Measure the lawn, leaving beds and paths out
Divide the lawn into rectangles, circles and triangles. Measure each part once, then subtract any planting beds or paving already inside those shapes. The result is ground area; sod thickness does not change how much lawn it covers.
Add your chosen extra for edge cuts and fitting. The calculator starts with none, so the measured lawn and the amount you order stay separate.
Use your sod farm’s roll and pallet sizes
There is no single pallet size. Ask how much ground one roll or piece covers and how much comes on one pallet. The example uses a 5-square-foot roll and a 450-square-foot pallet from Sod Solutions; replace both if your supplier sells different sizes.
Rolls and pallets are alternative ways to buy the same amount. Do not add them together. The calculator rounds each up separately; the supplier may also sell part pallets.
How much extra to order
Our guide is 5 to 10 percent extra for cutting around edges and curves. Saratoga Sod’s calculator adds 10 percent as its own line; Mississippi State University Extension suggests buying about 5 percent more than you think you need, and Purdue Extension about 10 percent.
Keep the soil order separate
If the site needs a new soil layer before laying sod, use the topsoil calculator for its depth and volume. Mark adjacent raised beds and check the space left for their paths before counting that ground as lawn.