How to Find the Number of Square Yards of Sod
Installing sod is a great way to quickly establish an attractive lawn. Sod is also expensive, which means it's crucial to install it correctly. It's also very important to purchase the required amount of sod to cover your lawn. The degree of difficulty in determining the square yardage for sod largely depends on the shape of your yard. Keep in mind that sod is sold by the square yard. All measurements, therefore, must be converted from feet to yards. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Squares or Rectangles
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1
Place a measuring tape or measuring wheel at one corner of the lawn where the sod will be installed.
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2
Measure (or walk) along one edge of the lawn until you reach the far corner. Write down the distance between the two corners.
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3
Measure (or walk) from the corner you just arrived at to the next corner of the yard. Write down the distance between these two corners. You now know the yard's length and width.
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4
Multiply the two figures you measured. The multiplied number gives you square footage of the yard. To find the square yards, divide the square foot total by 9. Here's an example: 900 square feet divided by 9 = 100 square yards. If your yard has 100 square yards, you will need at least 100 square yards of sod.
Odd Shapes
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5
Break up your lawn into measurable squares or rectangles.
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6
Walk (or measure) each section of the lawn as described above.
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7
Write down the totals for each section of the yard. Add the totals to obtain the total lengths and widths of the sections of your yard. Multiply the two totals together to get total square feet. Divide that total by 9 to get square yardage.
Circles
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8
Measure the radius if your lawn is shaped in a circle. The radius is half the circle's diameter.
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9
Multiple the radius times the radius.
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10
Multiply the total of the radius times the radius by 3.14. The following is an example if the circle has a diameter of 10 feet: 5 x 5 = 25. 25 x 3.14 = 78.5. Divide 78.5 by 9 to find your square yardage. In this case it would be 8.72 square yards.
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Tips & Warnings
Check your measurements and calculations twice. You don't want to come up short of the amount of sod delivered. To be on the safe side, add at least 10 percent more sod than the total square yardage. This is particularly important for lawns with odd shapes that are more difficult to measure.
