Sod Calculator — Rolls and Pallets
Enter your lawn dimensions and get the number of pallets to order, with an allowance for the offcuts that curves and edges always create.
About the Sod Calculator
Sod is sold by the pallet, and a pallet is a fixed quantity that rarely matches the shape of a real lawn. Ordering short is the expensive mistake: a second delivery for half a pallet often costs as much as the sod itself, and the supplier may not have the same grass cut that week. Five percent waste is the standard allowance and covers ordinary trimming around beds and paths. Add ten percent if the lawn has serpentine edges or you are working around several trees, because every curve turns a full roll into an offcut you cannot use anywhere else.
How to use it
- Measure length and width in feet, breaking odd shapes into rectangles.
- Add 5% for waste, or 10% if the lawn has a lot of curves.
- Order pallets, not rolls — most suppliers only sell full pallets.
- Book delivery for the day you can lay it; sod does not keep.
The formula
Square feet = length × width × (1 + waste)
Pallets = square feet ÷ 450
A pallet typically covers 450 sq ft, though 400 and 500 exist by region. Individual rolls are usually 10 sq ft. Confirm the pallet size with your supplier before ordering.
Worked examples
| Lawn | Square feet | With 5% waste | Rolls | Pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft × 30 ft | 1,500 | 1,575 | 158 | 4 |
| 30 ft × 20 ft | 600 | 630 | 63 | 2 |
| 100 ft × 60 ft | 6,000 | 6,300 | 630 | 14 |
| 15 ft × 10 ft | 150 | 158 | 16 | 1 |
Sod is perishable — it should go down within 24 hours of being cut, and it will not survive a hot weekend on the pallet. Order it to arrive the morning you lay it, not before.
Common mistakes
- Ordering exactly the measured area. Every curve produces an offcut you cannot reuse. Five percent is a minimum, not padding.
- Letting it sit on the pallet. Stacked sod heats up and can cook in a day in summer. Lay it the day it arrives.
- Laying on unprepared soil. Sod needs 4 to 6 inches of loosened, raked topsoil. Laid on compacted ground the roots never take.
- Under-watering the first fortnight. New sod needs daily deep watering for two weeks. This is where most failed lawns fail.
Terms explained
- Pallet
- The standard unit, usually 450 sq ft. Weighs 2,000 to 3,000 lb — this is a forklift delivery.
- Roll / slab
- One piece, typically 10 sq ft. Rolls for cool-season grass, flat slabs for warm-season.
- Knitting
- When roots grow through into the soil beneath. Two to three weeks in good conditions.
- Seam
- The join between pieces. Butt them tight without overlapping — gaps dry out and become weed lines.
Common questions
- How many square feet in a pallet of sod?
- Usually 450, though some suppliers sell 400 or 500. Always confirm before ordering.
- How much does a pallet of sod weigh?
- Between 2,000 and 3,000 lb depending on moisture and soil thickness. Plan for machine unloading.
- How much sod do I need for 1,000 square feet?
- About 2.5 pallets including 5% waste — round up to 3, since suppliers rarely split pallets.
- How long can sod sit before laying?
- Twenty-four hours in mild weather, less in heat. It is a living product and it starts dying on the pallet.
- Do I need topsoil under sod?
- Four to six inches of good topsoil, loosened and raked level. Sod laid on compacted clay struggles to root.
- When is the best time to lay sod?
- Spring or early autumn. Avoid mid-summer, when keeping it wet enough to establish becomes a full-time job.
- How soon can I walk on new sod?
- Keep off for two weeks, then light use only. Full use once it resists a gentle tug — that means it has rooted.