A sod cutter and a sod stripper are basically the same thing. It is a machine that has an oscillating blade that moves back and forth underneath the grass. These types of sod cutters can be rented in 12 and 18 inch varieties. My recommendation to you is to always use the 18 inch variety because it is faster, and it is easier to keep level when you are trying to replace your sod. If you want to move your sod to a new location, then you want to cut it down probably an inch and a half. This will facilitate moving to a new location, and you won’t be destroying the roots completely when you take out your sod from the lawn. If you are just going to be throwing away the sod and starting over, then I recommend that you cut the sod just below the surface of the soil. You will probably do a good job if you try and cut about three quarters of an inch below the surface.
Make sure that if you get any weeds when you cut the sod, you have to take care of them before you replant your lawn. This way when you’re grass grows in, you will have a nice looking lawn that is also free of weeds.
When you have more than 500 ft.² of lawn to cut out, it is definitely worth it to get a sod cutter rental rather than trying to do it manually. A sod cutter rental is much faster and involves less work than trying to do a manual sod cutter. Sod cutter rentals can be rented for about $60 for a four-hour period at most rental stores. Most of the time, giving extra insurance coverage when you get a sod cutter is not recommended, unless you plan on cutting out a lot of sod in your lawn, then it might be a good idea. Sod cutters are pretty tough however, and with most sods, you shouldn’t have any problems.