Sod, or turfgrass grown specifically for transplantation, offers an immediate solution for establishing a new lawn. This mature grass, complete with a thin layer of soil and roots, is harvested from fields using specialized machinery. For efficient handling and transport, sod is packaged and delivered stacked on wooden pallets. Understanding the quantity of grass on a pallet is the first step in planning a successful lawn project and calculating material needs.
Standard Coverage of a Sod Pallet
The quantity of grass on a single pallet is standardized by the turf industry, though square footage varies based on regional logistics and supplier preferences. A typical pallet of sod in North America is designed to cover between 400 and 500 square feet. Pallets covering 450 square feet are a common intermediate size offered by many suppliers.
Standardization is primarily based on transportation weight limits rather than surface area. Suppliers must ensure a loaded pallet does not exceed a weight that can be safely transported by truck or managed by a standard forklift. Different grass species and harvesting methods contribute to the final coverage, but the 400 to 500 square foot range remains the general rule for residential delivery.
Some suppliers offer smaller 400 square foot pallets, while others provide larger 500 square foot pallets, especially for certain grass types. It is best practice to confirm the precise square footage with the local sod farm before ordering. This verification prevents calculation errors that could leave a project short or result in excess material.
Factors Influencing Pallet Density and Size
The final weight of a sod pallet, which dictates how much square footage can be safely stacked, is influenced by moisture content and turf density. Sod harvested immediately after heavy rainfall or irrigation can be significantly heavier than sod cut from a dry field. A saturated pallet can easily weigh over 3,000 pounds, whereas a dry one may weigh closer to 1,500 pounds.
The type of grass also plays a role in density, affecting the number of rolls or slabs stacked. For instance, cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass have a denser root structure and retain more moisture than some warm-season varieties, making them heavier per square foot. Suppliers may reduce the total area on a pallet of a heavier cultivar to remain within the transport weight limit.
The thickness of the soil layer cut beneath the grass blades contributes directly to the overall weight. While commercial harvesters are typically set to cut a consistent thickness, field variations can lead to slight differences in the amount of soil included. A thicker cut results in a heavier pallet, necessitating fewer square feet of grass to be stacked to meet the maximum logistical weight.
Dimensions of Individual Sod Rolls
A pallet load consists of numerous individual pieces of grass, packaged as either rectangular slabs or rolled sections. The dimensions of these units vary depending on the harvesting equipment used and the region. In many areas, especially the Southern United States, sod is cut into slabs measuring approximately 16 inches by 24 inches, covering about 2.66 square feet of area each.
For a standard 450 square foot pallet composed of these slabs, a customer receives roughly 165 individual pieces of sod. Alternatively, sod is sold in mini-hand rolls, common in northern climates, which may measure 18 inches wide by 40 inches long. These rolls cover approximately five square feet per piece and are designed for manual installation.
The number of pieces per pallet is inversely proportional to the size of the piece, but the total square footage remains the same. For example, a 500 square foot pallet of five square foot rolls contains 100 individual rolls. Understanding the size of the pieces is useful for planning the installation pattern and estimating labor.
Calculating and Ordering Your Sod Requirements
Determining the amount of sod needed begins with accurately measuring the area to be covered in square feet. For simple rectangular spaces, this involves multiplying the length by the width. Irregularly shaped lawns should be broken down into smaller geometric shapes, such as rectangles, triangles, and circles, to calculate the square footage of each section.
Once the total square footage is determined, apply a waste factor to the calculation before ordering. This percentage accounts for material lost during trimming, cutting around obstacles, and ensuring clean edges. It is standard practice to add a waste factor of 5% to 10% to the total calculated area.
The final step is to divide the adjusted total square footage by the confirmed coverage of one pallet from the supplier. For example, if a project requires 1,000 square feet and the supplier’s pallets contain 450 square feet each, the calculation equals 2.22 pallets. Since sod cannot be ordered in fractional units, the order must be rounded up to three full pallets to guarantee sufficient material.