Topsoil calculator for Maine
Figure yards for lawns, beds, and final grading by setting the required depth first.
Enter your project dimensions
Pick the intended use before sizing the order, since depth has more effect than area. At 4-inch depth, a 1,000-square-foot lawn calls for 12 cubic yards, but a half-inch topdressing takes only 1.5 yards. Enter the area and selected depth here to calculate cubic yards, the selling unit for topsoil, and tons using about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has rocks, roots, and clods removed through sifting, reducing the raking afterward.
Pick depth before calculating
- For lawn topdressing, apply 1/4 to 1/2 inch and rake lightly until the grass tips remain showing.
- For overseeding: use 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Seeded or sodded new lawn: place 4 to 6 inches over a loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: use 6 inches and blend it into the soil underneath.
- For raised vegetable beds, allow 12 inches. A garden-soil blend is more suitable for beds, so use the Soil Calculator.
- Find 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 and includes 5% when the allowance is left 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: a 1,000 square foot new lawn
For 4 inches, the math is 1,000 x 0.333 = 333 cubic feet = 12.3 cubic yards, or about 13.5 tons on the truck. Order 12.5 to 13 yards and use the extra along edges or in low corners. If the subgrade must come up, place fill dirt first, then save topsoil for the upper 4 inches where roots grow.
Screened topsoil and what to check in a load
Topsoil is the natural surface layer, containing organic matter. During screening, material passes across mesh that separates stones, roots and clods. It should be dark, loose in the hand and smell earthy rather than swampy. Press a damp handful together: it should form a loose ball, then fall apart when poked. If it makes a smooth ribbon, it is clay-heavy; if it will not form a ball, it is mostly sand. Gray material or a sour odor can indicate wet, airless storage, while visible rhizomes can bring in weeds. Take photos of anything that appears unusual before spreading.
Spread it the right way
- Before applying soil, loosen the subgrade by an inch. Four inches of topsoil on sealed clay holds water like a bathtub with the plug in.
- Set the ground to fall away from the house by 6 inches in the first 10 feet.
- Settle it firmly without stomping. Properly settled topsoil should let a footprint press about half an inch.
- Arrange delivery during the week the material will be spread. After rain, a pile can weigh a third more with each shovel and will smear rather than rake.
Understanding topsoil orders
What quantity of topsoil is needed for a new lawn?
What does one yard of topsoil weigh?
What does a yard of topsoil cost?
How much area will a yard of topsoil cover?
What does topsoil mean?
Is it okay to add topsoil over grass?
For beds, topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before spreading topsoil?
More calculators
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