How much sod do I need for 5,000 square feet?
For 5,000 square feet of lawn, order 5,250 square feet of sod to allow 5 percent for trimming around curves and edges. That is 12.0 pallets at the common 450 square feet per pallet, or 525 rolls of 2 × 5 ft sod, and it weighs about 6.6 tons. Farms that ship 500 square foot pallets will send 10.5.
Pallets of sod for 5,000 square feet
| Pallet coverage | Pallets, exact | Pallets to order | Approx. pallet weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 sq ft | 13.12 | 13.5 | 0.5 tons |
| 450 sq ft | 11.67 | 12.0 | 0.6 tons |
| 500 sq ft | 10.50 | 10.5 | 0.6 tons |
| 600 sq ft | 8.75 | 9.0 | 0.8 tons |
All rows assume 5,250 square feet ordered, which is 5,000 square feet plus 5 percent for trimming. Pallet sizes vary by farm; confirm yours before ordering.
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Delivery and handling for 5,000 square feet
6.6 tons of sod is a forklift delivery; the truck sets the pallets where you point, so clear a spot near the lawn. Sod is cut the morning it ships and starts to cook inside the pallet, so it must be laid the same day, especially in summer. At roughly 100 square feet laid per person per hour, 5,000 square feet is 50.0 person-hours: a long day for two people. Have the soil graded, raked, and lightly watered before the truck arrives, and the sprinkler ready to run as each section goes down.
What 5,000 square feet of sod costs
Sod runs 35 to 85 cents per square foot depending on grass type and region, so 5,250 square feet is about $1,837 to $4,462 for the sod itself, or $1,800 to $5,400 by the pallet. Delivery adds $50 to $150 per trip. Professional installation including soil prep usually lands at $1 to $2 per square foot, or $5,000 to $10,000 for this lawn. Seeding the same area costs a small fraction of that; compare with the grass seed calculator.
Common questions
How many pallets of sod for 5,000 square feet?
12.0 pallets at 450 square feet per pallet, 13.5 at 400, or 10.5 at 500, including 5 percent extra for trimming. Ask your sod farm how many square feet are on their pallet.
How many rolls of sod for 5,000 square feet?
525 rolls of the standard 2 × 5 ft (10 square foot) size, or 1,967 of the 16 × 24 in slabs common in the South, to cover 5,250 square feet with trimming allowance.
How much does 5,000 square feet of sod weigh?
About 6.6 tons, or 13,125 pounds, at roughly 2.5 pounds per square foot. Wet sod after rain can weigh 30 percent more. Plan on delivery rather than hauling it.