beds and edges, and the trimmed pieces are rarely usable. Then divide by the coverage of a pallet or roll and round up.

Pallet and roll sizes

Pallet coverage varies by grower and grass type. 400 to 500 square feet is typical, and 450 is common for pallets of small rolls. Some growers ship big rolls that cover 500 square feet or more each and need a machine to lay. A standard small roll or slab is about 2 ft by 5 ft, which is 10 square feet, and weighs 30 to 50 pounds depending on moisture.

Always ask the supplier for their exact pallet coverage and enter it above. A 10% difference in pallet size changes the count on any lawn bigger than a few pallets.

How much extra sod to order

• Simple rectangles with straight edges: 5%.
• Lawns with curved beds, trees and walkways: 8% to 10%.
• Narrow strips, slopes and many small pieces: 10% to 15%.

Mixing full pallets with loose rolls is the cheapest way to cover the remainder. If the leftover is a few rolls, buying a full pallet often costs more than buying the rolls separately, though some suppliers only sell by the pallet.

Preparing the soil

Sod roots best into loose, level soil. Remove the old grass and weeds, loosen the top few inches, and grade the area so water drains away from the house. If the existing soil is poor or the area is low, spread 2 to 4 inches of topsoil before you lay sod. The topsoil calculator converts that depth into cubic yards and bags.

Water the soil the day before so it is damp, not muddy. Lay sod in a staggered brick pattern with the seams pushed tight, roll it to press out air pockets, and water deeply the same day. Keep it moist for the first two weeks until the roots grab.

Sod or seed?

Sod gives you a finished lawn the same day, resists erosion on slopes right away and crowds out weeds. It costs several times more than seed and has to be laid within a day or two of delivery. Seed is cheaper and offers more grass varieties, but needs weeks of watering and a good season to fill in. Many homeowners sod the front yard and seed the back.

Watering new sod

Water new sod within half an hour of laying each section, enough to soak through to the soil beneath. For the first week, water once or twice a day to keep the sod and soil underneath moist. Over the next two weeks, cut back to every other day with longer soakings so roots grow down. Lift a corner to check: if roots resist, the sod is rooting. Wait until it is firmly rooted, usually two to three weeks, before the first mowing.

More calculators

Results are estimates, not a contractor quote. Check quantities with your supplier before you order, and follow local building codes.