Topsoil calculator for Idaho
Find topsoil yardage for lawns, beds, and finish grading by selecting the needed depth.
Enter your project dimensions
Start by choosing the job and soil depth, since depth changes the order more than square footage. A 1,000-square-foot lawn at 4-inch depth takes 12 cubic yards, while a half-inch topdressing needs only 1.5 yards. Enter the area and depth to calculate cubic yards, the volume used to sell topsoil, along with tons at about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has stones, roots, and clods removed, leaving less raking after it is spread.
Set depth before calculating
- For lawn topdressing, apply 1/4 to 1/2 inch and rake so the grass blades remain visible.
- Prepare for overseeding with 1/2 to 1 inch.
- New seeded or sodded lawn: 4 to 6 inches over a loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: work 6 inches into the soil beneath.
- For raised vegetable beds, allow 12 inches. Garden-soil blend is better for beds, and the Soil Calculator covers it.
- Get the area in feet, then select a depth from the options above.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply yards by 1.1 for tons. The calculator handles both steps and includes 5% when the allowance is turned on.
Tons = cubic yards × 1.1
Mulch coverage chart
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 5 yards cover |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 inch topdress | 648 sq ft | 3,240 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 810 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 405 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 270 sq ft |
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New lawn, seed or sod | 1,000 sq ft | 4" | 12.3 yd³ | 13.6 tons |
| Lawn topdressing | 2,000 sq ft | 0.5" | 3.1 yd³ | 3.4 tons |
| New flower bed | 15 x 4 ft | 6" | 1.1 yd³ | 1.2 tons |
| Patch repairs around the yard | ≈ 150 sq ft | 2" | 0.9 yd³ | 1 tons |
| Finish grade over fill | 600 sq ft | 4" | 7.4 yd³ | 8.1 tons |
Example calculation: 1,000 square feet of new lawn
For 4 inches, the math is 1,000 x 0.333 = 333 cubic feet = 12.3 cubic yards, or roughly 13.5 tons on the truck. Ordering 12.5 to 13 yards leaves material for edges and low corners. Where the subgrade needs raising, place fill dirt first and use topsoil only in the upper 4 inches for roots.
Screened topsoil and checking a load
Topsoil is natural surface soil with organic matter in it. During screening, it passes through mesh that separates out stones, roots, and clods. It should look dark, feel crumbly, and have an earthy smell instead of a swampy one. Press a damp handful together: it should form a loose ball, then fall apart when poked. A smooth ribbon suggests heavy clay, while soil that cannot make a ball is mostly sand. Gray soil, a sour odor, or visible rhizomes can signal problems. Take a photo before spreading material that looks unusual and call us.
Spread it the right way
- Before placing topsoil, work the layer underneath to an inch deep. Four inches atop sealed clay will drain like a tub with its plug in.
- Slope the grade away from the house: 6 inches of drop in the first 10 feet.
- Settle it firmly without stomping. Properly settled topsoil lets a footprint sink about half an inch.
- Arrange delivery for the same week as spreading. A pile that gets rained on can weigh a third more with every shovel and smear rather than rake out.
Understanding topsoil orders
What amount of topsoil is appropriate for a new lawn?
What does a yard of topsoil weigh?
What does a yard of topsoil cost?
What area will a yard of topsoil cover?
What does topsoil mean?
Can topsoil go over grass already in place?
For beds, topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before applying topsoil?
More calculators
Lawn calculations finished? Arrange soil delivery.
Screened topsoil sold by the cubic yard, with free delivery across Idaho.
