{
  "slug": "sod",
  "title": "Sod Calculator",
  "heading": "Sod Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/sod",
  "summary": "Pallets and rolls of sod for instant lawn.",
  "description": "A standard pallet covers about 450 square feet. Sod is perishable — it should go down within 24 hours of delivery, so order to a schedule rather than all at once for big jobs.",
  "formula": "Pallets = Area × (1 + waste) ÷ Coverage per pallet.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=sod",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "area",
      "label": "Lawn area",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3000,
      "unit": "sq ft",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "palletCoverage",
      "label": "Coverage per pallet",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 450,
      "unit": "sq ft",
      "min": 50,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "palletPrice",
      "label": "Price per pallet",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 210,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "waste",
      "label": "Waste allowance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": "Cuts, breakage, and mistakes. 10% is standard.",
      "default": 10,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 40
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "pallets",
      "label": "Pallets needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "label": "Sod cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "rolls",
      "label": "Approximate rolls",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perSqFt",
      "label": "Cost per sq ft",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Lawn area: 3000 sq ft",
      "Coverage per pallet: 450 sq ft",
      "Price per pallet: 210 $",
      "Waste allowance: 10 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Pallets needed: 8",
      "Sod cost: $1,680.00",
      "Approximate rolls: 331",
      "Cost per sq ft: $0.56"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter lawn area (sq ft).",
      "Enter coverage per pallet (sq ft).",
      "Enter price per pallet ($).",
      "Enter waste allowance (%) — Cuts, breakage, and mistakes. 10% is standard..",
      "Read your pallets needed on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "area": 1800,
        "palletCoverage": 270,
        "palletPrice": 125,
        "waste": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "area": 3000,
        "palletCoverage": 450,
        "palletPrice": 210,
        "waste": 10
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "area": 4800,
        "palletCoverage": 720,
        "palletPrice": 335,
        "waste": 16
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the sod calculator work?",
      "a": "A standard pallet covers about 450 square feet. Sod is perishable — it should go down within 24 hours of delivery, so order to a schedule rather than all at once for big jobs. The underlying maths is: Pallets = Area × (1 + waste) ÷ Coverage per pallet."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "4 values: lawn area, coverage per pallet, price per pallet, and waste allowance. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the pallets needed result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a whole number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/topsoil",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/mulch",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/square-footage"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Sod Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/sod)"
}