Sod Calculator

Measure each part of your lawn, add 5 to 10% for cuts, and divide by the coverage of one pallet (usually 400 to 500 sq ft) to get the number of pallets to order. A 1,000 sq ft lawn with 10% extra needs 1,100 sq ft of sod: 414 slabs of 2.66 sq ft, or 3 pallets of 450 sq ft.

1,000 sq ft of sod costs about $600 for the sod alone at LawnStarter's average of $0.60 per sq ft, or $660 for the 1,100 sq ft you would order. Depending on the grass, the sod runs $200 to $860. Installed, the average is $1.65 per sq ft, about $1,650 for 1,000 sq ft.

How to measure your lawn for sod

Sketch the yard and split it into rectangles, circles and triangles. Measure each one in feet and enter it as its own area in the calculator, which adds them up. Enter a patio, flower bed or driveway inside the lawn as an area to subtract. If the yard is hard to walk with a tape, an online map with a measuring feature can give you lengths from a satellite view; enter the result as a known area in sq ft.

• Rectangle: length x width. 50 x 20 ft = 1,000 sq ft.
• Circle: 0.785 x diameter squared. A 20 ft circle is about 314 sq ft.
• Triangle: half of base x height. A 30 ft base and 20 ft height is 300 sq ft.

Sod sizes: slabs, rolls and pallets

Sod is sold in three common formats. Sod Solutions gives these sizes, and farms vary, so check your seller's pallet size before you order:

A 450 sq ft pallet holds about 169 slabs. Pallets usually weigh 1,500 to 3,000 lb, and Sod Solutions notes the weight can rise by 50% when the sod is wet. That matters if you plan to haul it in a pickup.

How much does sod cost?

LawnStarter's figures by grass type, per square foot, for the sod alone and professionally installed. The last two columns multiply those prices by 1,000 sq ft:

LawnStarter's averages are $0.60 per sq ft for sod alone and $1.65 installed. A pallet costs $150 to $450 and covers about 450 to 500 sq ft. Prices change with region and season, so put your local price per sq ft into the calculator.

How much sod for common lawn sizes

Each row adds 10% for waste and uses 2.66 sq ft slabs, 10 sq ft big rolls and 450 sq ft pallets. Cost is for the sod only, on the square feet ordered:

The $0.20 to $0.86range spans the lowest and highest sod-only prices in LawnStarter's table (Bahia to St. Augustine). Pallets are rounded up, so a 200 sq ft lawn still means one full pallet unless the seller sells loose pieces.

Prepare the soil before laying sod

Almanac recommends 4 to 6 inches of topsoil for sod installation. For 1,000 sq ft that is 12.3 cubic yards at 4 inches and 18.5 cubic yards at 6 inches. The Topsoil Calculator turns your lawn area and depth into cubic yards, tons and bags, and the Cubic Yard Calculator handles circles, triangles and fill dirt for low spots.

The calculator finds the area of each shape, adds the areas you mark as lawn and subtracts the ones you mark as patio or bed. Then it adds the waste allowance and divides by the size of one piece and one pallet.

• Rectangle: area = length x width.
• Circle: area = π x (diameter / 2)², or about 0.785 x diameter².
• Triangle: area = 1/2 x base x height, with the height measured square to the base.
• Known area: the square feet you enter.

Lawn area = sum of added areas - sum of subtracted areas. Sq ft to order = lawn area x (1 + waste % / 100). Pieces = sq ft to order / sq ft per piece, rounded up. Pallets = sq ft to order / sq ft per pallet, rounded up. Spare sod = pallets x sq ft per pallet - sq ft to order.

Weight = pallets x 1,500 to 3,000lb, the range Sod Solutions gives per pallet. Sod cost = sq ft to order x your price per sq ft, which starts at LawnStarter's $0.60 average. The sod-only range uses the sq ft to order and the installed range uses the lawn area, each at the low and high prices for the grass type you pick.

Piece sizes are 2.66 sq ft for a 16 x 24 in slab, 5 sq ft for a mini roll and 10 sq ft for a big roll (Sod Solutions). Picking a format sets the pallet to 450 sq ft for slabs and mini rolls and 600sq ft for big rolls. Type over it with your seller's number.

For the ground under the sod, use the Topsoil Calculator or the Cubic Yard Calculator. For beds around a new lawn, the Mulch Calculator gives cubic yards and bags.