Formula
A rectangle is length times width. A circle is π times the radius squared. A semicircle is half of that. A triangle is base times height, divided by two. Net area is the added shapes minus the subtracted ones, and it has to stay positive. Waste multiplies that net. Rolls are the wasted area divided by the roll, rounded up. Pallets are the same area divided by the pallet coverage, with a split between full pallets and the leftover rolls.
order = net × (1 + waste)
rolls = ceil(order / roll)
topsoil yd³ = net × depth in inches / 12 / 27
Sod versus seed versus plugs is a local choice. Seed is cheaper and slower. Plugs fill warm-season grasses over a season. Sod is instant cover and it has to go down quickly. The fertilizer calculator is the N-P-K version of a rate. This page only counts bags from a product rate you type. First watering, in the Sod Solutions note used here, is the day the sod arrives, and again so the soil under the sod stays damp while the roots take. Mow once it has rooted enough that the mower does not pull pieces up. The extension office in your county will have the grass and the watering for your climate.
Worked examples
40 × 30 ft, 10 percent waste, 10 ft² rolls, 450 ft² pallets. 1,320 square feet, 132 rolls, 3 pallets. At an example $4.50 a roll the sod is $594, plus an example $75 delivery.
20 ft circle. 314.16 square feet, 35 rolls at 10 percent waste.
50 × 30 minus a 10 × 5 bed, 5 percent waste. 1,450 square feet net, 153 rolls.
1,200 ft² at 2 inches of topsoil. 7.41 cubic yards, or 8.15 with a 10 percent settling allowance.
Reference
One square foot is 0.09290304 square metres. One square yard is 9 square feet. 1,200 square feet is 111.48 square metres.
Questions
How do I calculate how much sod I need?
Add the rectangles, circles, and triangles, subtract the beds and the driveway, then add a waste allowance. Divide by the square feet on a roll.
How many square feet are in a roll or a pallet of sod?
A common small roll is 2 feet by 5 feet, 10 square feet. Plant Sod lists that size, and also an 18 by 80 inch roll that is still 10 square feet. Pallet coverage is not one number. Sod Solutions lists 400, 450, and 500 square feet for mini rolls, and Plant Sod stacks 60 of the 10 square foot rolls, which is 600 square feet. Type the farm’s number.
How much extra sod should I order?
Five percent is a planning allowance for a simple rectangle. Ten percent is the allowance this page opens with, for curves and cuts. Both are allowances, not a farm rule.
How many rolls for a 1,000 square foot lawn?
At 10 square feet a roll and 10 percent waste, 1,000 square feet is 110 rolls. A straight rectangle can use 5 percent instead, which is 105 rolls.
How do I measure an irregular lawn?
Split it into rectangles, circles, and triangles, and mark the house, the beds, and the patio as subtractions. A known area is a shape of its own.
How much topsoil do I need under sod?
Only if you are adding soil. Two inches over 1,200 square feet is 7.41 cubic yards before a settling allowance. The depth is yours. Zero means you are not adding any.
How soon do I need to lay sod after delivery?
Sod Solutions says to lay it the day it arrives, and within 24 hours in hot weather. Do not leave it rolled on the pallet overnight if you can help it.
Sources
- Plant Sod, dimensions and weight of sod rolls. A 2 ft by 5 ft roll is 10 square feet, 60 rolls to a pallet on their delivery stack, which is 600 square feet. An 18 by 80 inch roll is also 10 square feet.
- Sod Solutions, “How Many Square Feet are in a Pallet of Sod?” Mini rolls are listed at 400, 450, and 500 square feet a pallet. Slabs are sold as 400, 450, and 500. Large rolls run 500 to 700. The same article says to install sod the day it is delivered, and within 24 hours in hot weather.
- The 450 square foot pallet on this page is one of those published figures, labelled typical. The farm’s ticket replaces it. Prices are whatever you type.