Sod Calculator: How Much Sod Do I Need?

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  • Sod comes in pallets, pieces, or rolls, with one pallet covering 500 square feet, making it your best choice for large lawn projects.

  • Expect to pay $1,100 to $3,000 for professional sod installation, with average costs around $2,100 depending on your lawn size and condition.

  • Measure your yard's length and width, multiply for square footage, then subtract hardscaping areas to calculate how much sod you need accurately.

  • Hiring a local sod service professional removes the guesswork from measurements and handles labor-intensive soil prep, ensuring your new lawn looks healthy and attractive.

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Having a pristine lawn requires professionally installed sod. Knowing the size of your lawn can help you budget and plan for the installation. This sod calculator tells you how much sod you need to purchase.

How Much Sod Needed for Lawns

Knowing the total square footage of your lawn and the number of square feet of sod gives you an accurate estimate of how much sod your lawn needs. Sod comes in three different types, including by the pallet, piece, and roll. Refer to the table below to see how much sod to buy.

Total Square FootageSod Needed by PalletSod Needed by PieceSod Needed by Roll
5001200–3150
1,0002400–64100
1,5003600–96150
2,0004800–124200
2,50051,000–155250
Amount of SodTotal Square Footage by PalletTotal Square Footage by PieceTotal Square Footage by Roll
15002.5–1610
52,50012.5–8050
105,00025–160100
5025,000125–800500
10050,000250–1,6001,000

Sod ordered by the pallet generally covers 500 square feet per pallet, making this option best for larger projects. If you order sod by the piece, it’s best to choose this option for smaller sod installations, as each piece covers a little over 2.5 square feet for smaller pieces and up to 16 square feet for larger pieces. Sod by the roll covers 10 square feet per roll on average, making it suitable for medium-sized projects.

How to Calculate Sod

Using the size of your yard and the number of square feet per type of sod packaging, apply one of the following formulas to calculate how much sod your yard needs:

Number of Sod Pallet = Area in square feet / 500

Number of Sod Pieces = Area in square feet / square feet per piece

Number of Sod Rolls = Area in square feet / (2 x 5) 

Amount of Sod = Area in square feet / number of square feet per pallet, piece, or roll

How to Measure Sod

A couple measuring their yard
Photo: Maskot / Maskot / Getty Images

You will need to measure the dimensions of your yard and calculate the total area in square feet to calculate the amount of sod needed for the project. To do so, follow these steps. 

  1. Use a tape measure to measure the width of the yard.

  2. Then, measure the length. 

  3. Multiply the two measurements to get the square footage.

  4. Subtract any hardscaping or lawn features, including flower beds, decking, pools, patios, sheds, or trees, from the total square footage.

  5. From there, you can now divide the area by the number of square feet in each pallet, piece, or roll to get the number of units needed to lay the sod.

  6. Consider ordering 5% to 10% more sod than necessary to ensure you have enough for cutoffs.

Measuring for sod illustrated, by dividing the desired area by the square footage of a sod piece

Who to Hire to Lay Sod

Laying sod is labor-intensive and not as simple as just laying sod over existing grass. If you don’t plan on laying sod yourself, and would rather save the elbow grease and calculations to the pros, you’ll want to hire a landscape contractor for your project. A local sod pro can answer your sod questions, do all of the mathwork for you, prepare the soil for a smooth transition, and evenly install your sod so that your lawn looks attractive and healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sod, also known as turf, is professionally grown grass that comes with a layer of soil held together by its root system or a thin netting. It is sold in transportable strips or rolls that can be laid out to create an instant lawn.

Using sod is a fast and simple way to establish a yard, as it bypasses the time and effort required to grow grass from seed. It can help prevent weed infestations, improve yards with poor soil conditions, and is often lower maintenance once established. Like grass seed, sod is available in many different varieties to suit various climates.

There are several ways to dispose of excess sod, including building a compost pile, taking it to a green waste disposal facility, donating the sod, or reusing it in another part of your yard. It’s a good idea to check with your local municipality to see how to get rid of yard waste, as some areas have local regulations on what can go in the green waste bin. For example, your recycling services may reject too much soil added to green waste.

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