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How much grass seed do I actually need? As a rule of thumb, plan on about 5–10 lbs of seed per 1,000 square feet for a new lawn, and about half that for overseeding. The exact amount depends on your grass type — use the calculator to get the precise figure for your lawn.
A new lawn needs roughly 5–10 lbs of grass seed per 1,000 sq ft; overseeding an existing lawn needs about half that (2–5 lbs). Tall fescue and ryegrass are sown heaviest (~10 lbs), Kentucky bluegrass ~4 lbs, and Bermuda ~2 lbs. The formula is area ÷ 1,000 × seeding rate — or use the calculator below for any lawn size, shape, or grass type.
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Seed isn't sown at one universal rate. Each species has a recommended seeding rate based on its seed size and how aggressively it spreads. These are the standard rates the calculator uses, in pounds per 1,000 square feet:
| Grass type | New lawn | Overseeding |
|---|---|---|
| Eco / low-maintenance | ||
| Eco-Lawn / Low-Maintenance Mix | 5 lbs | 2.5 lbs |
| MicroClover | 2.5 lbs | 1.25 lbs |
| White (Dutch) Clover | 1 lb | 0.5 lb |
| Cool-season | ||
| Kentucky Bluegrass | 4 lbs | 2 lbs |
| Tall Fescue | 10 lbs | 5 lbs |
| Fine Fescue | 5 lbs | 2.5 lbs |
| Creeping Red Fescue | 5 lbs | 2.5 lbs |
| Perennial Ryegrass | 10 lbs | 5 lbs |
| Sun & Shade Mix | 6 lbs | 3 lbs |
| Warm-season | ||
| Bermuda | 2 lbs | 1 lb |
| Zoysia | 2 lbs | 1 lb |
| Bahia | 10 lbs | 5 lbs |
| Buffalo | 3 lbs | 1.5 lbs |
| Centipede | 0.5 lb | 0.3 lb |
| St. Augustine | 2 lbs | 1 lb |
Rates are per 1,000 square feet. Premium coated or branded blends sometimes specify their own rate — always check the bag.
The math behind the calculator is simple:
Step 1 — Measure your lawn. Multiply length × width for a rectangle. For odd shapes, break the lawn into rectangles, circles, and triangles and add them up.
Step 2 — Find your seeding rate from the table above for your grass type and project.
Step 3 — Multiply. Divide your area by 1,000, then multiply by the rate.
Divide the per-1,000 rate by 1,000. Tall fescue at 10 lbs per 1,000 sq ft works out to about 0.01 lb (roughly 0.16 oz) per square foot for a new lawn. Because per-square-foot numbers are tiny and easy to misjudge, measure your whole lawn and let the calculator scale the rate for you.
One acre is 43,560 sq ft, so multiply the per-1,000 rate by 43.56.
| Grass type | New lawn / acre | Overseeding / acre |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Bluegrass | ~175 lbs | ~87 lbs |
| Tall Fescue / Ryegrass | ~435 lbs | ~218 lbs |
| Fine Fescue | ~218 lbs | ~109 lbs |
| Bermuda | ~87 lbs | ~44 lbs |
Switch the calculator's area unit to acres to do this automatically.
A quick reference for common lawn sizes, based on a typical all-purpose lawn (about 6 lbs of seed per 1,000 sq ft for a new lawn). For other grasses, scale the numbers using the seeding-rate table above — or just use the calculator.
| Lawn size | New lawn | Overseeding |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 3 lbs | 1.5 lbs |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6 lbs | 3 lbs |
| 2,000 sq ft | 12 lbs | 6 lbs |
| 5,000 sq ft | 30 lbs | 15 lbs |
| 10,000 sq ft | 60 lbs | 30 lbs |
| ¼ acre (10,890 sq ft) | ~65 lbs | ~33 lbs |
| ½ acre (21,780 sq ft) | ~131 lbs | ~65 lbs |
| 1 acre (43,560 sq ft) | ~261 lbs | ~131 lbs |
A new lawn (bare soil) needs full coverage so seedlings fill in every inch — that's the higher rate. Overseeding drops seed into existing turf to thicken it or repair thin spots, so you only need about half as much. Using new-lawn rates to overseed wastes seed and makes seedlings compete; using overseeding rates on bare soil leaves thin, patchy results. Pick the right mode in the calculator and it adjusts the rate for you.
Coverage depends on the seeding rate, not just the bag weight:
A 50 lb bag of tall fescue at the new-lawn rate of 10 lbs/1,000 sq ft covers 5,000 sq ft. Used for overseeding (rate 5), the same bag covers 10,000 sq ft. Lighter-seeded grasses like Bermuda stretch much further — a 50 lb bag covers up to 25,000 sq ft on a new lawn.
| Bag size | New lawn coverage | Overseeding coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 3 lb bag | ~300 sq ft | ~600 sq ft |
| 7 lb bag | ~700 sq ft | ~1,400 sq ft |
| 10 lb bag | ~1,000 sq ft | ~2,000 sq ft |
| 20 lb bag | ~2,000 sq ft | ~4,000 sq ft |
| 50 lb bag | ~5,000 sq ft | ~10,000 sq ft |
Based on tall fescue (10 lbs/1,000 sq ft new, 5 overseeding). Lighter grasses like Bermuda or Kentucky bluegrass cover 2–5× more per bag.
Grass seed runs roughly $3–$10 per pound depending on species and quality — basic contractor mixes sit at the low end, while premium, weed-free, and coated blends cost more. For a typical 5,000 sq ft new lawn (about 30–50 lbs of seed) that works out to roughly $150–$400 in seed. Overseeding the same lawn costs about half. Enter your price per pound in the calculator's More options to get a cost estimate for your exact lawn.
The calculator gives the agronomically correct baseline. Add a little extra when:
Avoid over-seeding: too much seed makes seedlings compete for water and nutrients, and the lawn comes in thin and weak — more is not better.
5–10 lbs for a new lawn and 2–5 lbs for overseeding, depending on grass type. Tall fescue and ryegrass use ~10 lbs; Kentucky bluegrass ~4 lbs; Bermuda ~2 lbs (new-lawn rates).
About half the new-lawn rate — typically 2–5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft. Overseeding only fills in existing turf, so it needs far less seed than seeding bare soil.
Multiply the per-1,000 rate by 43.56. A new tall-fescue lawn needs ~435 lbs/acre; Kentucky bluegrass ~175 lbs/acre.
At a 10 lbs/1,000 sq ft new-lawn rate, a 50 lb bag covers 5,000 sq ft. For overseeding (5 lbs/1,000), it covers 10,000 sq ft. Lighter grasses like Bermuda cover much more.
Yes. Over-seeding makes seedlings compete for water, light, and nutrients, producing a thin, weak lawn. Stick to the recommended rate.
About 30 lbs for a new lawn or 15 lbs for overseeding, using a typical all-purpose rate of 6 lbs per 1,000 sq ft. Heavier grasses like tall fescue need ~50 lbs new; lighter ones like Bermuda need ~10 lbs.
Roughly $3–$10 per pound depending on type and quality. A typical 5,000 sq ft new lawn runs about $150–$400 in seed; overseeding costs about half.
Most grasses germinate in 5–21 days depending on species, soil temperature, and moisture. Keep the seedbed consistently moist until seedlings establish.
Now that you know how much you need, get quality grass seed and lawn-care supplies from Eartheasy.
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