Reno underway and got driveway re-routed and grading done so need some sod.  I know it's not the ideal time of year but I will water the crap out of it.  Plus with the dog and kids it's like a dust storm with all the dirt being tracked in.

Around the house is partially shaded. Central NC region. Not interested in a golf course just something that won't die. Most of yard is wild anyways

What sod do you recommend and why?

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Anecdotal, not professional: I currently have both. Bermuda in the front (thanks, HOA) and Zoysia that I just laid down in the back last year. I hate Bermuda. Where I want it to grow, it’s thin and stringy. Where I don’t want it to grow, it invades. It browns way too easily. I had it professionally treated for the last few years but finally said screw it, I’ll do it myself. It’s looking better but not great.

The Zoysia I put out back, same soil, looks like green carpet. It grows tight and deep green. The dogs already burnt a spot or two, but if I block it off, it grows back pretty quickly. There are lots of varieties, and I don’t know what you have available locally. I have some shady areas, so I went with Palisades, and it was a little hard to get. I would call around the local sod places, and get their opinion and availability. Good luck!

@MeanTime what part of Texas are you in? I keep toying with the idea of experimenting with zoysia. Any shaded areas?

I have both in N MS.  Zone 7b.   I'd take Zoysia over Bermuda.  Zoysia is a bit more expensive here.   Zoysia does better in the shade.  That's why I have it where I do.   Handles drought better.  Coarser look but grows dense.   Lots of varieties of Bermuda so it can be thick and dense or stringy.   Bermuda takes more food to keep it green.  Bermuda will be darker in color.  Bermuda will need to be mowed twice as often.   I have more weed issues with Bermuda where it's not super dense.  My dad went with Zoysia in LA and his looks great without a ton of maintenance.

Palisades Zoysia is the only way to go. I have part of my lawn done with it.  and, am looking at replacing some Centipede with more Palisades. Makes a beautiful lawn and is somewhat drought and shade tolerant.

I’m in DFW. I went with Palisades for the very reason I have a large shaded area. So far, no issues with sun vs shade.

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Zoysia here in SA, TX. it looks much better than bermuda especially during hot and dry spells.

Last August I rototilled three areas in my yard. Sodded with Emerald zoysia. Two areas get full sun, the other some to full shade. My yard guy said the "some to full shade" wouldn't last. After 10 months it looks great.

"Emerald Zoysia is the Cadillac of lawn grasses. An artificially bred hybrid variety, Emerald produces an extremely dense, fine textured turf of true emerald green color. Emerald is an excellent grass for the southern and southeastern states. Once established it requires less water than St. Augustine. It is drought tolerant due to its deep root structure. The grass exhibits a dense creeping growth, rather than an aggressive upward, or sprawling growth. The blade density is much higher than for other grasses, giving a very dense, carpet-like appearance and feel. The thick dense blades act as a natural weed deterrent and give it excellent wear tolerance."

St Aug grass FTW!

I was going to suggest this if OP is in the right climate zone.  Grows great in the shade.  But I think central NC is too far north to survive winters.

Pros/Cons of Bermudagrass: invasive, spreads/covers ground quickly and self-repairs, loves heat, low maintenance and less susceptible to disease/pest, almost impossible to kill, needs lots of direct sunlight

Have never had Zoysia but as I understand it, it's a lot slower to grow/fill in thin spots and is more shade tolerant.

Pick whichever you'd prefer and that is right for the area it's going onto.

A followup. OP, as you have no doubt seen. There are about a dozen distinct varieties of Zoysia grasses. A lot of the latest varieties are patented and growers have to pay a license fee to the patent holder agency in order to grow the patented varieties, such as Chishom, Jamur, Empire Citrizoy, Geo and others.  Palisades was under patent but the patent expired about 4 years ago so you won't see it pushed as much since then. More grower competition means less profit. Its still a great medium bladed lawn grass that is easy to maintain.

However, buy the grass that is readily available in your area, from local/regional sod growers and landscape yards. I have to travel 35 miles to get to a landscape supply for individual rolls of Palisades, if I want to patch in or repair a disturbed area.
Here is a Turf Growers directory for SC put out by Clemson University, NC State University probably puts out a silimilar directory for NC. But you can glean some good info from this directory.

Clemson Turfgrass Directory

However the guide lists Palisades as still patented, but not so per this link.

Palisades Patent expiration

Still don't go Palisades if there are no growers anywhere close to you. HTH

y'all are all wrong for this guy's area.  tifblair centipede all day, every day.  low maintenance grass is best grass.



eta - it eventually takes over the area it grows in, and minimizes weeds.

None of the centipede varieties are shade tolerant, regardless of what the sales info says.

Zoysia. Every time. I never recommend Bermuda for anything but ultra high traffic areas. Lower maintenance. Better results, especially with shade.

I'll add another vote for zoysia.  My bermuda has not grown at all like I hoped.  I was considering  TifTuf or 419 for a while but I think I'm back to leaning towards zoysia again

tell that to the centipede in my yard.

Centipede grows fairly well in my shady areas but it does better where it is less shady. Even my shady areas get several hours of direct sunlight in the morning though. It has its drawbacks too, very sensitive to herbicides or over fertilization. I've found the less I mess with mine aside from mowing the happier it seems to be.

Zoysia all the way.

Bermuda is a plague.

I hate Bermuda.

look into innovation zoysia.  You are in the correct zone for it.  It is my new preference for zoysia.

I would agree with this.

I have both types Bermuda (Tiff Tuff) in front and Zoysia in back and side lots that borders more woods Zoysia  handles shade better if you have it as well as drought as I can observe currently - we are dry, lawn has water, Zoysia looks better.

If you can afford it, get Zoysia and buy once cry once.

the only places my centipede struggles is places that get no sun all day.  if the areas get even some sun, it still does well.  half a day of sun is about ideal.  and yes the second part of your statement is what makes it great - low maintenance.  all i have to do is cut it.  no fertilizer, no aerating, no herbicides once it establishes, doesnt have to be cut twice a week, etc.  i'd say the only weakness is that it isnt the best for high foot traffic.  other than that, it becomes like a lush green carpet in the summer.