Sod Calculator

Sod is measured in square feet but sold by the pallet, and pallet coverage varies by supplier — commonly 400 to 500 sq ft, sometimes quoted in square yards instead. Add a small waste factor of about 5%, less than tile or flooring needs because sod cuts cleanly with a knife and offcuts can be pieced into odd corners.

With a 5% allowance you need 2,100 sq ft — about 233 square yards, or 5 pallets at 450 sq ft each. That's 210 of the standard 2 × 5 ft rolls, and roughly 6 lb of starter fertilizer at 3 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Those 5 pallets weigh on the order of 10,000–15,000 lb, so delivery access matters more here than with almost any other landscaping material.

Unlike gravel or mulch, sod is a living crop harvested hours before delivery. It should be laid within 24 hours, and no more than 48 in cool weather; stacked on a pallet in summer heat it begins composting from the inside and can be dead in a day. So prepare the ground completely — graded, amended, raked, lightly firmed — before the truck arrives, not after.

Start along the longest straight edge, stagger the joints like brickwork, and butt each piece tight against the last without overlapping or stretching. On slopes, run rows across the grade rather than down it, and stake if needed. Then water deeply and immediately: new sod needs the soil damp beneath it for the first two weeks, which usually means light watering once or twice a day rather than one heavy soak.

Sod costs several times more than seed but gives an instant, weed-free lawn, stabilises slopes at once, and can be laid across a much wider season. Seed is far cheaper, offers more grass varieties, and roots without a transplant setback, but needs weeks of consistent moisture and an open window in early fall. The usual rule: sod where erosion, appearance, or timing matters, seed where budget and patience allow.