Construction & Home Improvement
Sod Calculator
Estimate how much sod you need: lawn area in square feet, slabs or rolls, pallets, and a material cost range.
Sod estimate
Enter the lawn size. The tool finds square feet, slabs or rolls, pallets, and a material cost range.
How this estimate works
Sod is ordered to cover the lawn plus a small cutting allowance, so sod area = lawn area × (1 + waste%).
Piece and pallet counts are pieces = ⌈ sod area ÷ piece area ⌉ and pallets = ⌈ sod area ÷ pallet coverage ⌉, each rounded up.
Cost is cost = sod area × $/sq ft (material). Material cost follows the sod area you order (including the waste factor); installation labour is extra.
For example, a 20 ft × 50 ft lawn (1,000 sq ft) with a 5% allowance needs 1,050 sq ft of sod — about 394 slabs, 3 pallets (at 500 sq ft each), and roughly a $263–$840 material range.
Before you order
Piece size, rolls-per-pallet, and pallet coverage differ by supplier, grass type, and region. Confirm the actual figures with your sod farm before purchasing — small differences change the pallet count.
Install sod as soon as it arrives (it is perishable), prepare and level the soil first, and order a little extra for odd shapes and future patching.
Sod calculator FAQ
- How big is a piece of sod?
- A standard slab is about 16 by 24 inches, or 2.67 sq ft. Mini rolls cover about 10 sq ft. Sizes vary by supplier, so override the piece size if yours differs.
- How much area does a pallet of sod cover?
- Roughly 450 to 500 sq ft, but it varies — some pallets are about 504 sq ft and others 450. The default here is 500 sq ft; confirm your supplier’s pallet coverage before ordering.
- How much waste should I add for sod?
- About 5% is typical for simple rectangular lawns. Use more for curved or irregular shapes and for patching and fitting around edges.
- Is the cost estimate for the sod or for installation?
- It is the sod material only — about $0.25–$0.80 per sq ft in 2026. Installed sod with labour runs roughly $1–$2 per sq ft, so get a quote from a local installer for the full job.
Method & sources
Area, sod area, piece and pallet counts, and cost are computed at full precision and rounded only for display. Counts are rounded up because sod is sold in whole pieces and pallets.
Important limits
- Estimates one rectangular lawn from length × width or a known area. It does not model curves, circles, slopes, or multiple separate areas.
- Piece and pallet sizes are defaults and vary by supplier, grass type, and region — override them with your supplier’s actual figures.
- Cost is a planning range for sod material only (2026 US prices); delivery, installation, soil prep, and tax are not included.
Reviewed references
- NG Turf: Sod Calculator
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Piece size of 16″ × 24″ (2.67 sq ft) and pallet coverage (~504 sq ft) used for the slab defaults. Sizes vary by supplier and region, so the calculator lets you override them.
- TheSiteMath: Sod Calculator — Rolls, Square Feet & Cost
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Standard mini roll of about 10 sq ft and pallet coverage in the 450–500 sq ft range used for the roll and pallet defaults.
- CalcSummit: Sod Calculator – Square Feet, Rolls & Pallets (2026)
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Material cost of $0.25–$0.80 per square foot and $150–$450 per pallet (2026, US) used for the cost range. Installed cost including labour is higher and noted on-page.
- BuildingClub: Sod Calculator — Pallets, Rolls, Slabs
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Typical 5% waste factor for sod ordering, used as the default allowance. Confirm the supplier’s actual pallet and piece sizes before purchasing.
- Inch Calculator: Sod Calculator
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Competitive research only: confirmed the rolls, slabs, and pallets × price workflow. Not a material specification or order source.
- Remodel Calculators: Sod Calculator — Rolls, Slabs & Pallets
Reviewed 2026-07-22. Competitive research only: confirmed editable pallet coverage and the area-to-units workflow. Supplier data controls any real order.