Sod Calculator: Find Exactly How Much Sod You Need

There's nothing worse than being three-quarters of the way through a sod installation and realizing you're six rolls short. The sod farm is closed, it's getting dark, and you've got bare dirt staring back at you. We've seen it happen.

On the flip side, ordering too much sod means watching $200 worth of grass turn yellow on your driveway because you couldn't lay it fast enough. Sod doesn't wait around—once it's cut, you've got about 24 hours before it starts dying.

This calculator eliminates both problems. Enter your lawn dimensions, and you'll see exactly how many rolls, slabs, or pallets you need. Got an L-shaped yard? Add multiple areas and the calculator totals everything. Want to know your budget before calling the sod farm? Plug in the price per roll and see your total cost instantly.

Here's the thing about ordering sod: suppliers don't all speak the same language.

Call one sod farm and they'll quote you by the pallet. Call another and they sell by the roll. A third might price everything per square foot. Meanwhile, you're standing in your yard thinking, "I just need to cover this rectangle of dirt."

And then there's the sizing issue:

• A "standard" roll is supposed to cover 10 square feet, but some suppliers sell 9 sq. ft. rolls
• Pallets range from 400 to 500 square feet depending on the farm
• Slabs (those individual squares) are roughly 2.67 square feet, but that varies too

This calculator gives you all three numbers—rolls, slabs, and pallets—so you can compare quotes accurately no matter how your supplier prices their product.

Before you order, here's what you're actually buying:

Most homeowners order sod by the roll. A standard roll measures 2 feet × 5 feet and covers 10 square feet. Rolls typically weigh 30-40 pounds each when freshly cut—wet sod is heavy.

One person can comfortably carry and install rolls for a small yard. For anything over 1,000 square feet, recruit a helper.

Individual sod pieces (sometimes called "squares" or "plugs") cover about 2.67 square feet each. They're sized around 16" × 24", though this varies.

Slabs work well for:

• Patching dead spots in an existing lawn
• Fitting sod around tree roots and landscaping
• Small areas where rolls would create too much waste

A full pallet covers approximately 450 square feet and contains 45-50 rolls stacked together. Pallets weigh 1,500-2,500 pounds, so you'll need the delivery truck to place it where you want it—you're not moving a pallet by hand.

The price break is real. Buying by the pallet typically saves 15-25% compared to individual rolls. For any lawn over 800 square feet, run the numbers on full pallets.

Step 1: Measure your lawn's width and length in feet. For rectangular areas, this is straightforward. If your yard curves or angles, measure at the widest points and use those numbers—slightly overestimating is better than coming up short.

Step 2: Add additional lawn areas if needed. Click "Add Lawn Area" to include your backyard, side yard, or that strip between the sidewalk and street. Each area calculates separately, then totals automatically.

Step 3: Enter pricing to estimate your cost (optional). If you know your supplier charges $6 per roll or $0.55 per square foot, enter it here. The calculator shows your estimated material cost instantly.

Step 4: Read your results. You'll see:

• Total square footage
• Number of rolls needed (based on 10 sq. ft. rolls)
• Number of slabs needed (based on 2.67 sq. ft. slabs)
• Number of pallets needed (based on 450 sq. ft. pallets)

L-shaped yards: Measure each rectangle separately and add them as individual lawn areas.

Yards with cutouts: Measure the full rectangle, then subtract areas you're not covering (patios, garden beds). Better yet, add the actual lawn sections individually.

Curved edges: Measure to the outer edge of the curve. You'll trim sod to fit anyway, so having a bit extra is fine.

Triangular sections: Multiply base × height, then divide by 2. Or just treat it as a small rectangle—the extra sod becomes your cutting allowance.

Situation: 35 feet wide × 20 feet deep = 700 square feet

• Rolls needed: 70 rolls
• Pallets needed: 2 pallets (covers 900 sq. ft., giving you a 200 sq. ft. buffer)

At $5.50 per roll, you're looking at $385 for materials. Buying 2 pallets at $225 each ($450 total) covers more area and costs only $65 more—worth it for the extra margin.

Situation: 60 feet × 45 feet = 2,700 square feet

• Rolls needed: 270 rolls
• Pallets needed: 6 pallets (covers 2,700 sq. ft. exactly)

This is a Saturday project with at least two people. Six pallets means six trips with the wheelbarrow from driveway to backyard—plan your staging area.

At $0.45/sq. ft. (pallet pricing), budget around $1,215 for sod. Add $150-300 for topsoil and soil amendments if your existing soil is compacted or poor quality.

Situation: Front yard (800 sq. ft.) + backyard (2,000 sq. ft.) + side strip (200 sq. ft.) = 3,000 square feet total

• Rolls needed: 300 rolls
• Pallets needed: 7 pallets (covers 3,150 sq. ft.)

Seven pallets is a serious delivery. Confirm your supplier's truck can access your property, and decide in advance where you want each pallet dropped. Having pallets positioned near their installation area saves hours of hauling.

The standard advice is 5-10% extra. Here's how to decide where in that range you fall:

Order 5% extra if:

• Your lawn is mostly rectangular
• Few obstacles (trees, beds, hardscaping)
• You've installed sod before

Order 10% extra if:

• Curved or irregular lawn edges
• Multiple trees, flower beds, or landscape features
• First-time sod installation
• Working alone (mistakes happen when you're tired)

Order 15% extra if:

• Complex lawn shape with lots of angles
• Many obstacles requiring precise cutting
• You want zero chance of running short

For a 1,000 sq. ft. lawn, that's the difference between ordering 1,050, 1,100, or 1,150 square feet. At $0.50/sq. ft., you're talking $25-75 in buffer—cheap insurance against a second delivery.

*Cost varies significantly by grass type and region. Bermuda and Fescue run cheaper; St. Augustine and Zoysia cost more.

Sod installation goes wrong when people treat delivery day as day one. The real work happens before the truck shows up.

One to two weeks before delivery:

• Kill existing grass/weeds with herbicide, or remove with a sod cutter
• Get a soil test if you're unsure about soil quality ($15-30 at most garden centers)
• Order topsoil or amendments if needed

Two to three days before:

• Grade the area so it's level (or slopes away from your house for drainage)
• Remove rocks, roots, and debris
• Rake smooth—you want a surface you could roll a ball across

The day before:

• Water the soil lightly so it's moist but not muddy
• Confirm your delivery time window
• Stage your tools: wheelbarrow, rake, sharp knife, garden hose

Delivery day:

• Clear your driveway and decide where pallets should be dropped
• Start installing immediately—don't let sod sit on the pallet
• Water each section as you complete it on hot days

On timing: "Schedule your delivery for early morning on a day you have completely free. Sod installation always takes longer than you think, and you don't want to be laying the last rolls in the dark." — Landscaper with 15+ years experience

On soil prep: "Ninety percent of sod failures come from skipping soil preparation. People want to skip straight to the green grass, but sod won't root into compacted clay or sandy soil without amendments."

On watering: "New sod needs water like a newborn needs milk—frequently and consistently. Water deeply twice a day for the first week, then once daily for week two. After that, you can back off to every other day."

On seams: "Lay sod like you're laying bricks—stagger the seams so they don't line up. Aligned seams create visible lines that take months to grow together."

On walking: "Stay off new sod for at least two weeks. Every footprint compresses the soil and disrupts root establishment. Tell the kids, warn the dog walker, put up string if you have to."