Sod Calculator
Use this sod calculator to estimate how many rolls and pallets of sod a lawn needs. Enter a rectangle, a circle or several sections, subtract beds, patios and paths, add a waste percentage, and choose a roll or slab size. It shows the lawn area in square feet and square yards, the rolls or slabs to buy, pallets, an optional cost and an optional topsoil volume. Roll size and pallet coverage vary by farm, so check your supplier. For other areas use the square footage calculator; for stone beds use the gravel calculator.
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Lawn area to sod
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Square yards
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Rolls or slabs to buy
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Pallets (exact)
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Pallets (rounded up)
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Topsoil needed
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Estimated cost
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Lawn area comes from the shape (a circle uses π × r²) minus any beds, patios and paths you subtract. Pieces = area × (1 + waste) ÷ coverage per piece, rounded up. Pallets use the same area ÷ pallet coverage. The 2 ft × 5 ft roll and the 450 sq ft (50 sq yd) pallet are typical, not standard, so enter your supplier's numbers. The 10% default waste follows university extension advice and is adjustable. Topsoil = area × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27 cubic yards, without waste.
Square Footage Calculator · Gravel Calculator · Fence Calculator · Cubic Yard Calculator · Topsoil Calculator
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How it works
- How many rolls of sod do I need?
- Divide the lawn area plus waste by the coverage of one roll. A 40 ft × 25 ft lawn is 1,000 sq ft. With 5% waste that is 1,050 sq ft, which is 105 rolls of 10 sq ft. At the 10% default it is 110 rolls. Round up and check the roll size your farm sells.
- How much sod is on a pallet?
- The University of Arkansas Extension says a pallet typically holds about 50 square yards, or about 450 sq ft, but it varies by farm and piece size. Ask your supplier. At 450 sq ft, 1,050 sq ft is 2.33 pallets, so you would order 3.
- How much extra sod should I order?
- The University of Arkansas Extension advises ordering about 10% more than the measured area to cover calculation errors and cutting around corners and edges. This calculator defaults to 10%, and you can move the waste slider from 0 to 30%. Curved or irregular lawns need more.
- What size is a roll of sod?
- A common roll is 2 ft × 5 ft, or 10 sq ft, and slabs are often about 18 in × 24 in, or 3 sq ft. Sizes vary by farm and cutting machine, and some farms sell large machine rolls for contractors. Use the custom size field with your supplier's number.
- How much topsoil do I need under sod?
- Penn State Extension says sod is usually laid on at least 4 to 6 inches of good topsoil. The volume is area × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27 cubic yards, so 1,000 sq ft at 4 in is about 12.3 cubic yards. Whether you need to add any depends on the soil you already have.