{
  "id": "sod",
  "version": "0c0e77ab3572",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Sod Calculator",
  "question": "How much sod do I need?",
  "summary": "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.",
  "category": "construction",
  "subcategory": "garden",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sod-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sod-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Sod to order = area × (1 + waste ÷ 100); pieces = sod to order ÷ (piece length × piece width), rounded up; pallets = sod to order ÷ pallet coverage.",
  "assumptions": [
    "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."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "area": {
        "title": "Lawn area",
        "description": "The area to cover with sod (length × width for a rectangle).",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "area",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 10000000
      },
      "waste": {
        "title": "Extra for cutting and waste",
        "description": "Extra sod for trimming around edges, curves and beds, as a percent of the area.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "percent",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "pl": {
        "title": "Piece length",
        "description": "The length of one slab or roll of sod.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "minimum": 0.01,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "pw": {
        "title": "Piece width",
        "description": "The width of one slab or roll of sod.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "minimum": 0.01,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "pallet": {
        "title": "Pallet coverage",
        "description": "The area one pallet of sod covers, from your supplier. Leave empty to skip pallets.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "area",
        "minimum": 0.1,
        "maximum": 100000
      },
      "price": {
        "title": "Price per square foot",
        "description": "The price of sod per square foot. Leave empty to skip the cost.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "order": {
      "label": "Sod to order",
      "description": "The lawn area × (1 + waste ÷ 100).",
      "format": "quantity",
      "unit": "ft2"
    },
    "yards": {
      "label": "Square yards",
      "description": "The sod to order in square yards (9 sq ft each).",
      "format": "quantity",
      "unit": "yd2"
    },
    "pieces": {
      "label": "Pieces (slabs or rolls)",
      "description": "The sod to order ÷ the area of one piece, rounded up to whole pieces.",
      "format": "integer"
    },
    "pallets": {
      "label": "Pallets",
      "description": "The sod to order ÷ the pallet coverage.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "wholePallets": {
      "label": "Whole pallets",
      "description": "The pallets rounded up to whole pallets.",
      "format": "integer"
    },
    "cost": {
      "label": "Estimated cost",
      "description": "The sod to order in square feet × the price per square foot.",
      "format": "money"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "area": "500 ft2",
      "waste": 5,
      "pl": "24 in",
      "pw": "16 in",
      "pallet": "450 ft2"
    },
    "outputs": {
      "order": 48.774096,
      "yards": 48.774096,
      "pieces": 197,
      "pallets": 1.1666666666666667,
      "wholePallets": 2
    },
    "text": "500 ft² with 5% extra needs 525 ft² of sod: 197 pieces."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "area": 46.45152,
        "waste": 5,
        "pl": 0.6096,
        "pw": 0.4064,
        "pallet": 41.806368000000006
      },
      "expect": {
        "order": 48.774096,
        "yards": 48.774096,
        "pieces": 197,
        "pallets": 1.1666666666666667,
        "wholePallets": 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); hand calculation in content.mdx: 500 × 1.05 = 525 sq ft; 16 × 24 in = 2⅔ sq ft; 525 ÷ 2⅔ = 196.9 → 197"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "area": 92.90304,
        "waste": 0,
        "pl": 0.6096,
        "pw": 0.4064
      },
      "expect": {
        "pieces": 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); hand calculation in content.mdx: 1,000 ÷ (16 × 24 ÷ 144) = 375 exactly"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "area": 185.80608,
        "waste": 10,
        "pl": 1.524,
        "pw": 0.6096,
        "pallet": 46.45152,
        "price": 0.35
      },
      "expect": {
        "order": 204.38668800000002,
        "pieces": 220,
        "pallets": 4.4,
        "wholePallets": 5,
        "cost": 770
      },
      "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); hand calculation in content.mdx: 2,000 × 1.10 = 2,200 sq ft; ÷ 10 sq ft = 220 rolls; × $0.35 = $770"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "NC State Extension, Extension Gardener Handbook, chapter 9 Lawns (lawn establishment by seed, sod, sprigs or plugs; use certified sod), retrieved 2026-10-03. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/9-lawns",
    "NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 ft = 12 in; 1 yd = 3 ft; 1 in = 2.54 cm), retrieved 2026-10-03. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/nist-handbook-44-current-edition"
  ],
  "related": [
    "square-footage",
    "grass-seed",
    "fertilizer",
    "mulch"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}