How Much Grass Seed Do I Need? (Rate Chart by Grass Type)
Part of Landscaping & Aggregate
Quick answer
Multiply your lawn area (in thousands of ft²) by the grass's seeding rate. New lawns use the full rate — about 6–8 lb per 1,000 ft² for tall fescue or ryegrass, 2–3 lb for Kentucky bluegrass — and overseeding uses half. A 5,000 ft² tall-fescue lawn needs about 35 lb of seed for a new lawn, or ~17.5 lb to overseed.
How much seed you need comes down to two things: your lawn's square footage and the grass species' seeding rate. Seed size varies enormously between species — Kentucky bluegrass seed is almost dust, while tall fescue is large and heavy — so the pounds needed per 1,000 ft² swing by 10× across grasses.
The formula
- New lawn: Pounds = (Area in ft² ÷ 1,000) × new-lawn rate
- Overseeding: use half the new-lawn rate
- Coverage: a 1,000 ft² lawn × a 7 lb/1,000 ft² rate = 7 lb of seed
Seeding rate by grass type (lb per 1,000 ft²)
| Grass | Season | New lawn | Overseed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | Cool | 6–8 lb | 3–4 lb |
| Perennial ryegrass | Cool | 6–8 lb | 3–4 lb |
| Kentucky bluegrass | Cool | 2–3 lb | 1–1.5 lb |
| Fine fescue | Cool / shade | 4–5 lb | 2–2.5 lb |
| Sun & shade mix | Cool | ~4 lb | ~2 lb |
| Bermudagrass | Warm | 1–2 lb | 0.5–1 lb |
| Zoysia | Warm | 1–2 lb | 0.5–1 lb |
| Centipede | Warm | 0.5–1 lb | 0.25–0.5 lb |
| Bahiagrass | Warm | 5–7 lb | 2.5–3.5 lb |
These are bare-seed rates from university-extension and major retailer charts; the calculator uses the midpoint of each range. Coated seed (the kind sold in many big-box bags) is up to half inert coating by weight, so the bag will list a higher application weight to deliver the same number of live seeds — always follow the bag's own rate when it differs.
Why overseeding uses half
A new lawn is seeding bare soil, so it gets the full rate. Overseeding only thickens an existing lawn — the established grass shades out anything you over-apply, so the extra seed is wasted and can actually weaken the stand by crowding seedlings. Half the new-lawn rate is the standard.
Don't forget starter fertilizer
Put down a high-phosphorus "starter" fertilizer with the seed to feed the germinating roots — one bag covers roughly 5,000 ft². Grass seed itself runs about $3–$9 per pound for common cool-season types (warm-season seed like Zoysia costs much more). Source: US extension-service rates and retail averages. Last verified: June 2026.
FAQs
How much grass seed do I need for 1,000 square feet?
For a new lawn, plan on about 6–8 lb for tall fescue or ryegrass, 2–3 lb for Kentucky bluegrass, 4–5 lb for fine fescue, and 1–2 lb for Bermuda or Zoysia per 1,000 ft². Overseeding an existing lawn uses half those amounts.
How much grass seed for 5,000 square feet?
Multiply the 1,000 ft² rate by five. A 5,000 ft² tall-fescue lawn needs about 35 lb of seed for a new lawn (7 lb × 5) or about 17.5 lb to overseed. Kentucky bluegrass would be closer to 12.5 lb new.
Can I use too much grass seed?
Yes. Over-seeding crowds the seedlings, which then compete for water, light and nutrients and grow weak and disease-prone. More seed does not make a thicker lawn — stick to the recommended rate for your species.
What's the difference between new-lawn and overseeding rates?
Overseeding uses half the new-lawn rate. New lawns cover bare soil and need full coverage; overseeding just fills in an existing lawn, where established grass limits how many new seedlings can establish.