Sod Calculator

How to Estimate Sod for Your Lawn

Growing a lawn from seed is very economical, but can be tricky and time-consuming as well. If you are considering seeding your lawn, you can use our grass seed calculator to help find the right quantities.

If you don’t want to wait for seeds to take root, or to deal with the potential issues they can have, however, laying sod can be a great alternative. Sod provides many advantages over direct seeding, making it an attractive option for many projects.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of sod is that it provides an instant lawn. You don’t have to wait for the right season for planting, worry about germination and growth, or contend with competition from weeds.

You can install sod in nearly any season as long as the ground is not frozen and you don’t expect a hard, deep freeze for at least three weeks. As long as the sod is delivered fully mature and weed-free, it can take root fairly quickly in all climates.

Establishing sod uses less water than growing seed, too, which is good for the environment and your pocketbook. Finally, sod is fast to lay down, giving you beautiful landscaping in a matter of hours instead of months.

Steps to Calculate Sod

To calculate how much sod you need, you need to know how big the area is that you want to cover. Measure the length and width of the area in feet. Plug those numbers into the calculator above and let it do the work for you.

If you know the acreage you are covering, you can use that number as well. If your area is irregular in shape, measure it in smaller, regularly shaped areas, calculate each of them separately, then add the results together.

If you already have a specific type of sod in mind and know the price, insert that price into the calculator for a more accurate estimate of the cost. If not, learn more about how much sod costs. The calculator above instantly tells you how much sod you need in rolls and pallets, plus the approximate cost.

If you prefer to calculate by hand, do the following:

1. Calculate the square footage of the lawn for new turf.

• Measure the length and width of the area.
• Multiply them together to obtain sq. ft.
• If needed, use our acreage calculator to find the size of your lawn.

2. Divide the square footage result by 10 (most rolls cover ten sq. ft.) to obtain the number of rolls of turf needed.

3. If ordering by the pallet, divide the number of rolls needed by 45 to obtain the number of pallets needed.

4. Multiply the number of rolls or pallets by the price of the sod you desire to obtain the total cost of your lawn.

Sizes of Sod Rolls & Slabs

Sod comes in pre-cut rectangles that are stacked or rolled. The size of the rectangle depends on what type of machine the grower used to harvest it.

The rectangles can range from 16″ to 24″ wide for “rolls” and up to 4′ wide for “slabs.” Lengths vary as well and can range from 3½’ to 6′ long.

Follow the example above to calculate the number of rolls by dividing the total square footage by the square feet per roll.

Tips for Buying Sod

For very small areas, you can buy sod by the roll. But, if you have more than 400 square feet, consider buying it by the pallet. Your supplier will usually deliver it for a small fee.

If you are contemplating transporting sod yourself, bear in mind that one pallet weighs 1,500 lbs and 3,000 lbs, depending on the moisture content. Ensure that your truck or trailer is capable of handling this load safely.