How much sod do I need?
Sod is sold by the square foot but delivered on pallets, so the order has three steps:
- Measure — length × width of each lawn area, added together. For an odd shape, break it into rectangles and circles with the square footage calculator.
- Add for cuts — 5% for a simple rectangle, 10% around beds, walks, trees and curved edges.
- Divide by the pallet — your farm's pallet size, usually 400, 450 or 500 sq ft in the South and up to 700 sq ft of rolls in the North.
| Lawn | Area | 400 sq ft pallets | 450 sq ft pallets | 500 sq ft pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 25 ft | 500 sq ft | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| 30 × 20 ft | 600 sq ft | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| 40 × 25 ft | 1,000 sq ft | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| 50 × 40 ft | 2,000 sq ft | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| 100 × 50 ft | 5,000 sq ft | 13.2 | 11.7 | 10.5 |
With 5% for cuts. Most farms deliver whole pallets; round up, or ask about partial pallets and loose pieces for the remainder.
Sod pallets, slabs and rolls
| Format | Size | Coverage per piece | Pieces per pallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slabs (Southern grasses) | 16 × 24 in | 2.67 sq ft | ~150 / 169 / 188 on 400 / 450 / 500 sq ft pallets |
| Mini rolls | 18 × 40 in | 5 sq ft | 80–100 |
| Rolls (Northern grasses) | 2 × 5 ft | 10 sq ft | 50–70 |
Sod Solutions notes that slab pallets come in 400, 450 and 500 sq ft sizes depending on the farm, and some farms add an extra slab or two per pallet. A full pallet weighs roughly 1,500 to 3,000 lb and more when wet, which is why sod is delivered rather than picked up in a pickup truck.
Lay it the day it arrives
Our firm advice: order sod for the day you'll install it, not the day before. Sod stacked on a pallet heats up inside within hours in warm weather, and the center pieces yellow first. Have the soil graded, raked smooth and lightly watered before the truck comes; most new lawns need 4–6 in of good topsoil underneath, which the topsoil calculator sizes.
Start along the longest straight edge, butt the pieces tightly, stagger the joints like brickwork and cut around curves with a sharp knife. Roll it, then water deeply within 30 minutes of laying each section — the soil underneath should be wet 3–4 in down. Too much area for your budget? Seeding is far cheaper per square foot; the grass seed calculator covers that route.
