Planning
Measurement Guide
Plan your work and work your plan, a guide to sod measurement.
Installing sod is the most convenient and fastest method of establishing an immaculate lawn. Sod is sold by the square foot, so it’s important to make sure you know exactly how much sod is needed to fully cover your lawn. For most lawns you want to measure the length and width of the areas that will require sod in your project, to get total square feet needed. For irregular shaped areas, split the measurement into square or rectangles and add them together for the total.
PLEASE NOTE: It is wise to add 5-10% to your project to compensate for cut-in waste and for irregular shaped areas.
The weight of each piece of sod is approximately between 5 and 6 pounds per square foot. Our sod is harvested in pieces 16″ wide and 45″ long (5 square feet). Sod is a perishable product; therefore size should be properly prepared so that installation can take place immediately after delivery. Sod measurement can be tricky depending on the shape of your yard. For accurate sod measurement, measure the area you want to sod. It may be helpful to sketch the lawn area and write down measurements. This helps to ensure all areas are accounted for. For calculating square footage, use the formulas below. As a rule of thumb, it is wise to add up to 5% to compensate for measuring errors and estimation.
Geometric Shapes
The square footage of many lawns can be estimated by the use of geometric figures such as rectangles, circles, ovals or triangles. Some irregular shapes can be divided into smaller geometric shapes, and their areas added together to estimate the area of the entire lawn.
The area of a lawn with an irregular shape can be difficult to measure. To make measuring simpler, divide the irregular shape into smaller geometric shapes. Add individual areas together to calculate total area. Refer to the following examples for possible geometric shape combinations.
The area of a rectangle is found by multiplying the length (l) by the width (w).
Area = (l)(w)
Example 1:
Calculate the area of a rectangular lawn with a length of 50 ft and a width of 25 ft.
Area = (l)(w)
Area = (50 ft)(25 ft)
Area = 1,250 ft²
The area of a circle is the radius squared (r2) multiplied by π = 3.14. The radius is equal to one-half the diameter of the circle.
Area = πr²
Area = (3.14)r²
Example 2:
Calculate the area of a circle with a radius of 30 ft.
Area = (3.14)r2
Area = (3.14)(30 ft)2 remember, square the radius first then multiply by 3.14
Area = 2,826 ft²
The area of an oval is the length (l) multiplied by the width (w), multiplied by 0.8
Area = [(l)(w)](0.8)
Example 3:
Calculate the area of an oval with a length of 60 ft and a width of 30 ft.
Area = [(l)(w)](0.8)
Area = [(60ft)(30ft)](0.8)
Area = 1,440 ft²
The area of a triangle is one-half the base (b) multiplied by the height (h).
Area = [(b)(h)] / 2
Triangles
The area of a triangle is one-half the base (b) multiplied by the height (h).
Area = [(b)(h)] / 2
Do you need advice for your sod project? We are a family owned and operated farm and one of our sod experts would love to speak with you or reply to your online question. Call us at 951-654-7721 to speak with one of our sod experts during office hours.
This example shows a series of large rectangles and small triangles.
