How to figure out how much sod you need
Sod is sold by the square foot and delivered on pallets. Seed is sold by the pound. Both start with the same number: the area of lawn you are planting. Here is the math the calculator runs with the yard it opens with: a 40 x 30 ft back yard plus a 20 x 15 ft side yard, tall fescue sod on 16 x 24 inch slabs.
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1
Measure each section
Length times width: 40 × 30 = 1,200 sq ft and 20 × 15 = 300 sq ft. Together that is 1,500 sq ft of lawn. Leave out beds, walks and the patio.
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Add a little for cuts
Sod gets trimmed at every edge, curve and sprinkler head. 5% is enough for a simple yard: 1,500 × 1.05 = 1,575 sq ft.
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3
Convert to pallets and pieces
At 450 sq ft per pallet, 1,575 ÷ 450 = 3.5 pallets. A 16 x 24 inch slab covers 2.67 sq ft, so that is 591 slabs.
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4
Price it out
1,575 sq ft at $0.50 is $788. Add $100 for delivery and $30 for a bag of starter fertilizer, and the DIY total is $918.
For seed, multiply the area in thousands of square feet by the seeding rate. Tall fescue at 7 lb per 1,000 sq ft needs 1.5 × 7 = 10.5 lb, which is three 5 lb bags. At $4 a pound that is $60 of seed, or $90 with the fertilizer. That is the gap between the two options in the calculator.
Sod sizes and pallets
Sod farms cut either small slabs or longer rolls. Pallet loads vary by farm, grass and how wet the sod is, so confirm the count when you order.
| Piece | Covers | Pieces per 450 sq ft pallet |
|---|---|---|
| Slab 16 x 24 in | 2.67 sq ft | about 170 |
| Slab 18 x 24 in | 3 sq ft | 150 |
| Roll 2 x 5 ft | 10 sq ft | 45 |
A pallet of sod is heavy, often well over a ton when it is fresh, so it comes on a truck with a forklift. Plan where it will be dropped, keep it in the shade, and lay it the same day. University of Nebraska turf specialists say sod should be laid within 24 hours of harvest.
Seeding rates by grass type
These are pounds of pure live seed per 1,000 sq ft from university extension guides. Many bags contain coated seed, where up to half the weight is coating. If the label says coated, follow the label rate, which will be higher.
| Grass | New lawn | Overseed | Sod per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | 6–8 lb | 3–4 lb | $0.32–$0.67 |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2 lb | 1 lb | $0.29–$0.43 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 4–6 lb | 2–3 lb | blended into bluegrass sod |
| Bermudagrass | 1–2 lb | about 1 lb | $0.44–$0.83 |
| Zoysiagrass | 1–2 lb | about 1 lb | $0.47–$0.72 |
| St. Augustine | no seed | no seed | $0.41–$0.86 |
The overseeding column is half the new-lawn rate, the rule Kansas State uses for thickening an existing lawn. One exception: in the South, people sow ryegrass over dormant bermuda for winter color, and that job uses much heavier rates, often 5 to 10 lb per 1,000 sq ft. St. Augustine does not produce usable seed, so it goes in as sod, plugs or sprigs.
Pick a grass that fits your climate
The single biggest choice is not sod or seed. It is the grass. A grass that does not fit your climate thins out no matter how well it is planted.
- Cool north (New England, the Great Lakes, the northern Plains and Rockies, the Pacific Northwest): Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass. They grow in spring and fall and slow down in summer heat.
- Warm south (the Gulf Coast, Florida, Texas, the Desert Southwest): bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine and centipede. They love heat and go brown and dormant after frost.
- Transition zone (roughly from Kansas and Missouri east through Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas' Piedmont): the hardest place to grow grass. Tall fescue is the usual choice. Zoysia and the cold-hardy bermudas work in full sun if you accept a brown winter.
When to plant
Timing matters more for seed than for sod. University of Kentucky turf specialists put the best window for cool-season seed from mid-August to late September, with spring a distant second, because weeds and summer heat hit spring seedlings hard. Warm-season seed needs warm soil: plant in May or June. University of Arkansas research puts the zoysia window at May 15 to July 1 there.
Sod is more forgiving. It can go down any time the ground is not frozen. Early spring and early fall are best because new sod needs less water then. Warm-season sod roots fastest from late spring through summer, while it is actively growing.
Sod vs. seed: what it really costs
Sod costs about 10 times what seed does, and more once you hire it out. LawnStarter's 2026 figures put sod at about $0.60 a square foot on average, or around $1.65 installed, and a crew charges $0.55 to $1.00 per square foot for labor alone. Professional seeding runs about $0.09 to $0.19 per square foot.
| 1,000 sq ft of tall fescue | Sod | Seed |
|---|---|---|
| Materials, DIY | $320–$670 plus delivery | $20–$65 |
| Hired out | $890–$1,600 | $90–$190 |
| Usable lawn in | 2–4 weeks | 2–3 months |
| Weeds and erosion | few, holds slopes right away | weeds compete, rain washes seed |
Sod makes sense on slopes, in high-traffic yards with kids and dogs, for grasses that cannot be seeded, and when you need a lawn outside the seeding window. Seed makes sense on a budget, for large areas, and in shade, where you can sow a shade-tolerant fescue mix that may be hard to find as sod.
Tips from the pros
- Test the soil first. A soil test costs $12 to $30 through your county extension office and tells you how much lime and phosphorus to add. Fix pH before you plant, not after.
- Loosen, then settle. Till 4 to 6 inches deep, work in compost on heavy clay, then let rain or a sprinkler settle it before the final rake. Soil left fluffy sinks later and leaves dips.
- Grade away from the house. The finished surface should slope away from the foundation and sit about an inch below walks and edging so the sod ends flush.
- Lay sod like brick. Stagger the end joints, butt the edges tight, and never stretch a piece. On slopes, start at the bottom and run the strips across the slope. Pin pieces on steep grades.
- Roll and soak. A light roller pushes the sod into the soil. Then water until the soil under the sod is wet. Lift a corner to check.
- Seed in two directions. Spread half the seed walking north–south and half east–west, rake it into the top quarter inch, and keep the surface damp, not soaked, until it is up.
- First mowing. Mow new sod as soon as it grows to your normal height, with a light walk-behind mower. Mow seeded grass once it is about a third taller than the target height.
Common questions
How many square feet are in a pallet of sod?
Most sod farms load 400 to 500 square feet on a pallet, and 450 is common. That is about 170 slabs of 16 by 24 inches or 45 rolls of 2 by 5 feet. Ask your supplier, because pallet sizes vary by farm and grass.
How much does a pallet of sod cost?
A pallet usually costs $150 to $450 before delivery, or about $0.30 to $0.85 per square foot depending on the grass. Kentucky bluegrass and fescue are at the low end, and centipede, St. Augustine and bermuda run higher. Delivery often adds $65 to $230.
How much grass seed do I need per 1,000 square feet?
For a new lawn, use about 6 to 8 pounds of tall fescue, 2 pounds of Kentucky bluegrass, 4 to 6 pounds of perennial ryegrass, or 1 to 2 pounds of hulled bermuda or zoysia seed per 1,000 square feet. Use about half as much to overseed a thin lawn.
Is it cheaper to sod or seed a lawn?
Seed is far cheaper. Seeding 1,000 square feet of tall fescue costs about $30 in seed, while sod for the same area costs $300 to $800 plus delivery. Sod gives you a usable lawn in a few weeks and works in more seasons, which is what you pay for.
When is the best time to lay sod or plant grass seed?
Seed cool-season grasses from mid-August to late September, with early spring as a second choice. Seed warm-season grasses in late spring and early summer once the soil is warm. Sod can go down any time the ground is not frozen, but early spring and early fall need the least watering.
How often should I water new sod?
Water right after you lay it, then every day for the first two weeks, sometimes twice a day in hot weather. Once the sod resists when you tug on it, usually in 10 to 14 days, water less often but more deeply.
Can you lay sod over existing grass?
No. Sod laid over old grass or weeds roots poorly and often dies in patches. Kill or strip the old lawn, loosen the soil 4 to 6 inches deep, rake it to a smooth grade and then lay the sod.
Sources and assumptions
Prices are U.S. national averages checked in October 2026. Sod, seed and soil prices vary a lot by region and season, so every main price in the calculator can be changed.
- Seeding rates for tall fescue (6 lb), Kentucky bluegrass (2 lb), perennial ryegrass (4–6 lb) and bermudagrass (1–2 lb) per 1,000 sq ft, and seeding windows: University of Kentucky, Selecting the Right Grass for Your Kentucky Lawn (AGR-52).
- Tall fescue at 6–8 lb for new lawns and about half for overseeding: Kansas State University, Fall Turfgrass Recommendations and Tips. We use 7 lb.
- Zoysia at 1–2 lb of pure live seed per 1,000 sq ft and the May 15 to July 1 window: University of Arkansas, Establishing Seeded Zoysiagrass (MP476).
- St. Augustine is planted as sod, plugs or sprigs, not seed: UF/IFAS Extension, St. Augustinegrass Seed.
- Sod timing, soil prep (4 in of topsoil minimum, till 4–6 in), starter fertilizer, laying within 24 hours, brick pattern, rolling and watering: University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Establishing Lawns From Sod.
- Sod prices by grass, pallets ($150–$450 for 450–500 sq ft), delivery ($65–$230), labor ($0.55–$1.00 per sq ft), installed prices, seeding ($0.09–$0.19 per sq ft), soil test ($12–$30): LawnStarter, How Much Does Sod Cost in 2026?, updated October 2026.
- Grass seed prices per pound (fescue $3–$8, bluegrass $7–$9, ryegrass $3–$4, bermuda $4–$10): Inch Calculator, grass seed cost guide. Zoysia seed is scarce and costly: the $43 per lb default is a 6 lb bag of Zenith zoysia at $259 from Master Landscape Supply (sold out when checked in November 2026). Other listings that month ran about $50 per lb for 6 lb bags and up to $90 per lb for 2 lb bags, so check your source.
- Topsoil and compost prices ($20–$42 per cubic yard): Lawn Love, How Much Does Topsoil Cost in 2026?
- Starter fertilizer: one 15 lb bag covers 5,000 sq ft, per Scotts, Turf Builder Starter Food; store listings for that bag ran about $21 to $35 in November 2026, and our $30 default is an estimate in that range.
- Assumptions (our estimates): straw at 1 bale per 1,000 sq ft and $10 a bale; soil delivery $100, with bulk soil rounded up to the next half yard and a 1-yard minimum; sod priced on the area ordered, including the extra for cuts. Seed rates assume pure live seed; coated seed needs more pounds.