A 1,000 sq ft lawn needs about 1,050 sq ft of sod with 5% extra, which is 105 rolls of 2 × 5 ft or 3 pallets. The rule: measure the lawn area in square feet, add 5–10% for trimming, then divide by the area of one roll (10 sq ft for a 2 × 5 ft roll) or one pallet (often 400, 450 or 500 sq ft, depending on the farm). The calculator below does the conversion with your supplier’s roll and pallet sizes.
This calculator needs JavaScript. The formula and a worked example are explained in the article below.
Quick chart: sod for common lawn sizes
These figures include 5% extra. Rolls are 2 × 5 ft (10 sq ft). Pallet counts are rounded up to whole pallets, since many suppliers sell only full pallets.
| Lawn area | Sod to order | 2 × 5 ft rolls | Pallets of 400 sq ft | Pallets of 450 sq ft | Pallets of 500 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 525 sq ft | 53 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 1,050 sq ft | 105 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,575 sq ft | 158 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 2,100 sq ft | 210 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 3,150 sq ft | 315 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 5,250 sq ft | 525 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
On a 500 sq ft lawn, the extra 5% tips you just past one pallet. If you are that close, ask the farm whether it sells loose rolls to top up a single pallet.
Roll and pallet sizes vary, so ask first
There is no national standard for sod sizes. What you will see:
- Rolls of 2 × 5 ft (10 sq ft). Garden center Gertens, for example, sells rolls of exactly that size and notes each one weighs 25–50 lb depending on recent rain.
- Slabs of 16 × 24 in. The Grass Outlet says slabs are usually this size, are most common in the southern U.S. and are used for warm-season grasses such as bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine and centipede. By the math, one slab is about 2.67 sq ft (16 × 24 ÷ 144), so you need nearly four times as many pieces as with 10 sq ft rolls.
- Pallets of 400, 450 or 500 sq ft. Sod retailer The Grass Outlet says these are the common sizes, though some pallets reach 700 sq ft and some large commercial rolls are handled by machine.
Put your supplier’s actual figures into the calculator. A 450 sq ft pallet and a 500 sq ft pallet can change the count by a whole pallet on a bigger lawn.
How to measure your lawn
Measure in feet and only count the area that will get sod.
- Sketch the yard. Draw the lawn and mark the house, driveway, patio and beds.
- Break it into shapes. Rectangles (length × width), triangles (base × height ÷ 2) and circles (3.14 × radius × radius).
- Subtract what you won’t cover. A patio, a shed or a mulched bed inside the lawn area comes off the total.
- Curves and free-form beds: measure the lawn as a rectangle to the outer edge of the curve. The trimmed-off pieces are what the waste allowance is for.
For more shapes, see how to measure square footage.
The formula
rolls = lawn area (sq ft) × (1 + waste %) ÷ area per roll (sq ft)
pallets = lawn area (sq ft) × (1 + waste %) ÷ area per pallet (sq ft), rounded up
A back yard is a 40 × 30 ft rectangle plus a triangle with a 14 ft base and 20 ft height.
Rectangle: 40 × 30 = 1,200 sq ft. Triangle: 14 × 20 ÷ 2 = 140 sq ft.
Total: 1,340 sq ft.
With 5% extra: 1,340 × 1.05 = 1,407 sq ft, or 141 rolls of 2 × 5 ft.
At 450 sq ft per pallet: 3.13 pallets, so order 4. At 500 sq ft per pallet: 2.81, so 3 would do.
That last line is why the pallet size matters. Ask before you order, and if you land just over a pallet, ask whether the farm sells extra rolls instead of a full additional pallet.
How much extra to order
The Grass Outlet suggests ordering 5–10% more than the measured area to cover measuring errors, cuts and damaged pieces. Use the low end for a simple rectangle and the high end for lawns with curving beds, trees, paths and lots of edges. The calculator defaults to 5%.
Sod is laid in a staggered pattern, like bricks, and every row ends with a cut. More edge means more cuts, and short offcuts can be used to fill small gaps but not to start a new row.
Order for the day you can lay it
Sod is alive and does not keep well on the pallet. Gertens says its rolls need to be installed within one day of purchase. Plan the order around that:
- Finish the soil prep first. Grade, loosen and level the soil before the sod arrives. The University of Tennessee Extension recommends about 4 in of topsoil for a new lawn, and our guide on how much topsoil you need covers the volume.
- Book delivery for the morning you start laying. Have help lined up for larger lawns, since a pallet can weigh well over a ton (The Grass Outlet puts typical pallets at 2,800–3,000 lb).
- Lay in the shade first if you must wait. Keep stacked rolls out of direct sun while you work, and water each section as it goes down.
- Check the delivery spot. A loaded pallet on a soft lawn or a thin driveway edge can leave marks. Ask the farm about drop-off.
If the area is large or the budget is tight, seeding is the alternative. See how much grass seed do I need for rates by grass type.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a roll of sod?
A common roll is 2 × 5 ft, which is 10 sq ft. Southern farms often cut 16 × 24 in slabs instead, which are about 2.67 sq ft each. Check the size with your supplier and enter it in the calculator.
How many square feet does a pallet of sod cover?
Most pallets cover 400 to 500 sq ft, with 400, 450 and 500 the common sizes according to The Grass Outlet, though some are larger. The farm will tell you its exact figure.
Can I buy part of a pallet?
It depends on the supplier. Some sell single rolls for pickup, while others only sell whole pallets for delivery. If your total lands just over a pallet, ask before ordering another full one.
How long can sod sit before I lay it?
Not long. Gertens says its sod needs to be installed within one day of purchase, so have the ground prepared before it arrives and lay it the same day if you can.
