Sod Calculator
Enter the lawn dimensions and any extra areas, plus your supplier's pallet price. You get the pallets and rolls with 5% waste and the cost.
Add odd sections measured separately.
$150-350 depending on grass and region.
Pallets
3.5
3.50 exact, 450 sq ft each
Rolls
158
10 sq ft rolls (2 × 5 ft)
Area with waste
1,575 sq ft
1,500 + 5% for cuts
Cost
$770
3.5 pallets × $220
Pallets vary: 400, 450, 500 and 504 sq ft are all sold. Confirm with the farm and divide your area with waste by their figure. A pallet weighs 2,000-3,000 lb; plan the delivery spot.
Pallets and rolls by lawn size
5% waste included; 450 sq ft pallets; 10 sq ft rolls. Cost at $220 a pallet.
| Lawn | With waste | Pallets (exact) | Order | Rolls | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 525 | 1.17 | 1.5 | 53 | $330 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 1,050 | 2.33 | 2.5 | 105 | $550 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,575 | 3.50 | 3.5 | 158 | $770 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 2,100 | 4.67 | 5 | 210 | $1,100 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 3,150 | 7.00 | 7 | 315 | $1,540 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 5,250 | 11.67 | 12 | 525 | $2,640 |
| 7,500 sq ft | 7,875 | 17.50 | 17.5 | 788 | $3,850 |
| 10,000 sq ft | 10,500 | 23.33 | 23.5 | 1050 | $5,170 |
Measuring an irregular lawn
- Break it into rectangles and triangles; add them. A triangle is base × height ÷ 2.
- A circle is 3.14 × radius². A quarter-circle corner bed is a quarter of that.
- Subtract beds, patios and the driveway; add nothing for slope unless it is steep (over 20%), where laying up the slope adds a few percent.
- Five percent waste covers cuts around edges and curves; a lawn with many curves or obstacles may need 10%.
Laying it
- Grade and loosen the top 4-6 inches, remove rocks and old grass, rake smooth an inch below walkways so the sod sits flush.
- Water the soil the day before. Apply starter fertilizer.
- Start along the longest straight edge, stagger the seams like bricks, butt edges tight without stretching, and cut with a utility knife.
- Roll with a half-filled lawn roller for root contact, then water heavily -- soaking through to the soil below -- and keep it damp for two weeks.
- First mow at 10-14 days, high, once the sod cannot be lifted at a corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pallets of sod do I need?
Area plus 5% waste, divided by the pallet size. A pallet is usually 450 sq ft (400, 500 and 504 exist; ask the farm). A 50 × 30 ft lawn is 1,500 sq ft, 1575 with waste, so 3.50 pallets -- order 3.5. Most farms sell half pallets; some sell by the roll.
How much does sod cost?
Roughly $150 to $350 per pallet for the sod, so $0.35 to $0.80 per square foot, depending on grass and region: fescue and ryegrass cheapest, zoysia and premium bermuda cultivars most expensive. Delivery is $50 to $150; professional installation adds $1 to $2 per square foot on top of the sod.
How many square feet is a roll of sod?
The common roll is 2 ft × 5 ft = 10 sq ft, and there are 45 to 50 rolls on a pallet. Some farms cut 16 in. × 24 in. slabs (2.67 sq ft) or big rolls of 40 in. × 100 ft for machine laying. Check before you plan the layout.
How long does sod keep on the pallet?
Twelve to twenty-four hours in summer, up to 48 in cool weather. It heats up from the inside of the pallet and dies. Have the ground prepared and the hose ready before the truck arrives, lay it the same day, and water within 30 minutes of laying each section.
These calculators use published seeding rates, extension-service fertilizer guidance, and standard pool-chemistry dosing figures, and are for planning. Read the product label; it governs the dose. Pool chemicals are hazardous when mixed or mishandled, and a pool store's water test beats any estimate here.