Home / Home and Garden / Landscaping Materials / Sod Calculator
Sod calculator
Tell it the size of the lawn. It tells you how many rolls and pallets to order, with the cutting waste already added.
Quick answer
Measure length times width for square feet, add 10% for cuts, then divide by 10 sq ft per roll. A 1,000 sq ft lawn needs 110 rolls, which is about 2 pallets at 500 sq ft per pallet. The calculator below does this with your exact numbers, and updates as you type.
How to calculate how much sod you need
The math is three steps. First, area: length times width gives square feet. Second, add your waste allowance, because rolls get cut at edges, curves and sprinklers. Third, divide by what a supplier actually sells.
Rolls needed = (length × width) × (1 + waste %) ÷ sq ft per roll
Pallets needed = total sq ft with waste ÷ sq ft per pallet
Both results round up. You cannot buy a third of a roll, and a farm will not split a pallet for most orders.
Constants used on this page
| Constant | Value used | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Standard sod roll | 2 ft × 5 ft = 10 sq ft | The common US farm roll size. Some farms cut 18 in × 6 ft or sell slabs, change the roll size field if yours differs. |
| Pallet coverage | 500 sq ft | Midpoint of the usual 450 to 600 sq ft range. Confirm with your farm, this varies the most. |
| Waste allowance | 10% default | Industry rule of thumb: 5 to 10% for rectangles, 10 to 15% for curves, beds and slopes. |
Worked example
A backyard lawn 40 ft by 25 ft is 1,000 sq ft. With 10% extra for cuts, you need 1,100 sq ft of sod. At 10 sq ft per roll that is 110 rolls. At 500 sq ft per pallet that is 2.2 pallets, which a farm rounds to 3 pallets if it only sells whole pallets, or 2 pallets plus 10 loose rolls if it splits. This is the exact calculation the tool runs above with its default values.
Sod calculator FAQs
How much sod do I need for 1,000 square feet?
At the standard roll size of 10 square feet, 1,000 square feet needs 100 rolls, or 2 pallets at 500 square feet per pallet. Add about 10 percent for cutting and you will order 110 rolls to be safe.
How many rolls of sod are on a pallet?
Most farms stack 45 to 60 rolls per pallet, covering roughly 450 to 600 square feet. We use 500 square feet per pallet on this page. Ask your farm for its exact pallet coverage before you order, it is the one number that changes most between suppliers.
How do I calculate sod for a round or oddly shaped yard?
Break the yard into rough rectangles and circles, calculate each one, and add them up. For a circle, use 3.14 times the radius squared. Then raise the waste allowance to 15 percent, curves eat material.
Should I order extra sod?
Yes, 5 to 10 percent extra on a simple rectangle, 10 to 15 percent on curves and slopes. Sod is cut fresh and cannot sit on the pallet for days, so a small overage is far cheaper than a second delivery of a different batch.
How much does a roll of sod weigh?
A fresh roll usually weighs 30 to 45 pounds depending on moisture and soil thickness. A full pallet can weigh 1,500 to 2,500 pounds, which is why farms deliver with a forklift instead of expecting you to unload by hand.