How much sod do I need?
Type the lawn area and how much extra to allow for cutting. The sod calculator gives the sod to order in square feet and square yards, the number of slabs or rolls, the pallets, and the cost if you add a price.
- Sod to order
- 525 ft²
500 ft² with 5% extra needs 525 ft² of sod: 197 pieces.
- Square yards
- 58.3 yd²
- Pieces (slabs or rolls)
- 197
- Pallets
- 1.17
- Whole pallets
- 2
Sod to order: 525 ft². 500 ft² with 5% extra needs 525 ft² of sod: 197 pieces.
How to calculate
Computes the sod to order for a lawn area with a waste allowance, in square feet and square yards, and the number of pieces and pallets, with an optional cost.
Example with the default inputs (Lawn area 500 ft², Extra for cutting and waste 5%, Piece length 24 in, Piece width 16 in, Pallet coverage 450 ft²): 500 ft² with 5% extra needs 525 ft² of sod: 197 pieces.
Method: Sod to order = area × (1 + waste ÷ 100); pieces = sod to order ÷ (piece length × piece width), rounded up; pallets = sod to order ÷ pallet coverage.
- Piece and pallet sizes vary by sod farm: 16 × 24 in slabs (2⅔ sq ft) and 450 sq ft pallets are defaults, not a standard. Ask your supplier.
- The waste allowance is added before the pieces, pallets and cost are worked out.
- The cost is the price per square foot × the sod to order; delivery and installation are not counted.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Lawn area 500 ft², Extra for cutting and waste 5%, Piece length 24 in, Piece width 16 in, Pallet coverage 450 ft² gives Sod to order 525 ft², Square yards 58.3 yd², Pieces (slabs or rolls) 197, Pallets 1.166667, Whole pallets 2.Source: NC State Extension, Extension Gardener Handbook, chapter 9 Lawns (establishing a lawn from seed, sod, sprigs or plugs; use certified sod), https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/9-lawns (retrieved 2026-10-03); NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 ft = 12 in; 1 yd = 3 ft; 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/nist-handbook-44-current-edition (retrieved 2026-10-03)
- Lawn area 1,000 ft², Extra for cutting and waste 0%, Piece length 24 in, Piece width 16 in gives Pieces (slabs or rolls) 375.Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 ft = 12 in; 1 yd = 3 ft; 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/nist-handbook-44-current-edition (retrieved 2026-10-03)
- Lawn area 2,000 ft², Extra for cutting and waste 10%, Piece length 60 in, Piece width 24 in, Pallet coverage 500 ft², Price per square foot $0.35 gives Sod to order 2,200 ft², Pieces (slabs or rolls) 220, Pallets 4.4, Whole pallets 5, Estimated cost $770.00.Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 ft = 12 in; 1 yd = 3 ft; 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/nist-handbook-44-current-edition (retrieved 2026-10-03)
How it works
With the lawn area A, the waste allowance w (percent), one piece of length l and width d, the pallet coverage P and the price per square foot c:
- Sod to order S = A × (1 + w ÷ 100).
- Square yards = S ÷ 9 sq ft.
- Pieces = S ÷ (l × d), rounded up to a whole number.
- Pallets = S ÷ P (2 decimals); whole pallets = that, rounded up. Shown only when P is typed.
- Estimated cost = S in square feet × c. Shown only when a price is typed.
Rules. The area is above 0 and at most 10,000,000 m². The waste allowance is from 0 to 100%. Piece sides are from 1 cm to 100 m. Pallet coverage, when typed, is from 0.1 to 100,000 m². The price is from $0 to $1,000 per square foot. More than 10¹² pieces has no answer.
Exact arithmetic. Typed values are exact decimals (1 in = 2.54 cm, 1 ft = 0.3048 m), so an exact fit such as 1,000 sq ft of 16 × 24 in slabs gives 375 pieces, not 376. Results round once, for display; whole counts round up.
Output format. Areas show 1 decimal in square feet and square yards (square metres in Metric); pieces and whole pallets are whole numbers; pallets show 2 decimals; cost shows dollars and cents.
Worked examples by hand
500 sq ft, 5% extra, 16 × 24 in slabs, 450 sq ft pallets. S = 500 × 1.05 = 525 sq ft = 58.3 sq yd. One slab = 16 × 24 ÷ 144 = 2⅔ sq ft, so 525 ÷ 2⅔ = 196.9 → 197 pieces. Pallets = 525 ÷ 450 = 1.17, so 2 whole pallets.
1,000 sq ft, no extra, 16 × 24 in slabs. 1,000 ÷ 2⅔ = 375 pieces exactly.
2,000 sq ft, 10% extra, 2 × 5 ft rolls, 500 sq ft pallets, $0.35 a square foot. S = 2,200 sq ft. Rolls = 2,200 ÷ 10 = 220. Pallets = 2,200 ÷ 500 = 4.4, so 5. Cost = 2,200 × $0.35 = $770.00.
Other questions people ask
How do I measure my lawn for sod?
Split the lawn into rectangles, triangles and circles, work out each area, and add them up. A rectangle is length × width; a triangle is base × height ÷ 2; a circle is 3.14 × radius². Take out beds, paths and patios that will not get sod.
How much extra sod should I order?
Some sod is lost to trimming at edges, curves and beds. The calculator adds 5% by default, which suits a plain rectangle; raise it for a lawn with many curves or small pieces.
How big is a piece of sod?
It depends on the farm. Slabs of 16 × 24 inches (2⅔ sq ft) and rolls of 2 × 5 ft (10 sq ft) are common, and big rolls are much larger. Type the size your supplier sells; the calculator rounds the pieces up to whole ones.
How much does a pallet of sod cover?
Also set by the farm. The default is 450 sq ft; type your supplier’s number. Leave it empty to skip pallets.
How many square yards is my sod?
Divide square feet by 9. 525 sq ft is 58.3 sq yd. Some farms price sod by the square yard.
Which sod should I buy?
A grass that suits your climate and the sun your lawn gets; your local extension office lists the grasses for your area. NC State Extension recommends certified sod.