# How long does a pallet take to lay?



## PGunn (May 17, 2020)

Have 15 pallets on order for this weekend and beginning to second guess myself... they will be squares and placed throughout the yard but it's still a tall task for me and a buddy. I dont want to have them sitting on the pallet for more than 1 day, so we will have to knock it out pretty fast. Only reason I want to do it, is because I know it will be done right. This is my second round after the landscapers didn't a poor job the first time and had to pull it all up. Am I biting off too much? How long should each pallet take 2 guys?


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## Murfandturf (Mar 13, 2020)

I just moved into new construction and when they sod the house they have 4-8 guys come and it takes them 3/4 of the day.

I don't want to doubt your abilities lol but I would call some more friends.


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## NewHomeOwner (Apr 11, 2020)

How old are you and what kind of shape? Your buddy may not be your buddy anymore after fifteen pallets. You'll also want to spend some time thinking about pallet placement. Your back will thank you.

I ordered twelve, then realized last minute that I was in way over my head, and split the job up into two deliveries. The first day was so rough, that I went and hired two day laborers just outside of Atlanta for the second (and bigger) delivery. It was the best 240 dollars I've ever spent. I'm a little OCD about "doing things right" and also micromanaged the first days work. The day laborers were so good I could keep the ground raked and watered while they laid sod. By the end, the local 17 year old kid I hired was just in the way and got sent home an hour early. The best part, when the 17 year old left some gaps between the sod, the Honduran got all over him about it not being done right.

We laid and rolled 7 pallets in 4 hours. Without them, it took us (me, wife, ten year old, and 17 year old) 5 hours just to lay 4 pallets - and my back was on fire.

Get some more help or maybe split it up into two deliveries. Eating the delivery fee sucks, but fifteen pallets... &#129314;

I would've preferred the squares, those rolls get heavy fast. Especially when they've been watered while waiting to be picked up at the farm.


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## Rammy1546 (Jan 3, 2020)

@PGunn What's your age? Usually if you are about an average very motivated person, about 4 pallets per person a day is about as good as you are going to get. About 2 hours a pallet of working by yourself and taking water breaks. Me and my wife who is pregnant, did 8 in one day. She didn't go all out obviously, but no way I would have gotten it done in a day without her. That was 8am-7pm nonstop.


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## PGunn (May 17, 2020)

I'm 35 and in good shape but when it's 90 and 80% humidity that doesn't mean much! Sounds like split delivery is best option. I'm very OCD and given this is the second round of laying sod, I want it done right.

Even getting more buddies with as picky as I will
be won't get 15 down in a day... thanks for the info. Think I've made my decision.


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## NewHomeOwner (Apr 11, 2020)

PGunn said:


> I'm 35 and in good shape but when it's 90 and 80% humidity that doesn't mean much! Sounds like split delivery is best option. I'm very OCD and given this is the second round of laying sod, I want it done right.
> 
> Even getting more buddies with as picky as I will
> be won't get 15 down in a day... thanks for the info. Think I've made my decision.


Good call. (I'm 39) You'll be able to focus on making sure it's done right vs rushing to get fifteen pallets down. Good luck. I'm still sunburned from my day 2, and glad it's over.

I work for Tyson Foods so know all about Arkansas heat.


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## tcorbitt20 (Aug 31, 2018)

I went with the option of paying someone regardless of how they wouldn't be as picky as me. Figured I could roll it later myself and sand level to save myself that work. I do not regret it.


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## KzooKendrick (May 2, 2020)

We just sodded our 2,500 sqft backyard with St. Augustine using 6 (450 sqft) pallets. It took me 3 hours on Friday afternoon (by myself) to knock out 1 pallet and 5 hours on Saturday with 5 total people for the remaining pallets. So all in all, about 1/hr/pallet/person for us.

We also had 3 gorilla carts so that saved our backs quite a bit and didn't let one of the carts sit idle for too long, since dragging sod to backyard by cart was the bottleneck.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

Good Lord, don't even try it with 2 ppl. Split loads one week apart.


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## southernbuckeye (Sep 29, 2019)

Using a tractor to move the pallets from my trailer to the backyard along with a wheelbarrow it took my wife and I (late 30s) an entire afternoon to do 3. We had a pro sod laying crew out to do 7 the day before and it took 5 or 6 guys around 4 hours. There's no way I'd attempt 15 pallets in one day, or even a weekend!


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## Tbspivey (Apr 13, 2020)

Recently laid 1 pallet of St Augustine by myself and it took 2.5-3 hours including cutting the sod for corners. More importantly my back was sore as hell for several days.


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## PGunn (May 17, 2020)

Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

PGunn said:


> Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.


No shame in that.


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## jal (May 30, 2020)

PGunn said:


> Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.


Wow! I'm getting ready to lay and it's $285 a pallet just to have it delivered! Emerald or Zeon.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

PGunn said:


> Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.


That sounds like a pretty good price. I did 3 pallets about 7 years ago with my wife, and it was a workout. And I had to walk pretty far to the pallets because they were on a trailer that didn't fit in the back yard. If I would have had a yard cart or wheel barrow It wouldn't have been so bad. I paid 90 a pallet back then for tifway 419, no idea what the going rate is now.

Are they prepping the area?


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## Saints (May 5, 2019)

PGunn said:


> Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.


What type of zoysia did you go with? I put down 18 pallets a few weeks ago with a friend of mine both early/mid 40s, a 15yo, 17yo and two ladies and we did it in 5 1/2 hours. I thought it was going to take a lot longer, but we got it done. I got Geo for $200 a pallet with a $60 delivery fee.


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## PGunn (May 17, 2020)

I thought I would update everyone.....we ended up laying 17 pallets of Meyer zoysia in 5.5hrs yesterday. The yard was fully prepped and we started as soon as the first pallet was dropped. We had a total of 6 guys going and this project went a lot faster than I anticipated.


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## Tmank87 (Feb 13, 2019)

jal said:


> PGunn said:
> 
> 
> > Hired it out..... $250/pallet for Zoysia - thats delivered, laid and machined rolled after. Figured I couldn't say no to that price and my back with thank me later.
> ...


Got the labor for free at that price.


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## raymond (May 4, 2018)

PGunn said:


> I thought I would update everyone.....we ended up laying 17 pallets of Meyer zoysia in 5.5hrs yesterday. The yard was fully prepped and we started as soon as the first pallet was dropped. We had a total of 6 guys going and this project went a lot faster than I anticipated.


Congrats, man. Big project! :thumbup:


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## southernbuckeye (Sep 29, 2019)

Nice work! That's a monster job


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

6 dudes will help.... that's fast! That would have taken days with 1 or 2 people.


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## wiseowl (May 25, 2020)

Where are the after pics!!!


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