Sod Calculator: How Many Pallets and Rolls Do You Need?
Sod is sold by the roll and by the pallet, but the space it has to fill is measured in square feet — and the gap between those two is where most lawn orders go wrong. Order too little and you finish the weekend with a bare strip along the fence; order far too much and fresh sod, which cannot be stored, goes to waste. This calculator turns your lawn measurements into the three numbers you actually order by — the area, the rolls and the pallets — with a waste allowance added for cuts. It works in feet or metres, for rectangles and circles.
Quick answer
A 20 × 30 ft lawn is 600 sq ft. Add the usual 5% for cuts and you order 630 sq ft of sod — 63 standard rolls, or 1.40 pallets. The table below uses the same figures throughout (a 10 sq ft roll and a 450 sq ft pallet), so you can check any common lawn size in seconds.
| Lawn size | Area | Rolls to order (5% extra) | Pallets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 20 ft | 200 sq ft | 21 rolls | 0.47 |
| 20 × 30 ft | 600 sq ft | 63 rolls | 1.40 |
| 25 × 40 ft | 1,000 sq ft | 105 rolls | 2.33 |
| Circle, 20 ft across | 314 sq ft | 33 rolls | 0.73 |
How to measure your lawn
Most lawns are rectangles, or a few rectangles joined together. Measure the length and width of each section in feet, multiply them for that section’s area, then add the sections together. A circle is even simpler: just measure straight across the middle for the diameter and pick Circle in the calculator — it does the π × radius² part for you. Odd shapes — an L, a wedge, a lawn that wraps around the house — split into rough rectangles and circles, measure each one, and add them up; near enough is fine, because the waste allowance absorbs small measuring errors.
Leave a waste allowance of 5% for a plain rectangle and closer to 10% for anything with curves, corners, trees or paths to cut around. If your lawn will not split into simple shapes at all, the Square Footage Calculator works out the area of each piece on its own — divide its total by 10 for rolls, or by 450 for pallets.
Sod Calculator
Choose your units, pick a shape, then enter the size of your lawn and a waste allowance for cuts. Results update as you type, or press Calculate.
Rolls and pallets vary a little by supplier: this calculator uses the standard small roll of about 10 sq ft (2 ft × 5 ft) and a pallet of 450 sq ft, the safe end of the usual 450–500 sq ft range. Rolls are rounded up, because you cannot buy part of a roll.
Enter your measurements — the results update as you type.
Rolls and pallets
Sod is priced and delivered in two units — the roll and the pallet — and suppliers quote in whichever suits them, so it pays to know how the two relate:
| Item | Covers | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| One roll | About 10 sq ft (2 ft × 5 ft) | The standard small roll, light enough for one person to carry and lay. |
| One pallet | 450–500 sq ft | This calculator uses 450 sq ft, the safe end of the range. |
| One pallet, weight | Roughly 2,000 lb | Always have sod delivered — a pallet is far too heavy for a car. |
If a supplier quotes by the pallet, order whole pallets and expect a few spare rolls — better than a second delivery for the last strip. If they quote by the roll, the calculator's roll count is your order. Either way, check the roll size before ordering: most small rolls cover about 10 sq ft, but some farms cut bigger slabs, and a different roll size changes the count, not the area.
Ordering tips
- Add 5–10% for cuts and odd shapes — the waste field above does it for you, and leftover sod cannot be returned or stored.
- Book a morning delivery and lay the sod the same day. Rolls left stacked heat up and yellow within a day or two, faster in hot weather.
- Prepare the ground before the delivery arrives: clear it, level it, rake it smooth and water it lightly, so the sod goes straight down onto ready soil.
- Lay rolls tight together with staggered joints, like brickwork, and press them down firmly — good contact with the soil is what lets the roots take.
- Water daily for the first two weeks so the sod roots into the soil below, then ease off to a deep watering two or three times a week.
Reading from the UK or Australia? The same product is called turf there, and rolls are usually about 1 m² each. Nothing else changes — the area maths is identical, and the calculator's metric mode gives you the area in square metres to order against.
What to calculate next
Once the lawn is in, the jobs around it need numbers too. Work out topsoil and bedding soil with the Soil Calculator, mulch for the beds that edge the lawn with the Mulch Calculator, and the area of any awkward corner the mower struggles with using the Square Footage Calculator.
Sod guides
Prefer to work it out on paper first, or want the reasoning behind the numbers? This guide walks through the maths step by step:
- How Much Grass Seed Do I Need? — Seed rates per 1,000 sq ft by grass type, for new lawns and overseeding — the budget alternative to sod.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a pallet of sod?
Between 450 and 500 sq ft, depending on the supplier and how the sod is cut. This calculator works at 450 sq ft per pallet — the safe end of the range — so if your supplier's pallets run larger, you will have a little spare rather than a strip left bare.
How much extra sod should I order?
Five percent is enough for a simple rectangle. Go up to ten percent if your lawn has curves, corners, trees or paths to cut around — every cut wastes a little sod, and an offcut rarely fits anywhere else. The waste field in the calculator adds the allowance for you.
Is sod better than grass seed?
Sod gives you an instant lawn with fewer weeds, but it costs considerably more than seed. Seed is the budget option and offers more grass varieties, but it takes weeks to establish and needs the ground kept moist. Our guide How Much Grass Seed Do I Need? works out seed quantities if you are comparing the two.
How long does sod take to root?
About two to three weeks of daily watering. Test it by tugging gently on a corner — if it resists, the roots have taken. From then on, switch to a deep watering two or three times a week so the roots grow downwards.
Estimates only — measure your lawn twice before ordering.