HowMuchIt

HowMuchIt / Sod

How much sod do I need?

Measure the lawn, add 5 to 10 percent for cuts, and divide by what one piece covers: 10 square feet for a standard roll. The calculator gives the pieces and a pallet range.

Rule card for Sod: Roll about 2 x 5 ft = 10 sq ft; Order 5 to 10 percent extra; Pallet: about 400 to 500 sq ft.
Roll about 2 x 5 ft = 10 sq ft.

Work out your sod

Order 5 to 10 percent extra. A pallet usually covers about 400 to 500 sq ft, but it varies by farm: ask the grower. Cool-season sod comes in rolls, warm-season (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine) often in slabs.

Rolls, slabs and pallets

Cool-season sod usually comes in rolls about 2 by 5 feet, 10 square feet each. Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia and St. Augustine often come in 16 by 24 inch slabs, about 2.67 square feet. A pallet usually covers 400 to 500 square feet, but the size varies by farm, so check the grower's figure before you order.

Lay it fast

Sod spoils quickly in warm weather: lay it the day it arrives, within 24 hours at the latest, on moist but not soggy bare soil, with the joints staggered like bricks. Water it every day the first week, then every other day, and mow for the first time when the grass reaches about 3 inches.

Questions people ask

How many rolls for 1,000 sq ft?

100, plus 10 percent: 110 rolls of 10 sq ft.

How much does a pallet cover?

Usually 400 to 500 sq ft; ask your grower.

Good to know

  • Cool-season sod is usually sold in rolls about 2 ft by 5 ft, which cover 10 sq ft each.1,2
  • Warm-season sod (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede) usually comes in 16 by 24 inch slabs, about 2.67 sq ft each.1,3,4,5
  • A pallet usually covers about 400 to 500 sq ft, but the size varies by farm, so check the grower's pallet size before ordering.1,2,3,4
  • Order 5 to 10 percent more sod than the measured area to cover cuts and trimming.2,3,4,6
  • Lay sod the day it is delivered, and at the latest within 24 hours; it spoils fast in warm weather.1,6,7,8
  • Lay sod on moist (not soggy) bare soil, with the joints staggered like bricks.6,7,9
  • Water new sod every day for the first week, then cut back to every other day.5,6
  • Mow new sod for the first time when the grass is about 3 inches tall.5,6

How we checked this page

Checked on October 27, 2026. We kept a fact only when two independent publishers agree, and each one is numbered to its sources below. Where sources give different numbers, we keep only what they share. We never write a price. This page was written with an AI assistant and checked against the sources below.

Sources

  1. How Sod Is Sold: Roll Dimensions, Pallet Weight, Delivery, CT Sod
  2. Sod Calculator: How Much Sod Do I Need?, Angi
  3. Measuring and Ordering Sod: A Comprehensive Guide, NG Turf
  4. How Many Square Feet in a Pallet of Sod? Complete Guide, The Grass Outlet
  5. How to Lay Sod, The Home Depot
  6. How to Install Sod, HGTV
  7. Extension Gardener Handbook, 9. Lawns, NC State Extension
  8. Lawn Establishment, Penn State Extension
  9. Bermudagrass for Florida Lawns (ENH19/LH007), UF/IFAS Extension
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