In short
- Sod area is wall length x width of the dug-up strip, plus any other patch you want re-sodded.
- A pallet of St. Augustine covers about 450 sq ft (150 to 170 slabs of 16 x 24 in). Centipede is quoted lower and Bermuda higher.
- Add 5 to 10% for cuts on a plain strip, more around trees and pavers. That cushion is our planning assumption.
- A City seawall spec sheet says to peg the top row with stakes at least 12 in long, 24 in apart.
On this page
This sod calculator is for Cape Coral homeowners whose seawall is being replaced. The crew digs up the yard behind the wall for the anchors and backfill, and the lawn strip has to come back. Enter the wall length and the width of the disturbed strip and it returns the sod area, pallets, slabs and top-row stakes to ask about. It uses published rules of thumb only, with no prices. To size the dirt and rock under that grass, see the seawall backfill calculator.
En español: calculadora de césped para el patio detrás del muro en Cape Coral
Example: 110 ft of wall, a 15 ft strip, St. Augustine grass, plain strip, no other area.
How the numbers are worked out
- Find the area
Multiply wall length by the width of the dug-up strip, then add any other patch. The example is 110 x 15 = 1,650 sq ft.
- Add the cut-off cushion
Plain strip: 5% to 10% extra. Curves, trees or pavers: 10% to 15%. Sod guides give 5% to 10%; the higher band is our planning assumption.
- Divide by the pallet
A pallet covers about 450 sq ft of St. Augustine, 400 of Centipede and 500 of Bermuda, as quoted by one sod calculator. Round up, because growers sell whole pallets.
- Count slabs and stakes
A 16 x 24 in slab is 2.67 sq ft. Stakes go along the top row at 24 in apart, plus one at the end.
Pallets by wall length and strip width
| Wall length | 10 ft strip | 15 ft strip | 20 ft strip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 ft | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 110 ft | 3 | 4 to 5 | 6 |
| 160 ft | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 200 ft | 5 | 7 to 8 | 10 |
Pallets of St. Augustine at 450 sq ft, with 5% to 10% extra, plain strip. Tight yards with trees and pavers can need another pallet, and a grower may sell part pallets or rolls, so confirm what your supplier delivers.
What the rules do not cover
Sod on bare backfill dies if the soil settles or the water is wrong. New sod needs level, compacted soil and regular watering for the first weeks, and a pallet left in the sun can heat up quickly. Schedule delivery for the day the crew is ready to lay it, and ask who waters it. The City’s seawall notes also tell contractors to seed disturbed areas unless a building permit is posted. See landscaping and sprinklers near a seawall for what else the work can disturb.
Questions to ask a seawall contractor
- Is sod in the quote? Ask in writing whether the yard is restored with sod, seed or nothing, and over how wide a strip.
- Who waters it? Ask what the contractor does if new sod dries out, and who runs the sprinklers.
- Are sprinklers and pavers reset? Heads, lines, fences and pavers near the wall often get moved. See bid comparison worksheet to line quotes up.
- Are the top-row stakes included? The City sheet lists pegging as the contractor’s job.
- How do I choose a contractor? See choosing a seawall contractor.
Next step
This is a planning estimate, not a landscape design. We are a referral service, not a contractor; we connect visitors with independent local providers. Use the form below to ask independent seawall contractors what yard restoration their quote includes.
Sources
- City of Cape Coral Engineering Design Standard H-9, Minimum Seawall Specifications: General Notes (dated 2002): the contractor pegs the top row of sod with stakes at least 12 in long, 24 in apart, and seeds disturbed areas unless a building permit is posted. Older than the 2021 seawall sheets; confirm what your permit requires.
- US Calculators, Sod Calculator: pallet coverage by grass type (St. Augustine 450 sq ft, Centipede 400, Bermuda 500) and a waste factor for edges and cuts.
- Yardly, How Many Square Feet Are in a Pallet of Sod?: about 450 sq ft per pallet, 16 x 24 in slabs of 2.67 sq ft, 150 to 170 per pallet, and a 5 to 10% allowance for edge cuts. Coverage varies by grower.
Frequently asked questions
How many pallets of sod do I need behind a seawall?
Multiply the wall length by the width of the yard that was dug up, add 5% to 10% for cuts, and divide by the pallet coverage. A St. Augustine pallet covers about 450 square feet, so 110 ft of wall with a 15 ft strip is 1,650 sq ft and needs 4 to 5 pallets. Confirm the pallet size with your grower.
Does the seawall contractor have to replace the sod?
It depends on the contract. A City of Cape Coral seawall spec sheet (2002) lists pegging the top row of sod and seeding disturbed areas as contractor duties, but it is an older sheet and your permit and contract decide. Ask each bidder in writing what yard restoration is included.
How far apart are sod stakes along a seawall?
The City sheet says survey stakes at least 12 inches long, spaced 24 inches apart, on the top row of sod. This calculator counts those along the wall length only.
What type of sod do Cape Coral yards use?
St. Augustine is common on Southwest Florida lawns, so the calculator starts there. Centipede and Bermuda are offered because their pallet coverage differs. Ask your grower which varieties it supplies.
Why not buy exactly the area I measure?
Sod is cut to fit around curves, trees, posts and pavers, and some slabs break in transport. Guides suggest 5% to 10% extra. We add more for curves and trees as our own planning assumption.