How to measure lawn square footage
To measure lawn square footage, measure the length and width of each grassed section in feet, then multiply them. Add the section areas and subtract the house, driveway, patio, paths, and garden beds. The result is the lawn area used to estimate grass seed, fertilizer, and sod.
Use the formula lawn area = length × width for each rectangular grassed section. A lawn that measures 40 feet by 50 feet covers 2,000 square feet before you subtract non-lawn areas.
Measure only ground that will contain grass. Do not include buildings, paved surfaces, planting beds, pools, or other areas that will not receive lawn products.
Measuring an irregular lawn
Measure an irregular lawn by dividing the grassed area into rectangles and triangles. Calculate each section, add the results, and subtract garden beds, paths, trees with unseeded surrounds, and paved surfaces.
Calculate rectangles with length × width. Calculate triangles with base × height ÷ 2. A sketch helps you label the measurements and prevents sections from overlapping.
Use the irregular shape calculator when the lawn has several sections or does not fit a single rectangle.
Using lawn area for grass seed, fertilizer, and sod
Lawn products use area-based coverage rates. Grass seed and fertilizer labels state how much product covers 1,000 square feet. Sod sellers usually quote square yards or pallets. Use the measured grassed area, then follow the coverage rate or pallet size from the supplier.
For grass seed or fertilizer, divide the lawn's square footage by 1,000, then multiply by the rate printed on the bag. A 2,000-square-foot lawn needs 2 coverage units of the bag's stated rate.
For sod, divide square feet by 9 to get square yards because 1 square yard equals 9 square feet. Add about 5% for cuts, and confirm the square footage supplied by each pallet.
Convert a lawn's size to acres
Convert lawn square footage to acres by dividing by 43,560. One acre equals 43,560 square feet, and one quarter-acre equals 10,890 square feet. Subtract the house, driveway, and other non-grass areas before converting if you need the lawn acreage.
A 10,890-square-foot lawn equals 0.25 acres, 1,011.7 m², and 1,210 yd².
Use the square yards calculator for any area.
A quarter-acre property does not always contain a quarter-acre lawn. The house, driveway, patio, garden beds, and other non-grass areas reduce the lawn area.
Use the acres calculator to convert measured lawn area between square feet and acres. Use the square yards calculator when a sod quote uses square yards.
Lawn square footage calculator summary
The Lawn Square Footage Calculator finds the grassed area in square feet. Measure each lawn section, add the areas, and subtract the house, driveway, patio, paths, and garden beds. Use the result with the coverage information for grass seed, fertilizer, or sod.
Use the yard square footage calculator for the broader outdoor area, the landscaping calculator for landscape projects, and the acres calculator for large lawns. Return to the square footage calculator for other area tools.