How it works
Measure the lawn, add a trimming allowance, and order in whatever unit your farm sells.
Measure the lawn
Length and width in feet. Break odd shapes into rectangles and add them together.
Add for trimming
5% for a square lawn, 10% when there are curves, beds and tree rings to cut around.
Get pieces and pallets
Sod farms quote by the piece, the pallet or the square yard. We give you all three.
Order it for the day you can lay it
Sod is measured in area, so the calculation is straightforward: length times width, plus an allowance for the pieces you cut and cannot reuse. A standard slab is 16 by 24 inches, which covers 2.67 ft², and a pallet holds roughly 450 ft², though this varies by farm and by region — some sell 500 ft² pallets and some sell big rolls.
Waste on sod is lower than on tile or shingles because it cuts cleanly with a knife and small offcuts can be tucked into gaps. 5% is enough for a rectangular lawn. Go to 10% when the lawn curves, wraps around beds, or has tree rings and a path through it, because each curve means a piece cut to a shape that fits nowhere else.
The part that catches people out is timing, not quantity. Sod is a living crop harvested to order. It starts degrading the moment it is cut, and on a warm day a stacked pallet can heat up and yellow within 24 hours. Order it to arrive the morning you intend to lay it, have the ground already graded and watered, and lay it the same day.
Prepare before the delivery, not after. The soil should be loosened, levelled and moist, ideally with 2 to 4 inches of fresh topsoil worked in. Sod laid on hard, dry ground roots poorly no matter how good the turf was.
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces of sod in a pallet?
About 165 to 170 pieces on a typical 450 ft² pallet, at 2.67 ft² per piece. Pallet size varies by farm, so confirm before ordering.
What size is a piece of sod?
The common slab is 16 by 24 inches, covering 2.67 ft². Some farms sell rolls instead, usually 2 by 5 feet.
How much extra sod should I order?
5% for a rectangular lawn and 10% when there are curves, beds or trees to cut around.
How long can sod sit before I lay it?
Lay it the day it arrives. In warm weather a stacked pallet can begin to yellow and rot within 24 hours.
More material calculators
Estimates are for planning only. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.