Grass Seed Calculator
Find how much grass seed a lawn needs at your seeding rate, or how many sod rolls and pallets cover the same area, from the square footage. Calculates in your browser.
Grass seed needed
-
Show the math
Seed scales with area at the rate on the bag:
seed = rate × (area ÷ 1,000)
sod rolls = ⌈area ÷ roll coverage⌉
Seeding rates vary a lot by grass type, and overseeding an existing lawn uses less than a new lawn, so enter the rate printed on your seed bag (the 5 lb default is only a starting value). Sod is sized in rolls and in pallets of 450 sq ft, a typical size; pallet sizes vary by sod farm, so check with your supplier. All math runs locally in your browser.
What this does
A grass seed calculator finds how much seed a lawn needs at your seeding rate, or how many sod rolls and pallets cover the same area, from the square footage.
How to use it
- Enter the lawn area.
- Enter the seeding rate.
- Or switch to sod rolls and pallets.
- Read the seed or sod needed.
How it works
Seeding rates vary by grass type, and overseeding uses less than a new lawn, so enter the rate printed on your seed bag. Sod pallets are counted at 450 sq ft, a typical size; check your supplier’s.
seed = area ÷ 1,000 × rate per 1,000 sq ft
Understanding your result
Rate matters as much as the total: use the rate on the seed bag for your grass type, since a new lawn takes more seed than overseeding. Sowing too heavily makes seedlings compete and thin out, while too little leaves bare patches, so aim for even coverage at the rate for your grass type.
Example
A 5,000 sq ft lawn at 5 lb per 1,000 sq ft needs about 25 lb of seed.
Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
How much seed per 1,000 sq ft?
It depends on the grass type, and overseeding an existing lawn uses less than a new lawn, so use the rate printed on your seed bag. The tool’s 5 lb is only a starting value.
Seed or sod?
Seed is cheaper and offers more variety; sod gives an instant lawn. The tool sizes both so you can compare.
How big is a sod pallet?
Pallet sizes vary by sod farm. The tool counts pallets at 450 sq ft, a typical size, so check your supplier’s pallet coverage before ordering.
Is anything stored?
No. Everything is calculated locally in your browser.
Related tools
Garden Soil Calculator
Work out how much soil a raised bed or several beds need from their size and fill depth, split into compost and topsoil, with bags and cubic yards. Calculates in your browser.
Fertilizer Calculator
Convert a target nitrogen rate into how much fertilizer to spread, using the first N-P-K number on the bag, for any lawn or bed area. Calculates in your browser.
Plant Spacing Calculator
Work out how many plants a bed needs from its size and your plant and row spacing, for a square grid or a denser triangular layout. Calculates in your browser.
Frost Date Calculator
Turn your local last spring and first fall frost dates into a growing-season length and a planting schedule for starting seeds indoors and transplanting out. Calculates in your browser.