It’s important to know the square footage of your lawn so that you know how much water, fertilizer, weed, and pest control products to apply. Using too much fertilizer and other lawn care products can damage it. Not to mention, you’ll be wasting valuable money applying too much product. Buying the right amount also keeps you from having to make multiple trips to the hardware store because you’ve run out.
So, how can you calculate the square footage of your lawn? There are a variety of online apps that you can use, such as Planimeter. But, many of these apps have a fee you must pay. One of the easiest ways to measure the square footage of your lawn for free is to use Google Earth. It’s accurate, simple to use, and doesn’t take more than a few minutes. Also, unlike Planimeter and some of the other apps, the best part is, of course, Google Earth won’t cost you a thing.
How to calculate your lawn’s square footage using Google Earth
First, go to Google Earth on your computer. In the top left, where it says search Google Earth, enter your home address, and then zoom on your property. You’ll probably have to do your lawn in sections. Start with the back, and then do the sides and front. Click the measure distance and area icon in the top left. This icon is shaped like a measuring stick. Set your measuring points by clicking on the map. According to Google Earth, you should make clicks along the perimeter of your lawn. If you want to remove a point, just click undo. Then, double-click on your last point, and this will complete the measurement.
Google Earth will give you both the area and perimeter measurements. You’ll want to look at the area measurement to find the square feet. It might be listed in square meters initially. To change the units to square feet, just click on the down arrow to the right. You will then want to clear the measurement and do this for all areas of your lawn. When you are finished, add up all the measurements for your entire lawn.
Other ways to measure your lawn
If Google Earth doesn’t work for you or you’d rather measure your lawn another way, you can use an old-school method to do so — a tape measure. This can also be a good way to confirm your Google Earth measurements to make sure they are accurate. First, break your lawn into rectangle or square-shaped sections. Measure the length and width of each section. Multiply the two numbers together to get the square feet for that section. Once you have the square feet of each section, add the numbers together to get the total square feet.
If you have uneven terrain or your yard is hilly, then a tape measure might not be best. Google Earth can give you inaccurate measurements in these cases, as well. The best option is to use a measuring wheel. To use this device, you would first break your lawn into sections as well, in either square or rectangular shapes. Then, roll the wheel along your lawn in both directions to measure the length and width. A counter will record how many feet have passed. To get the square footage, simply multiply the length by the width.
