🌾 Grass Seed Coverage Calculator
Enter your lawn area and seeding rate (pounds per 1,000 sq ft, listed on the seed bag) to see the total seed needed for a new lawn.
Area in thousands, times the rate
Seeding rates are printed per 1,000 sq ft, so the area is divided by a thousand before the rate is applied:
lbs of seed = (area sq ft / 1000) × rate per 1,000 sq ftThe defaults, 5,000 sq ft at 5 lb, come to 25.0 lb. The answer is shown to one decimal place, and rounding up to whole bags is left to you - buying 25 lb when the arithmetic says 24.3 is sensible, because the edges always take more than you planned.
The rate depends on the grass
These are establishment rates for bare soil, not overseeding. Fine seeded grasses go on far lighter than coarse ones:
| Species | lb per 1,000 sq ft | For 5,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2 to 3 | 10 to 15 lb |
| Fine fescue | 4 to 5 | 20 to 25 lb |
| Perennial ryegrass | 6 to 8 | 30 to 40 lb |
| Tall fescue | 6 to 8 | 30 to 40 lb |
| Hulled bermudagrass | 1 to 2 | 5 to 10 lb |
Frequently asked questions
How much grass seed do I need for 5,000 square feet?
Between 12.5 lb of Kentucky bluegrass and 40 lb of tall fescue, depending entirely on the species. At the default 5 lb rate it is 25 lb.
What happens if I sow too much seed?
The seedlings compete with each other for light, water and root room. You get a thin, weak stand that is prone to damping off, and you paid extra for it. Heavy sowing does not produce a thicker lawn.
Why does the bag quote two coverage figures?
The larger area is for overseeding an existing lawn, the smaller for a new one from bare soil. This page is sized for the new lawn figure; overseeding typically runs at about half the rate.