How Much Does a Roll of Sod Weigh

Sod is popular among many homeowners for a pretty lawn at their house; this sod plays an essential role in creating an instant lawn at your home. Sod does not need more water than seeds and you can quickly grow grass with the help of sod. There are different sizes of this sod, and the weight also differs. If you want to know how much does a roll of sod weigh, this article is here for your help.

When you enter the market to purchase sod, you need to calculate and estimate the area you need to cover with the help of sod. There are different sizes of sod, and this article contains complete information about the size and weight of a roll of sod and the factors that affect this weight. So, stay tuned!

What Is Sod

Sod is an already-grown grass with a dense root system in the soil. When the soil, root, and grass combine, they form turf. When this mixture spreads on the soil, the roots grow into the soil and attach to the ground, instantly creating a new lawn. Sod is famously used in different grounds, and their roots are specialized in installing in the soil so that they get attached, and there is no difference between the soil and the sod.

Purchasing of Sod

There are different types of sod present in the market that you can choose and select from; several nurseries and other garden centers also have a variety of sods. If you plan before buying will help you in getting something efficient.

You need to install the sod as soon as you buy the sod because without installing for more than 2 days as it can dry out and crumble. You need to keep it with care and provide water; if this sod dries out, it can crumble and break. The roots and blades of the grass also break due to insufficient water.

How Much Does a Slab of Sod Weigh

If you measure the dimension and moisture content of the sod, it will help you in defining the weight of the sod. The sod roll weight ranges from 15 to 45 pounds per piece, which also depends on the size. On average, a standard size of a sod roll is 2 x 5 feet to 3 x 6.5 feet. If you take one roll of sod, it can cover an area of 5 to 10 square feet.

Small and mini rolls of sod are also present in the market or made customized depending upon your need and the area of lawn you need to cover. The weight of a roll of sod also differs depending on wet and dry sod. If you buy several rolls, the price varies along with the weight of the sod. If you buy a pallet of sod that consist of almost 50 to 100 hundred pieces of sod, it will weigh 1,500 to 3,000 pounds. 

You must calculate properly depending on the area you need to measure and then decide if you need a few slabs or a pallet of sod. For example, buying 50 square feet of sod will cost you 20 pounds per piece, and you will pay 2,000 pounds for this piece. You need to do the calculation and then decide on the weight and cost of the sod you need.

How to Transport Sod

You might need a pickup truck for transporting sod; you also need this truck to deliver from the pickup place to the destination. If you have a huge area, you can’t transport it in any other vehicle, and a truck is the only option as your sod can safely reach its destination. You can install the sod near the area where you want to create the lawn so you can easily shift it when installing. Moreover, you will need a wheelbarrow to transfer this sod inside the lawn. 

You can also carry the sod if you want to, but it depends upon the weight of the sod and your carrying capacity. If you want to start installing as soon as the sod reaches your lawn, you need to clean the ground and prepare it for installation. If you want to wait for a day or two, keep it safe and away from sunlight or fast air, as it can dry out the sod immediately. It would help to find a safe and moist place to keep them hydrated.

How to Establish Sod After Installing

There are several steps that you need to keep in mind for establishing sod after installing it on the lawn. The following steps will help you establish your new lawn:

• Prepare the soil for the sod by plowing the ground to 6 inches and clean the plant’s whole area and root system. When you clean the ground level of all the debris, this will be a lot beneficial for you to create proper aeration in the soil and also add green mulch into the soil.
• Now, clear the soil and allow a smooth application, the plowing will help you adjust the turf and create a link with the topsoil.
• You can also add sand to the topsoil, ensuring proper drainage and encouraging the roots to deliver water from the deep ground to the top of the grass.
• After attaching the turf to the topsoil, add potassium-rich fertilizer into the sod that will help in connecting the root along with ensuring the growth of the sod.
• You must water the sod properly for the next 4 to 6 weeks. If you water the lawn properly, this will help in the settling of the turf to the ground. The key is to water less but more often; this will never let the lawn dry and also prevent the water from accumulating in the ground.
•  When you see that the root attachment is firm, you can increase the fertilizer intake with nitrogen to help in the maturation of the grass during those 4 to 6 weeks.

How to Take Care of Newly Installed Sod

After you install the sod, you need to check on the new grass more often and water it a few times a week. The turf needs to have moisture all the time to survive properly. You need to check the moisture level of the turf regularly to prevent it from drying out. If there is wind or hot weather, you need to keep the moisture level intact and increase the quantity of water.

Take a screwdriver, poke into the sod, and insert it into the soil to sense and check for moisture level easily. You can easily check and estimate the soil and grass moisture. If you think the soil has less water than it must have, water it immediately. There is also another problem, do not overwater the newly installed sod. If you notice any footprints on the lawn, it means some puddles are causing these footprints; in this case, you need to skip a few watering sessions.

If you find the sod firm, you can lift it from corners, which will help these areas get proper moisture. You can check by doing this if the soil is just damp or if there is some other problem, such as dry or overwatered. However, you can also ask for some experts who have had a sod lawn for years and learn about the tricks to keep it maintained and healthy.

Size and Weight of Sod Pallet

There are two different sizes of sod pallets available in the market, approximately 450 square feet or 500 square feet of grass. A pallet of sod can cover almost 500 square feet of turf; this pallet is heavy so you need a truck to carry it from one place to another. Along with the turf, there is also a weight of the soil that comes with the turf, which makes it heavy. A heavy layer of soil, along with the turf, adds to the pallet’s weight.

There are thicker rolls with heavy weight and thinner rolls with less soil. More soil means healthy sod, if the soil is less, you will need to take great care of the grass. More soil means more nutrients, and this type sod also grows faster if you ensure proper watering and fertilizers. The only problem is that the thicker sod will weigh more, and you will need a heavy vehicle for its transport.

If the sod is dry, it will weigh less, if it is heavy, its weight will automatically increase. When there is high moisture in the soil, its weight automatically increases and adds up to its already existing weight. On the other hand, dry soil will weigh less.

Factors That Affect Sod Weight

Some differences affect the weight of sod, you need to consider picking it up from one place to the destination. The vehicle you need for transport and other factors depends upon these factors. Some of these factors include:

Type of Sod

There are different sods in the market and different sizes and weights of these types. There are warm-season and cold-season grasses available in the market, and both these types weigh differently. Usually, warm-season grasses weigh more than cool-season grasses. 

The grass blade, along with the root system, both affect the weight of the sod. There are different types of sods, but the St. Augustine grass tends to be the heaviest, and its weight is the highest among many other types. Its weight ranges from 1800 to 1300 pounds.

Type of Soil It Was Grown In

There are different types of soils in which these sods grow, and the weight of these soils also varies. It is loamy or sandy soil present in the market; both these soils weigh differently.

Moisture Content

If there is high moisture in the sod, it will weigh more than dry sod. Sod present in the market is fresh; keeping old sod is impossible; it gets dry immediately. That’s why the moisture level affects the weight of the sod. Wet sod is heavier than dry sod. If there is heavy rain around the sod, it will weigh more than the dry or other sod.

Thickness of the Sod

If the sod is thick, it will weigh more than thin sod. The thick one has more soil and is richer in nutrients than the thin sod.

Pallet Size

The size of the pallet is another reason for the change in the weight of the sod; some sods are heavy because they have more patches and some are light because they have fewer sods.

Conclusion

There are different sizes of sods in the market, and several factors affect this weight. You can get the idea of the standard weight of sod through its average weight which is 32 to 40 lbs. Due to the weight of the sod, you need to hire a truck to deliver sod from one place to another. This article contains complete information about the sizes of different types of sods and how these different types affect the weight of the sod. So read the complete article and be an informed gardener!

FAQs

1. How Heavy Is a Roll of Sod?

A roll of sod weighs from 32 to 40 lbs. This weight is the average weight of a standard sod, but different factors affect the weight of the sod.

2. How Much Does a Pallet of Sod Weigh?

A pallet of sod contains approximately 50 to 100 pieces of sod, and the weight of the sod ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 pounds. This weight depends upon the soil type and how moist the pallet is.

3. What Size Is 1 Roll of Sod?

The standard and required length of 1 roll of sod are 4.5 feet. However, the standard width is 2 feet, and the standard thickness is 1 inch. Some sod rolls have 4.3 feet length by 2, while others have 9 square feet.