Sod Calculator (Metric)
Enter your lawn size and shape to get the sod rolls and pallets you need, with waste built in.
What your result means
Pallets is what you order, rounded up, and rolls is the piece count if your supplier sells by the roll. The leftover figure shows how much of the last pallet you won't use, handy for planning a small extra bed. Order it for same-day delivery and lay it fast.
How to use this calculator
- Measure your lawn area in feet.
- Pick the shape (rectangle, triangle for half-pie shapes, circle for round lawns).
- Standard sod roll = 10 sqft. Slabs are 2.66 sqft.
- Pallet usually holds 450 sqft. Confirm with your supplier.
- Use 5% waste for rectangles, 10-15% for irregular shapes.
- Read rolls needed and pallets to order.
The formula
Area depends on shape: length times width for a rectangle, half that for a triangle, or pi times radius squared for a circle (where length is the diameter). Add your waste, then divide by the piece coverage for rolls and by the pallet coverage for pallets, rounding both up.
Worked example
Say you've got a 30 by 7.6 m rectangular lawn, 0.9 m² rolls, a 41.8 m² pallet, and 5% waste. Enter 30, 25, Rectangle, 10, 450, and 5. You'll get 69.7 m² base, about 788 with waste, 79 rolls, 2 pallets, and roughly 10.4 m² left over on the second pallet.
Sod piece and pallet coverage
| Item | Size | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Roll | 2 x 1.5 m | 0.9 m² |
| Slab | 16 x 61 cm | 0.2 m² |
| Pallet | — | 450 – 46.5 m² |
Tips & gotchas
- Lay sod within 24 hours of delivery. It dries out fast sitting on a pallet.
- Water it right away, then daily for the first two weeks. Sod needs steady moisture to root.
- Stagger the seams like brickwork for the strongest knit.
- Stay off it as much as you can for the first three weeks.
- Roll the lawn after laying so the roots make good contact with the soil.
Frequently asked questions
How much sod do I need?
Run your lawn dimensions through the calculator. Add 5% waste for a rectangle, 10-15% for an irregular shape.
How big is a roll of sod?
A standard roll is 2 by 1.5 m, so 0.9 m². Slabs are 16 by 61 cm, about 0.2 m².
How many pallets of sod do I need?
A standard pallet holds 450 to 46.5 m². Divide your area by the pallet coverage and round up.
How much does sod cost?
Material runs about $0.30 to $0.85 a square foot, $1 to $2 installed. Pallet delivery adds $30 to $100.
When should I lay sod?
Spring or early fall in most of the US. Skip the hottest summer days and any freezing weather.
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