Home & Yard Calcs

Garden Beds and Lawn

Sod Calculator

Enter your lawn as one to three rectangles to get the square feet of sod and how many rolls and pallets to order, using your supplier's roll and pallet sizes.

Lawn

Split an odd-shaped lawn into rectangles.

1 to 1,000 ft.

1 to 1,000 ft.

1 to 1,000 ft.

1 to 1,000 ft.

1 to 1,000 ft.

1 to 1,000 ft.

Area inside the rectangles that won't get sod.

Supplier sizes

Ask your supplier. Virginia Tech Extension says a standard roll is about 10 sq ft, but sizes vary.

Ask your supplier. Extension guides list pallets from about 450 to 700 sq ft depending on the grower.

Advanced settings (optional)

extra for cuts

0 to 25%. Mississippi State Extension suggests ordering about 5% more than you measure.

Your results

Rolls to order

– rolls

Pallets to order
– pallets

Check the highlighted fields to see your results.

Area

Lawn area
– sq ft– sq yd
Area to order with extra
– sq ft– sq yd
Beds and paths left out
– sq ft

Order

Pallets before rounding up
– pallets

Each area

Area 1
– sq ft
Area 2
– sq ft
Area 3
– sq ft

Estimates only. Check quantities with your supplier and local codes before you buy or build. See our Disclaimer.

Sod Calculator. Lawn plan: 30 ft by 20 ft, 600 sq ft of lawn 30 ft20 ft600 sq ft of lawn
Plan of each lawn area with its dimensions. It redraws as you type.
What you order: lawn, extra for cuts, and spare sod on the last pallet (sq ft)

Last updated: · By Drew Kessler

How it works, sources, and FAQ

What it calculates and who it’s for

What it estimates and who it is for

This calculator works out how much sod to order for a new lawn: the lawn’s square footage, an allowance for cuts, and how many rolls and pallets that is at your supplier’s sizes. It’s for homeowners and landscapers laying sod over prepared soil. Roll and pallet sizes vary from grower to grower, so both are inputs, not fixed numbers.

How to use

Step by step
  1. Measure the lawn as rectangles. Split curved or L-shaped lawns into one to three rectangles.
  2. Subtract beds, paths, and patios inside those rectangles.
  3. Enter your supplier’s roll and pallet coverage (ask when you order).
  4. Read the rolls and pallets to order.

The formula

Every variable and unit
  • Lawn area (sq ft) = Sum of Length × Width for each rectangle − Beds and paths
  • Area to order (sq ft) = Lawn area × (1 + Extra % ÷ 100)
  • Rolls = Area to order ÷ Coverage per roll, rounded up
  • Pallets = Area to order ÷ Coverage per pallet, rounded up
  • Square yards = Square feet ÷ 9

The 5% extra follows Mississippi State University Extension’s advice to buy about 5 percent more sod than you think you need. The 10 sq ft roll and 450 sq ft pallet defaults come from extension guidance (Virginia Tech says a standard roll is about 10 sq ft; pallets run from about 450 to 700 sq ft depending on the grower).

Worked example

Real numbers, worked by hand

A 30 × 20 ft back lawn, nothing to subtract, 10 sq ft rolls, 450 sq ft pallets, 5% extra:

  1. Lawn area: 30 × 20 = 600 sq ft (66.67 sq yd)
  2. Area to order: 600 × 1.05 = 630 sq ft
  3. Rolls: 630 ÷ 10 = 63 rolls
  4. Pallets: 630 ÷ 450 = 1.4, rounded up to 2 pallets

Two full pallets hold 900 sq ft, so if your supplier sells partial pallets or single rolls, buying 63 rolls is less sod to lay and pay for.

How to read your results

Rounding and buying tips
  • Rolls and pallets are two ways to order the same area. Use whichever your supplier sells, and check whether they sell partial pallets.
  • The chart shows the spare sod on the last pallet when you round up to full pallets.
  • Area shows the lawn and order in square feet and square yards (some growers price by the square yard; switch units at the top of the results).

Assumptions and limits

What this estimate does not cover
  • Each area is a rectangle. Curves and odd corners are why the extra allowance exists; raise it for lots of curves.
  • Sod is perishable. Extension guides advise laying it within about 36 hours of harvest, so order only what you can lay quickly.
  • This doesn’t estimate topsoil, compost, starter fertilizer, or seed.
  • Confirm roll and pallet sizes with your supplier before you order.

FAQ

4 questions

How much sod do I need?

Measure the lawn in square feet (length × width for each rectangle), subtract beds and paths, and add about 5%. A 30 × 20 ft lawn is 600 sq ft, so order about 630 sq ft.

How many square feet are in a pallet of sod?

It depends on the grower. Mississippi State Extension says a pallet typically holds 450 to 500 sq ft, and Virginia Tech lists 450 to 700 sq ft. Ask your supplier for theirs.

How many pallets of sod do I need?

Divide the area to order by your supplier’s pallet coverage and round up. A 1,000 sq ft lawn needs 1,050 sq ft with 5% extra, which is 3 pallets at 450 or 500 sq ft each.

How big is a roll of sod?

Virginia Tech Extension says a standard roll covers about 10 sq ft, but lengths and widths vary. Some growers cut larger rolls for machine laying.

Rolls and pallets for common lawn sizes

Reference

All rows use 10 sq ft rolls and 5% extra, with pallets at 450 sq ft and at 500 sq ft.

Lawn (ft) Lawn (sq ft) To order (sq ft) Rolls Pallets at 450 Pallets at 500
20 × 10 200 210 21 1 1
20 × 20 400 420 42 1 1
40 × 25 1000 1050 105 3 3
50 × 30 1500 1575 158 4 4
50 × 40 2000 2100 210 5 5
100 × 50 5000 5250 525 12 11

Sources

3 dated sources
  1. Sod Source Selection, Installation, Maintenance, and Producers in Virginia, publication 418-040 (Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech): standard roll about 10 sq ft; pallets about 450 to 700 sq ft depending on the grower (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
  2. Sod Installation and Maintenance, publication P2951 (Mississippi State University Extension): pallets typically 450 to 500 sq ft; buy about 5 percent more sod than you think you need (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
  3. How to Select and Install Sod (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension): measure the area and subtract the house and non-turf landscaping; some waste in installation from odd shapes (accessed Nov 11, 2026)