Measure the lawn area
Measure each rectangular section in feet and add the areas together. Subtract beds, patios and paths that won't be turfed. For curves, the square footage calculator handles circles and triangles. Then enter the total here.
How the order is figured
Sod to order = lawn area × (1 + waste). Pieces = area ÷ piece size. Pallets = area ÷ pallet coverage. Piece and pallet sizes vary by farm. Small pieces are often around 16 × 24 in (2.67 ft²). Purdue Extension notes that rolls are typically 18 in × 6 ft or 24 in × 5 ft (9 or 10 ft²), and pallets commonly cover somewhere around 400–500 ft² (approximate). Ask your supplier for their exact sizes and type them in. With the defaults (1,000 ft², 5% waste, 450 ft² pallets) you'd order 1,050 ft²: 3 pallets.
Sod for common areas
| Lawn area | With 5% waste | 16 × 24 in pieces | Pallets (450 ft²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 ft² | 105 ft² | 40 | 1 |
| 200 ft² | 210 ft² | 79 | 1 |
| 300 ft² | 315 ft² | 119 | 1 |
| 500 ft² | 525 ft² | 197 | 2 |
| 800 ft² | 840 ft² | 315 | 2 |
| 1000 ft² | 1,050 ft² | 394 | 3 |
| 2000 ft² | 2,100 ft² | 788 | 5 |
| 5000 ft² | 5,250 ft² | 1,969 | 12 |
| Lawn area | With 5% waste | 1 m² rolls | Pallets (50 m²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m² | 10.5 m² | 11 | 1 |
| 20 m² | 21 m² | 21 | 1 |
| 30 m² | 31.5 m² | 32 | 1 |
| 50 m² | 52.5 m² | 53 | 2 |
| 75 m² | 78.8 m² | 79 | 2 |
| 100 m² | 105 m² | 105 | 3 |
| 200 m² | 210 m² | 210 | 5 |
| 500 m² | 525 m² | 525 | 11 |
Soil preparation
Sod roots into the soil below it, so prep matters more than the sod itself. Penn State and Purdue Extension guidance boils down to this:
- Kill or remove existing weeds and old turf.
- Test the soil and apply lime or fertilizer as the test recommends.
- Rough-grade so water drains away from buildings. Penn State suggests a gentle 1–4% slope away from foundations. Where topsoil is thin, add at least 4–6 in of quality topsoil and blend it into the surface (Penn State).
- Final-grade, rake smooth, and lightly roll. Lightly water the soil before laying.
The calculator's topsoil line is just a thin 1 in prep layer. If you need a full 4–6 in, use the topsoil calculator.
Laying and watering
- Lay sod as soon as it's delivered. Purdue Extension advises sod that is delivered and installed within 24 hours of harvest, because it heats up and deteriorates on the pallet.
- Water the soil a day or so before installation. Purdue warns that laying sod on dry, hot soil slows rooting even if you water right after.
- Start along a straight edge, butt pieces tightly, and stagger the joints like brickwork.
- On slopes, lay pieces across the slope, and peg them if needed.
- Roll to press the sod into the soil, then water thoroughly so the soil underneath is moist (Purdue). Keep it moist until the roots knit. Purdue says most grasses root well within 10–14 days in good conditions, and calls lack of irrigation the number one problem with new sod. After that, water less often and more deeply.
Worked examples
Back lawn, 40 × 30 ft minus a 10 × 12 ft patio (1,080 ft²)Back lawn, 12.2 × 9.14 m minus a 3.05 × 3.66 m patio (100 m²)
Lawn area 1,080 ft² · Waste / overage 5 % · Piece / roll size 2.667 ft² · Pallet coverage 450 ft²Lawn area 100.34 m² · Waste / overage 5 % · Piece / roll size 0.25 m² · Pallet coverage 41.81 m²
- Sod to order: 1,134 ft²Sod to order: 105.4 m²
- Pieces / rolls: 426
- Pallets: 3
- Topsoil for 1 in prep layer: 3.33 yd³ (90 ft³)Topsoil for a 2.5 cm prep layer: 2.55 m³
Curvy front lawn, 650 ft², 10% waste, 10 ft² rollsCurvy front lawn, 60.4 m², 10% waste, 0.93 m² rolls
Lawn area 650 ft² · Waste / overage 10 % · Piece / roll size 10 ft² · Pallet coverage 450 ft²Lawn area 60.39 m² · Waste / overage 10 % · Piece / roll size 0.93 m² · Pallet coverage 41.81 m²
- Sod to order: 715 ft²Sod to order: 66.4 m²
- Pieces / rolls: 72
- Pallets: 2
When to lay sod
Sod can go down whenever the ground isn't frozen and you can keep it watered, but timing still matters. Cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, ryegrass) root fastest in the cooler, moist weather of spring and late summer to early fall. Penn State identifies mid-to-late spring and late summer to early fall as the best times to seed cool-season turf in Pennsylvania, and the same weather favours sod. Warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine) are usually laid from late spring through summer, while they're actively growing. Purdue notes that sodding bermudagrass in early summer lowers the risk of winterkill. In hot weather, plan on more frequent watering for the first two weeks.
Common mistakes
- Ordering by the outside dimensions of the yard without subtracting beds, the patio and paths.
- Letting pallets sit in the sun overnight. Lay the outer edges and odd corners first if you can't finish in a day, and keep the pallet shaded and moist.
- Short, narrow strips at the edges. Purdue notes they dry out quickly. Put full pieces at the edges and cut the pieces further in.
- Using pre-emergent herbicide shortly before sodding. Purdue advises avoiding herbicides other than glyphosate within two months before installation, because some reduce rooting.
- Under-watering. Lift a corner after watering. The soil underneath should be moist, not just the grass.
Checked against
Each case below is re-run against the calculator by our automated test suite.
| Case | Our result | Checked against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 ft² lawn, 5% waste, 450 ft² pallets | 3 | Hand calculation | Match |
| Case | Our result | Checked against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92.9 m² lawn, 5% waste, 41.8 m² pallets | 3 | Hand calculation | Match |
Frequently asked questions
How much sod do I need for 1,000 square feet?
About 1,050 ft² with 5% waste: roughly 394 pieces of 16 × 24 in, or 3 pallets at 450 ft² each.
How much sod is on a pallet?
It varies by farm, often roughly 400–500 ft². Ask your supplier.
How much extra sod should I order?
5% for simple rectangles and 10% for curves and lots of beds.
Can I lay sod on existing grass?
Extension guidance is to remove or kill existing vegetation and prepare the soil first, so the new roots reach real soil.
Sources & assumptions
The results are planning estimates, and the cost figures only use prices you enter. Product yields, densities and coverage rates vary, so check the label or ask your supplier, and follow local codes. Figures marked "approximate" or "rule of thumb" are general practice, not exact standards.
See how we calculate and test our formulas and the changelog. Last updated 2026-10-08.
Reviewed by the MaterialWhiz Editorial Team. This estimate uses the assumptions shown in the calculator. Review the result against your supplier's product coverage and site conditions. Last reviewed: October 10, 2026. See how we calculate · Report a correction.