π± Sod Calculator
Rolls, pallets, and fertilizer for a perfect new lawn.
Sod Pallets (500 sq ft each)
How to Use This Calculator
Pick your lawn shape, enter the dimensions in feet, and choose a waste allowance. For irregular lawns, the calculator adds a shaping multiplier to account for curves and beds. The results tell you how many rolls and pallets to order, plus how many bags of starter fertilizer you need, all rounded up so you never come up short.
Measure your lawn in feet. For rectangles, measure length and width. For circles, measure the diameter across the middle. Subtract large areas you will not sod, like driveways, patios, and big planting beds.
Pick the shape. Rectangle and circle are exact; irregular uses your length times width plus a shaping multiplier for curves and cut waste.
Choose the waste allowance: 5 percent for simple shapes, 10 percent for a typical lawn, 15 percent if you have lots of curves and obstacles to cut around.
Order the pallet count shown, and pick up the starter fertilizer at the same time so everything is on site for installation day.
The Formulas
The standard sod roll is 2 feet wide and 5 feet long, covering 10 square feet, and a standard pallet holds about 50 rolls covering 500 square feet. Those are the numbers this calculator uses. Some warm-season grasses like St. Augustine ship in 16x24 inch pieces instead of rolls, so if your supplier uses a different cut, convert your order area by dividing by their piece coverage.
Starter fertilizer rates are based on one bag covering 5,000 square feet. One bag therefore covers about 10 pallets. If your bag size differs, divide your order area by the bag coverage printed on the label.
Worked Example
A 60 x 40 foot rectangular lawn with 10 percent waste. Area = 60 x 40 = 2,400 square feet. Order area = 2,400 x 1.10 = 2,640 square feet. Rolls = ceil(2640 / 10) = 264 rolls. Pallets = ceil(2640 / 500) = 6 pallets (2,640 rounds up from 5.28). Starter fertilizer = ceil(2640 / 5000) = 1 bag. You will have a little sod left over from the sixth pallet, which is fine for patching later.
Tips
Prep the soil before the truck arrives: till 4 to 6 inches deep, level it, and roll it lightly so the surface is firm but not hard. Lay sod in a brick pattern with staggered seams, butt edges tight without overlapping, and roll the whole lawn after laying to press roots into the soil. Water immediately: new sod needs about 1 inch of water per day for the first two weeks, then taper off. Do not mow until the sod resists a gentle tug, usually 2 to 3 weeks.
Estimates for planning only. Confirm roll and pallet coverage with your sod supplier before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does one pallet of sod cover?
A standard pallet of sod covers about 500 square feet. That works out to roughly 50 rolls, since one standard roll is 2 feet by 5 feet, or 10 square feet. Pallet sizes vary slightly by supplier and grass type, so confirm the coverage with your sod farm before ordering, especially for St. Augustine or zoysia which sometimes ship in different roll sizes.
How much extra sod should I order for waste?
Order 5 percent extra for a simple rectangle, 10 percent for most lawns, and up to 15 percent for irregular shapes with lots of curves, beds, and cutting around obstacles. Running out mid-project is worse than having leftovers, because sod from a second delivery may be a different shade or cut. This calculator adds your chosen waste percentage on top of the measured area.
How much starter fertilizer do I need for new sod?
One 5,000 square foot bag of starter fertilizer covers one pallet of sod. Apply it to the soil before laying the sod, or within the first week after installation, and water it in well. Starter fertilizer is high in phosphorus, which drives fast root growth so the sod knits to the soil quickly.
Should I measure my lawn as a rectangle or a circle?
Use rectangle for square and rectangular lawns: length times width. Use circle for round lawns: enter the diameter and the calculator uses pi times radius squared. For anything else, pick irregular, which measures length times width and applies an extra shaping multiplier to account for the curves and cut waste.
How soon after delivery should I lay sod?
The same day, ideally within 24 hours. Cut sod heats up fast on the pallet and the grass starts dying, especially in summer. Schedule delivery for the morning you plan to install, keep pallets in the shade, and water the soil before you start laying. Lay the first pallet within hours of the truck arriving.