Sod (instant lawn or turf) is bought by area, with a small allowance for the pieces you trim to fit edges and curves. Measure the lawn, add 5–10% for cutting, and convert to whatever unit your supplier sells — square feet, pieces or pallets. The rest is bed preparation, which decides whether the lawn takes.
Work out the area
Length × width, adding up any irregular sections. A 400 sq ft (37 m²) lawn ordered at 5% waste is 420 sq ft (39 m²) of sod. Most suppliers sell by the square foot, by the piece (about 2.75 sq ft each), or by the pallet (around 450 sq ft / 50 yd²).
| Sold as | Covers | 420 sq ft needs |
|---|---|---|
| Piece | ~2.75 sq ft | ~153 pieces |
| Pallet | ~450 sq ft | 1 pallet |
Measuring an irregular lawn
Split it into rectangles and triangles, work out each, and add them up. For curves, measure to the widest point and let the waste allowance absorb the trimming — offcuts rarely re-lay well, so it’s better to over- order slightly than to be short.
Lawn / Turf Calculator
Enter your lawn area (with an extra-area field for irregular shapes) — it returns the square feet, pieces or pallets, and the lawn dressing to finish.
Prepare the bed properly
Sod needs a weed-free, levelled bed of about 4 in (100 mm) of good topsoil, raked to a fine tilth and lightly firmed. Lay it brick-fashion with tight joints on the same day it arrives — sod is perishable and cooks on the pallet in summer — then roll and water immediately.
Watering and first cut
Water daily (twice daily in heat) for the first two weeks, keeping the soil beneath moist — lift a corner to check. Taper off from week three to drive the roots downward. Skip the first mow until the sod resists a gentle tug, then cut high.
What lawn dressing is for
A thin sandy-compost layer (0.5–0.75 in / 10–20 mm) brushed over the lawn to level hollows, cover joints and feed the grass. For new sod, about 1.3 cubic yards (1 m³) dresses 540–1,080 sq ft (50–100 m²) depending on depth — the calculator shows the volume for your area.