One of the many advantages of the advancements in gardening is our ability to grow lawns from sods. Some time ago, if you must own a lawn, you have to grow it from seeds and go through the painstaking process of caring for it till maturity. But now, you can decide to skip the process and grow from sod. Before you opt to bring the lot of pallets you must consider how much does a pallet of sod weigh and costs that could incur, as this could be very helpful in the whole sod installation process.
Unlike when growing from seed, when you can have your bag of grass seed on the back seat of your saloon car, for sods, you need a heavy-duty vehicle to transport them from the farm to your home.
Now, many people schedule delivery for the sod and save themselves the stress. Still, if you already have a trailer, you may be able to save yourself some money if you pick it up yourself.
The major question you’ll need to answer to know if your heavy-duty vehicle is capable of carrying the sod is the weight of a sod pallet.
Why Pallet of Sod?
You may be asking yourself, why pallets? Why not sod bags?
Pallets are originally used in shipping containers to aid the movement of heavy goods. Most of the pallets used are disposed of, causing a heap of this material in industrial areas. Because of its many advantages, pallets are now used in many other areas.
Pallets are used to create garden designs, and they are also used to carry sods.
Pallets make it so easy for forklifts to carry heavy sod and, as such, has become the official measurement for sods – depending on the size of the pallets.
Sods on pallets also allow the sod to last longer. This is especially important if you’ll not be applying the sods immediately.
How Much does a Roll of Sod Weigh – Factors Affecting
The grass is heavy and must be carried in acceptable vehicles. But what affects the weight of the sod pallets?
- Type of grass: different sod types have different weights. Some grass types weigh more than others, so the type of sod you’re buying will have a huge effect on its weight.
- The soil attached: the soil is necessary to hold the grass together and prevent it from falling apart. Soil is also important as it hastens the growing process of the sod. This is why a lot of soil is attached to the sod. This soil significantly affects the weight of the sod pallet.
- Moisture content: moisture is another important factor in sod weight; it helps to keep the sod alive and encourages faster growth once it is placed on the ground. Now, this moisture in the sod also affects the weight of the sod considerably. It is something you need to confirm from the farm to ascertain the weight of the sod.
- Type of pallet: although this is not a very important factor, it does have a slight effect on the weight of the sod pallet. The type of wood used to make the pallet can increase or decrease the weight of the sod pallet.
Pallets size determines the weight of sod it can take. Regular pallets sizes can handle between 400 and 500 square feet of sod. In comparison, larger pallets comfortably carry between 600 and 700 square feet of sod.
How Much Does a Pallet of Sod Weigh?
This is a question I keep getting every time. People want to know if their trucks can carry the number of sod pallets they need.
The weight varies because of the different factors affecting it. The weight of a sod pallet can be between 1500 and 3000 pounds depending on the grass type.
There are two types of grass at the end of the spectrum.
- Bermuda sod pallet weighs 1500lbs
- St. Augustine grass pallet weighs 3000lbs
As you can see, this is no small weight and will need a big enough vehicle to carry this. Ideally, the minimum vehicle weight to carry a pallet of sod is a three-quarter-ton vehicle.
However, it is recommended you use a one-ton vehicle to carry a pallet of sod.
A sod pallet contains between 50 and 70 rolls of sods. A lot of people will want to know how much a roll of sod weighs. It weighs about 30 pounds.
How Many Feet Will a Sod Pallet Cover?
Sods are sold in pallets, and their prices vary depending on the pallet size and grass type. With average-sized pallets carrying between 400 and 500 Square feet of sod, the area it can cover in your yard depends on how the sod is cut.
Mini sod rolls come in the average pallet size containing 400 to 500 Square feet of sod, while large sod rolls come in large pallet sizes containing 600 to 700 Square feet of sod.
How Much Does a Sod Pallet Cost?
The price of a pallet of sod depends on the quality of the sod, type of sod, cost of delivery, and its price also varies from farm to farm.
You can expect to pay anything from $150 to $450 per pallet.
Depending on your measured area you might spend an average of $5500 to cover 1/5 acre of land.
Is Picking Up Your Sod Worth The Stress?
If you’re looking to save cost and already have a heavy-duty vehicle you can use then, you can go ahead and pick your sod from the dealer. You’ll get help in loading the sod pallet into your vehicle, but you may have to offload the sods yourself when you get home. Having some friends help you would be beneficial.
If this is too much stress, you should consider having the company deliver the sod pallets. This will cost you a considerable amount of money depending on your home’s distance to the farm.
Some farms also add free deliveries to their services, but you’ll most likely have to for up to 2 weeks before it is delivered. If waiting is not a problem, then this would be a cost-effective and less stressful way to go.
Should You Rent A Vehicle to Pick Up Your Sod?
You may be thinking of renting a vehicle to pick up your sod. But is that a viable decision?
If you rent a vehicle to pick up your sod from the dealer, you’ll hardly save much, coupled with the stress of picking it up; this may not be a good option.
You should consider having the dealer deliver to you.
Summary
How much does a pallet of sod weigh, depends on certain factors, and you’ll need a heavy-duty vehicle to move a pallet of sod. If you have a one-ton vehicle and wouldn’t mind the stress, you can pick up the sod pallet yourself and save on cost.
