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CalcBelt

Sod calculator

Measure your lawn to get the square feet of sod to order with 5% extra, the number of pallets and pieces, and a typical cost to have it laid.

Units
Shape

For an odd-shaped yard, measure it as rectangles and add them up, or enter the total as a known area. Leave out the house, drives and beds.

sq ft

Usually 450 to 500 sq ft; ask your sod farm.

%

Mississippi State Extension suggests about 5% more.

Not covered: grass seed. Seeding rates depend on the grass; follow the bag's label or your state extension service.

Sod to order

2,100 sq ft

2,000 sq ft of lawn plus 5% · 233.3 sq yd

Pallets
4 pallets + 300 sq ft4.67 pallets of 450 sq ft
Slabs
7882.67 sq ft each

Cost estimate

per sq ft

Installed: $3,460 for 2,000 sq ft (range $1,700 to $5,200)

Typical US price $0.85 to $2.60 per sq ft (HomeGuide, Fixr, HomeAdvisor, LawnLove, October 2026). New lawn, sod and labor. Removing an old lawn first costs more.

per sq ft

Sod: $1,155 for 2,100 sq ft, before delivery

Typical US price $0.20 to $0.90 per sq ft (HomeGuide, Fixr, October 2026).

How it's calculated
  1. Lawn: length × width = 2,000 sq ft
  2. Add 5% for cutting and fitting: 2,100 sq ft
  3. 2,100 sq ft ÷ 450 sq ft per pallet = 4.67 pallets
  4. 2,100 sq ft ÷ 2.67 sq ft per slab = 787.5, rounded up to 788

Estimates use manufacturer data sheets and industry guides (sources). Check local codes and your supplier's figures before you order.

How to use the sod calculator

  1. Measure the lawn as a rectangle, circle or triangle, or enter its area. Leave out the house, drives and beds.
  2. Pick how your sod farm sells it, slabs, mini rolls or big rolls, and check the pallet size.
  3. Keep 5% extra for cutting and fitting, or change it.
  4. Read the square feet and pallets to order, and the typical cost to have it installed.

How to calculate sod

Lawn area = length × width (or the area of each shape, added up)
Sod to order = lawn area × 1.05
Pallets = sod to order ÷ square feet per pallet
Pieces = sod to order ÷ area of one piece

Example: a 40 × 50 ft back lawn.

  • Lawn: 40 × 50 = 2,000 sq ft
  • With 5% extra: 2,100 sq ft (233 sq yd)
  • Pallets of 450 sq ft: 2,100 ÷ 450 = 4.67, so 4 pallets plus 300 sq ft
  • Slabs of 16 × 24 in (2.67 sq ft): 2,100 ÷ 2.67 = 787.5, so 788 slabs
  • Installed at a typical $1.73 per sq ft: about $3,460 for the 2,000 sq ft lawn

Pieces and pallets

Sold as Size Covers
Slab 16 × 24 in 2.67 sq ft
Mini roll 18 × 40 in 5 sq ft
Big roll 24 × 60 in 10 sq ft

Sizes from Sod Solutions. Pallets usually hold 450 to 500 sq ft (Mississippi State Extension); some farms sell 400 sq ft pallets of warm-season grass, and pallets of big rolls can hold 500 to 700 sq ft (Sod Solutions). Some farms sell by the square foot or square yard instead: a square yard is 9 sq ft.

Before you order

Mississippi State Extension’s advice is to have the soil prepared, and water available, before the sod arrives, because fresh-cut sod doesn’t keep on the pallet. For a new lawn on poor ground, the topsoil calculator works out the soil to spread first. Measure with a tape or a measuring wheel, and leave out the house, paths and planting beds; for an irregular yard, add up rectangles in the square footage calculator.

What’s not covered

Grass seed. Seeding rates depend on the grass species and the mix, so follow the label on the bag or your state extension service’s lawn guide.

To have it laid, the sod installation cost calculator estimates the installed price for a new or replacement lawn.

Questions and answers

How much sod do I need?

The lawn's area plus about 5%, as Mississippi State Extension suggests. A 40 × 50 ft lawn is 2,000 sq ft, so order 2,100 sq ft: 4 pallets of 450 sq ft plus 300 sq ft, or 788 slabs of 16 × 24 in.

How many square feet are in a pallet of sod?

Usually 450 to 500 sq ft, according to Mississippi State Extension. Sod Solutions puts most pallets at 400 to 500 sq ft, and pallets of big rolls at 500 to 700. Ask your sod farm, since the calculator's 450 is only a default.

How much does sod cost?

$1 to $2 per square foot installed for a new lawn, according to HomeGuide, $0.85 to $1.75 according to Fixr, $1 to $2.50 according to HomeAdvisor and $1.70 to $2.60 according to LawnLove; the calculator uses $1.73 as typical. The sod alone is $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot (HomeGuide), and delivery adds $50 to $250 a load.

How much does a pallet of sod cost?

$130 to $360, according to HomeGuide. Fixr puts a 450 sq ft pallet at $90 to $390 depending on the grass, from Bahia at the low end to St. Augustine and centipede at the high end.

How much does it cost to sod 500 square feet?

About $500 to $1,000 installed at HomeGuide's $1 to $2 per square foot, or $425 to $875 at Fixr's $0.85 to $1.75. Laying it yourself, 525 sq ft of sod with 5% extra costs about $160 to $420 before delivery.

How big is a piece of sod?

Sod Solutions lists slabs of 16 × 24 in, which cover about 2.67 sq ft; mini rolls of 18 × 40 in (5 sq ft); and big rolls of 24 × 60 in (10 sq ft). Pick the one your farm sells and the calculator counts the pieces.

How much extra sod should I order?

About 5%, as Mississippi State Extension suggests. The calculator lets you change it, for example if your lawn has a lot of curves and beds to cut around.

How much grass seed do I need instead?

That isn't covered here: seeding rates depend on the grass. Follow the rate on the seed bag's label or your state extension service's lawn guide.

Sources

Figures checked October 2026.