Sod Calculator
Measure the lawn; get the sod in pallets, rolls and slabs.
Sources checked 9 November 2026
Sod calculator
How much sod do I need
Measure the lawn in square feet, add the extra for cuts, then divide by the size of a slab, roll or pallet and round up. A 40 × 25 ft lawn is 1,000 square feet; with 10% extra, 1,100 square feet, which is 3 pallets of 450 square feet, 367 slabs or 123 rolls.
A lawn is seldom one rectangle: add pieces for each part and take away the patio, the beds and the drive, and the calculator draws the lawn to scale as you type.
Read the tape into feet
40′ 0″ = 40 ft. 25′ 0″ = 25 ft.
Area of each piece
- 40.00 × 25.00 = 1,000.00 sq ft
Convert
1,000.00 ÷ 9 = 111.11 sq yd; 1,000.00 × 0.0929 = 92.90 m²
Add the extra, round up
1,000.00 × 1.10 = 1,100.00, so buy 1,100 sq ft.
Divide by the size of a piece, round up
1,100.00 ÷ 3.00 = 366.7, so 367 slabs; 1,100.00 ÷ 9.00 = 122.2, so 123 rolls; 1,100.00 ÷ 450.00 = 2.4, so 3 pallets.
Square feet = length × width
40.00 × 25.00 = 1,000.00 sq ft
All sizes in feet. Extra is 10% unless you change it.
Measure the lawn: total square footage of sod needed
To calculate how much sod you need, measure the total square footage of the lawn. Select the shape of each part (a rectangle for the front yard, a circle or half circle for a bed edge, a triangle for a corner) and type its sizes; the calculator works as an area calculator, adds the parts, takes away the patio and the drive, and gives the total square feet with the extra.
Measure along the edges you will lay to, not the old lawn, and round each size up to the next half foot. Sod is ordered by the square foot or square yard, so the total square feet is the number to give the farm.
How many square feet in a pallet of sod
A pallet typically holds 450 to 500 square feet; Purdue Extension puts it at 50 square yards (450 square feet). Slabs are typically 18 × 24 in (3 square feet), and rolls 18 in × 6 ft (9 square feet) or 24 in × 5 ft (10 square feet). Ask the farm for its own sizes.
| Piece | Size | Sq ft each | On a 450 sq ft pallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slabs | 18 × 24 in | 3 | 150 |
| Rolls | 18 in × 6 ft | 9 | 50 |
| Pallets | 450 sq ft (50 sq yd) each | 450 | 1 |
Sizes: Purdue Extension; slabs and rolls vary with the cutting machine. A pallet holds 450 to 500 sq ft (Purdue Extension and Mississippi State University Extension).
| Lawn | Sod to order | Pallets | Square yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 550 sq ft | 2 | 62 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 1,100 sq ft | 3 | 123 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 2,200 sq ft | 5 | 245 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 5,500 sq ft | 13 | 612 |
| 10,000 sq ft | 11,000 sq ft | 25 | 1,223 |
Worked out: area × 1.10, rounded up; ÷ 450 for pallets; ÷ 9 for square yards.
How much a pallet of sod weighs
Sod weighs about 35 to 40 lb a square yard, so a 450 square feet pallet weighs about 1,750 to 2,000 lb. Mississippi State Extension warns that a pallet may weigh as much as a ton: haul it on a trailer rated for it. Most farms charge a pallet deposit, typically under $10.
How much extra sod to order
Purdue Extension advises about 10% more for mistakes and the cuts at corners and edges; Mississippi State says 5%. The calculator starts at 10%; lower it for a plain rectangle.
How long to water new sod
Water the day it is laid. Mississippi State Extension says sod starts to root within about 7 days in good growing weather; after that, daily watering should be enough, and after 2 to 3 weeks every other day. Once the lawn is established, no more than 1 inches of water a week is needed when rain is not due.
Sod calculator FAQ
How many pallets of sod do I need?
Square feet with the extra ÷ 450, rounded up. The example takes 3.
How much does a pallet of sod weigh?
About 1,750 to 2,000 lb for 450 square feet; wet sod weighs more.
How much does sod cost per square foot?
Prices vary by grass and region, and we do not quote a price without a source. Many farms price by the square yard: the example is 123 square yards.
Related calculators
Sources
Pallet and piece sizes, weights, extra and watering on this page come from these documents, checked 9 November 2026.
- Purdue Extension, AY-28-W, Establishing a Lawn from Sod
- Mississippi State University Extension, Publication 2951, Sod Installation and Maintenance
- NIST Handbook 44 (2025), Appendices B and C, Units of Measurement