How to Order Sod: Rolls, Slabs, Pallets and How Much Extra

Sod is a living product, and it does not wait. You order it by the roll, the slab, the square yard or the pallet, it arrives in one delivery, and it has to go down soon after. That makes the quantity worth getting right the first time. This guide walks through the numbers and the timing, using advice from university extension services.

Step 1: measure the lawn and subtract what is not lawn

Mississippi State University Extension suggests measuring with a tape measure or a measuring wheel and subtracting the area of the house and of any non-turf landscaping. Our square footage guide shows how to split an irregular yard into simple shapes.

Step 2: add a little extra

The same guide says it is always a good idea to buy about 5 % more sod than you think you will need. Lawns with many curves and edges can waste more, so treat 5 % as the floor and ask your supplier.

Step 3: convert to what the seller uses

• Square feet or square yards. Sod may be bought either way, and one square yard is 9 square feet.
• Rolls or slabs. Divide by the area of one piece. A 2 × 5 ft roll is 10 sq ft; a 16 × 24 in slab is 2.67 sq ft. Your farm tells you its own size.
• Pallets. A pallet may vary in size but typically holds 450 to 500 square feet, according to Mississippi State; Texas A&M AgriLife says about 450. Ask your farm for its figure.

Worked example: a front yard

The yard is 60 × 30 = 1,800 sq ft. A 4 × 30 ft walkway (120 sq ft) and a 150 sq ft planting bed are not lawn, so the area to cover is 1,800 − 270 = 1,530 sq ft.

With 5 % extra you buy 1,606.5 sq ft, which is 178.5 sq yd. In 10 sq ft rolls that is 161 rolls, and in 16 × 24 in slabs it is 603. By the pallet, at 450 sq ft each it is 3.57, so 4 pallets; at 500 sq ft each it is 3.21, which is still 4. The Sod Calculator does this with your numbers.

Step 4: plan delivery or pickup

• Mississippi State says a 450-square-foot pallet may weigh as much as a ton, so picking sod up yourself takes a suitable vehicle or trailer, ratchet straps and a tarp.
• For a small area, a local nursery can often sell sod by the piece. For larger areas it is generally sold as on-farm pickup or delivery.
• Delivery fees are often a flat rate within a certain distance of the farm plus a mileage rate beyond it, and surcharges for pallets are common. Ask before you order.
• Big rolls exist, but they need special application equipment.

Step 5: have the ground ready before it arrives

The extension guide is firm on timing: fresh-cut sod has a short shelf life and will not tolerate sitting on a pallet for very long, so finish the site preparation before the delivery. If the pallets cannot be laid right away, put them in the shade and keep them lightly moistened. A yellow tinge on the sod while it is on the pallet does not mean it has expired, and sod bought in winter lasts longer on the pallet than sod bought in summer.

Laying it

• Stagger the ends of the pieces as the diagram shows. Erosion is greatest along straight lines, so avoid straight channels running down a slope.
• Start the first row along a straight edge, such as a street or the front of the house.
• Save the trimming and edging for last.

Common mistakes

• Ordering the exact area. Cuts and edges always take some.
• Assuming every pallet is 450 sq ft. Ask the farm for its figure.
• Counting the whole yard. Subtract the house, paths and beds.
• Ordering before the soil is ready. The sod waits poorly.