Sod Square Footage Calculator
Calculate sod square footage for new lawn installation or repair patches. Most sod is sold by the pallet (450 sq ft) or by the slab (10 sq ft each).
Sod Calculator
Pallet sizes vary by region
In most of the US, a standard sod pallet covers 450 sq ft (90 slabs at 16 in × 24 in = 2.67 sq ft each, or 75 slabs at varying sizes). Some Florida and Texas farms ship 500 sq ft pallets. Always confirm with your supplier.
A 5,000 sq ft front lawn needs 5,000 ÷ 450 = 11.1 pallets, so order 12 pallets to allow for cuts. At ~$200-450 per pallet (depending on grass type and region), that's $2,400-$5,400 of sod for a typical front yard.
Subtract beds and walkways
Measure the gross lawn area first (length × width of the rectangular section), then subtract any planting beds, the driveway, and concrete walkways. Don't subtract sprinkler heads or small features.
For irregular lawn shapes, break the lawn into rectangles using the multi-segment calculator above, then subtract bed areas as additional rectangles with negative-mental-math (or just calculate net manually).
Sod pallet, roll, and piece counts
Sod is sold in three units depending on grass type and supplier. Knowing all three saves time when comparing quotes:
Pallet: typically 50 sq yd (450 sq ft) of sod for warm-season grasses (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine). Cool-season pallets are 60-70 sq yd (540-630 sq ft) for fescue, ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass. A pallet weighs 2,000-3,000 lbs.
Roll: 1 sq yd (9 sq ft) per small roll. Big rolls used by contractors are 1.5 × 60 ft = 90 sq ft per roll.
Piece (slab): individual pieces are typically 16 × 24 inches = 2.67 sq ft, or 12 × 36 inches = 3 sq ft.
For a 5,000 sq ft lawn: 11 warm-season pallets, 8-9 cool-season pallets, or 1,875 individual 2.67-sq-ft pieces.
Always order 5-10% extra for cuts at edges, around trees, and along driveways.
Lawn-size to sod-order conversion table
Quick reference for sodding common lawn sizes (with 8% waste factor included):
Small front yard (1,000 sq ft): 2.4 warm-season pallets or 13 small rolls. Plan on 3 pallets.
Medium yard (3,000 sq ft): 7.2 warm-season pallets or 38 rolls. Plan on 8 pallets.
Large yard (5,000 sq ft): 12 warm-season pallets. Plan on 12.
Half-acre lawn (21,800 sq ft): 52 warm-season pallets. Often delivered in tractor-trailer load.
Acre lawn (43,560 sq ft): 104 warm-season pallets, 88 cool-season pallets. Multi-day install typical.
Sod costs $0.30-0.80 per sq ft for the material alone. Pallet prices: $200-450 for warm-season, $250-500 for cool-season. Always confirm whether the price includes delivery.
Installation, prep, and the full project cost
Sod price per pallet is just the start. A full installation includes:
Site prep (kill existing grass, till, grade, soil amendments): $0.30-0.80 per sq ft.
Sod material: $0.30-0.80 per sq ft.
Installation labor: $0.40-0.80 per sq ft.
Starter fertilizer: $50-150 for a typical lawn.
Water (first 2-3 weeks of frequent watering): $50-200 in utility bills.
Total installed cost: $1-3 per sq ft. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: $5,000-15,000 fully installed.
DIY sod installation: just material + delivery + your weekend ($1,500-4,500 for a 5,000 sq ft lawn). Roll the sod within 24 hours of delivery — it can't sit on the pallet.
Pro tips
Order all sod for same-day delivery
Sod has a 24-48 hour install window before it stresses. Don't order in batches across multiple days for a single project.
Prep the soil before delivery
Pallets sit on driveways or yards waiting to be installed. Have the soil tilled, leveled, and starter fertilized BEFORE the truck arrives, not after.
Measure twice in odd shapes
Lawns rarely match property lines. Walk the actual grass area with a long tape; cul-de-sac fronts and side yards often have less grass than the plat suggests.
Buy 5-10% extra
Sod is forgiving on flat lawns but can waste 10% on slopes, around mailboxes, and at curving bed edges. For a flat rectangular lawn, 5% is plenty.