Lawn Square Footage Calculator
Measure your lawn area for sod installation, grass seed coverage, fertilizer application, or any lawn care project.
Lawn Area Calculator
Sod, seed, or hydroseed?
Sod gives instant lawn at the highest cost per square foot. A standard pallet covers 450 sq ft (or 50 sq yd) and arrives ready to install.
Seed is far cheaper per square foot but requires 2–4 weeks to germinate and 2–3 months to establish. One pound of seed typically covers 250 sq ft for new lawns or 500 sq ft for overseeding.
Measuring an irregular yard
Most yards aren't simple rectangles. Use Google Maps or your phone's measure tool to get a baseline. For accuracy, break the yard into rectangles and triangles, measure each, and sum the areas.
Subtract obvious non-grass areas: driveways, patios, garden beds, decks, sheds. Don't worry about removing every tree well — small subtractions average out.
Measuring your lawn correctly
Lawn measurement is harder than it looks because lawns are rarely rectangular. Most yards have driveways, walkways, garden beds, trees, and curved borders that have to be accounted for.
Method 1 — break into rectangles. Walk your yard with a tape measure and divide it into the largest possible rectangular sections. Measure each section and sum the areas. This handles 80% of yards adequately.
Method 2 — pace and pace. Walk the length, count steps (each adult step ≈ 2.5 ft). Walk the width, count steps. Multiply. Works for rough estimates but expect ±15% accuracy.
Method 3 — Google Earth Pro or county GIS measurement tool. Free, accurate to within 5%. Outline your property and lawn area. Many municipal GIS portals offer free lawn measurement features.
Method 4 — drone or aerial measurement service. $50-200 for a professional measurement report. Pays for itself on larger properties where seed, fertilizer, or sod orders are significant.
Seed, fertilizer, and sod by lawn size
Each lawn product has its own coverage rate. Calculate by sq ft and apply the appropriate rate:
Grass seed: 4-8 lbs per 1,000 sq ft for new lawn, 2-4 lbs for overseeding. A 5,000 sq ft lawn needs 20-40 lbs (new) or 10-20 lbs (overseed).
Fertilizer: 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per application. With typical 24-0-12 fertilizer (24% N), that's 4 lbs of fertilizer per 1,000 sq ft. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: 20 lbs per application.
Weed killer (selective herbicide like 2,4-D): coverage varies by product. Liquid concentrate typically covers 5,000-15,000 sq ft per gallon when diluted.
Lime: 40-50 lbs per 1,000 sq ft if soil test indicates low pH. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: 200-250 lbs.
Top-dressing compost: 1/4 inch of compost over the lawn = 0.77 cubic yards per 1,000 sq ft. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: 3.85 cu yd. At $30-50 per cu yd: $115-200 in compost.
Cost per square foot for common lawn projects
Lawn care and improvement projects, priced per square foot of lawn:
Lawn mowing service: $0.01-0.04 per sq ft (so $30-120 per service for a 5,000 sq ft lawn).
Fertilization program (4-5 visits/year): $0.10-0.25 per sq ft per year = $500-1,250 annually for a 5,000 sq ft lawn.
Lawn aeration: $0.10-0.30 per sq ft once a year.
Sod installation (replace existing lawn): $1-3 per sq ft installed. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: $5,000-15,000.
Seeding new lawn: $0.10-0.40 per sq ft for seed + prep work. Sod is 3-10× more expensive but provides instant lawn.
Irrigation system: $1-3 per sq ft installed. A 5,000 sq ft lawn: $5,000-15,000 for in-ground irrigation.
Pro tips
Order by the pallet
Sod is sold by the pallet (450 sq ft typical). Don't round up too aggressively — sod has a 24–48 hour install window before it dies.
Time your seeding
Cool-season grasses go down in early fall or spring. Warm-season grasses prefer late spring through early summer.
Use a fertilizer app rate
Fertilizer bags rate coverage by sq ft. A 10,000 sq ft bag of starter fertilizer covers most quarter-acre lawns once.
Subtract hardscape
Patios, driveways, walkways, and beds shouldn't be in your sod calculation.