Sod Calculator: How Much Sod and How Many Pallets?

How to use the sod calculator

1. Measure the lawn. For a rectangle, enter length × width. For an odd shape, split it into rectangles and triangles, add them up, and type the total square feet.
2. Pick the piece your farm cuts. Most sod is sold as 16 × 24 in slabs, 40 × 18 in mini rolls, or 10 sq ft rolls. The piece size only changes the piece count, not the pallets.
3. Set the pallet size. The chips show the common pallet sizes for that piece. If your supplier quotes a different number, type it in.
4. Keep the 5% extra unless your lawn has lots of curves, beds or trees. Those need more cutting, so raise it.
5. Add a price per pallet and delivery fee if you have a quote, to see a rough total.

The main result is whole pallets, because most farms sell larger orders by the pallet. The “left over” figure shows how much sod a full last pallet adds. If it is large, ask whether the farm sells a partial pallet or loose pieces for the rest.

How much sod do I need? The formula

Mississippi State University Extension suggests buying about 5% more sod than you measure. Sod is priced either per square foot or per square yard, and one square yard is 9 square feet. The calculator shows both, so you can compare quotes.

The piece and pallet presets come from Sod Solutions, a turfgrass licensing company. A 16 × 24 in slab covers 2.66 sq ft. Slab pallets usually hold 150, 170 or 189 slabs, which is 399, 452 or 503 sq ft. A 40 × 18 in mini roll covers 5 sq ft, and pallets of 80, 90 or 100 rolls cover 400, 450 or 500 sq ft. Larger 10 sq ft rolls (60 × 24 or 80 × 18 in) ship on pallets of 500, 600 or 700 sq ft.

How many square feet in a pallet of sod?

There is no single standard. A pallet usually covers 400 to 500 sq ft, and Mississippi State Extension gives 450 to 500 sq ft as typical. It depends on how the farm cuts and stacks its grass:

Sod Solutions notes that slabs are most common in the South for bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine and centipede, while mini rolls are popular in northern areas with cool-season grasses. Mississippi State also mentions “big rolls”, which need special installation equipment and are mostly used by contractors.

Always ask your supplier how many square feet its pallet covers before you order. A difference of 50 sq ft per pallet adds up over a big yard.

Worked examples

A 40 × 25 ft back yard. That is 1,000 sq ft. With 5% extra you need 1,050 sq ft, or about 117 square yards. In 16 × 24 in slabs that is 395 slabs. On 452 sq ft pallets it comes to 2.32 pallets, so you buy 3 pallets. Roughly 300 sq ft will be left, so ask about a partial third pallet.

A quarter acre. A quarter acre is 10,890 sq ft. With 5% extra that is about 11,435 sq ft. On 450 sq ft pallets that is 26 pallets, and on 500 sq ft pallets it is 23.

How many pallets of sod for an acre? An acre is 43,560 sq ft. With 5% extra it needs about 45,740 sq ft, which is 102 pallets at 450 sq ft or 92 pallets at 500 sq ft. For a job that size, get a delivered price and ask whether the farm can supply big rolls with an installer.

Before the sod arrives

Get the soil ready first. Mississippi State Extension recommends a soil test, then tilling and grading so water drains away from the house with no low spots. To amend the top 3 inches, mix in 1 to 2 inches of compost for a 4-inch root zone. Use the topsoil calculator if you need to bring in soil or compost to level the yard.

Plan the haul. The same guide warns that a 450 sq ft pallet can weigh as much as a ton. If you pick up at the farm, check your truck or trailer rating and tire pressure. Delivery is often a flat fee within a set distance, plus a per-mile charge beyond it. There may also be pallet surcharges.

Lay it quickly. Keep pallets shaded and moist. Some yellowing on the pallet is normal and does not mean the sod is ruined.

Laying and watering sod

• Start on a straight edge such as a driveway, sidewalk or the front of the house.
• Stagger the ends like brickwork. Straight seams invite erosion, so never run them down a slope.
• Trim last. Leave the edging and cutting until the main area is down.
• Water at once. In summer, someone should water each section while others keep laying. Water until the soil under the sod is soft.
• Do not overwater later. Once it has rooted, no more than about 1 inch of water a week is needed when there is no rain in the forecast. Too much water encourages disease and weeds.

Mowing can wait until the sod has rooted and the soil is firm enough not to rut.

Sod or seed?

Sod gives you a finished lawn in a day and holds soil on slopes, but it costs much more than seed. Seed is cheaper but takes much longer to fill in. Many people sod the front yard and seed the back. To price the seeding option, use the grass seed calculator. For beds around the new lawn, the mulch calculator gives cubic yards and bags. Once it has rooted, the fertilizer calculator turns a nitrogen rate into pounds and bags.

Sources & assumptions

How this calculator gets its numbers. Full method: our methodology.

• Sod to order = area × (1 + extra %). The default 5% extra is the Mississippi State Extension rule of thumb. Pieces and pallets are rounded up.
• Piece sizes and pallet coverages are presets from Sod Solutions: 16 × 24 in slabs (2.66 sq ft) on 399, 452 or 503 sq ft pallets; 40 × 18 in mini rolls (5 sq ft) on 400, 450 or 500 sq ft pallets; 10 sq ft rolls on 500, 600 or 700 sq ft pallets. Your farm’s numbers override them.
• Cost = whole pallets × price per pallet + one delivery fee. Pallet deposits and per-mile charges are not included.

Sources

1. Sod Solutions, How Many Square Feet Are in a Pallet of Sod?. Slab and roll sizes, pieces per pallet and typical pallet coverage.
2. Mississippi State University Extension, Sod Installation and Maintenance (P3326). Buy about 5% extra; 450–500 sq ft pallets; a 450 sq ft pallet can weigh a ton; soil prep, staggered seams and watering.

Last reviewed October 26, 2026. Product figures vary by brand; the label on what you buy wins.