Topsoil calculator for Minnesota
Set quantities for lawn areas, planting beds, and final grading by choosing the needed depth.
Enter your project dimensions
Start with the job, then set the depth. Depth has more effect on a topsoil order than square footage. At 4 inches, a 1,000-square-foot lawn calls for 12 cubic yards, while a half-inch topdressing takes just 1.5 yards. Enter the area and depth here to calculate cubic yards, the sales unit for topsoil, plus tons at about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screening separates out rocks, roots, and clods, leaving less cleanup after spreading.
Choose depth before calculating
- For a lawn topdress, apply 1/4 to 1/2 inch and rake lightly, leaving the grass blades exposed.
- Before overseeding: 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Seeded or sodded lawns: 4-6 inches on loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: 6 inches, blended into the native soil underneath.
- Vegetable beds need 12 inches. For bed planting, choose a garden-soil blend and 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
Coverage by depth
| 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 for a new lawn
For 4 inches, calculate 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 for edges and low spots. Build up the subgrade with fill dirt first if needed, then reserve topsoil for the upper 4 inches where roots grow.
Screened topsoil and load checks
Natural topsoil forms the upper soil layer and contains organic matter. Screening uses mesh to separate stones, roots, and clods. Screened soil should be dark, loose in your hand, and smell earthy rather than swampy. Press a moist handful together. It should form a loose ball, then break apart when poked. A smooth ribbon points to heavy clay, while soil that will not form a ball is mostly sand. Gray color or a sour odor can indicate wet, airless storage, and visible rhizomes can bring in weeds. Photograph questionable material before spreading it.
Spread it the right way
- Break up the subgrade by an inch before you spread soil. On sealed clay, four inches of topsoil can hold water like a bathtub with its drain closed.
- Set the grade to drain away from the house, with a 6-inch fall over the first 10 feet.
- Settle the soil without stomping it. A footprint in settled topsoil should press in about half an inch.
- Book delivery for the week of spreading. A pile soaked by rain can weigh a third more per shovel and will smear instead of rake.
Understanding topsoil quantities
What depth of topsoil should a new lawn receive?
What does a yard of topsoil weigh?
What does a yard of topsoil cost?
How much area does a yard of topsoil cover?
What is topsoil?
Can topsoil go over existing grass?
Should beds use topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before adding topsoil?
Other calculators
Finished the lawn math? Arrange soil delivery.
Order screened topsoil by the cubic yard with free delivery across Minnesota.
