# How much sod do I need?

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.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sod-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/construction/sod-calculator.json
- Version: 0c0e77ab3572

## Default answer

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.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| area | Lawn area | The area to cover with sod (length × width for a rectangle). |
| waste | Extra for cutting and waste | Extra sod for trimming around edges, curves and beds, as a percent of the area. |
| pl | Piece length | The length of one slab or roll of sod. |
| pw | Piece width | The width of one slab or roll of sod. |
| pallet | Pallet coverage | The area one pallet of sod covers, from your supplier. Leave empty to skip pallets. |
| price | Price per square foot | The price of sod per square foot. Leave empty to skip the cost. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| order | Sod to order | The lawn area × (1 + waste ÷ 100). |
| yards | Square yards | The sod to order in square yards (9 sq ft each). |
| pieces | Pieces (slabs or rolls) | The sod to order ÷ the area of one piece, rounded up to whole pieces. |
| pallets | Pallets | The sod to order ÷ the pallet coverage. |
| wholePallets | Whole pallets | The pallets rounded up to whole pallets. |
| cost | Estimated cost | The sod to order in square feet × the price per square foot. |

## 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.

## Worked examples

1. area = 46.45152, waste = 5%, pl = 0.6096, pw = 0.4064, pallet = 41.806368 gives order = 48.774096, yards = 48.774096, pieces = 197, pallets = 1.166667, 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).
2. area = 92.90304, waste = 0%, pl = 0.6096, pw = 0.4064 gives 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).
3. area = 185.80608, waste = 10%, pl = 1.524, pw = 0.6096, pallet = 46.45152, price = $0.35 gives order = 204.386688, pieces = 220, pallets = 4.4, wholePallets = 5, 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).

## FAQ

### 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.

## 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