Topsoil calculator for West Virginia
Calculate lawn, bed, and finish-grade quantities by starting with the needed depth.
Enter your project dimensions
Start by choosing the purpose of the soil and its depth, since depth affects the order more than area. For example, a 1,000-square-foot lawn takes 12 cubic yards at 4-inch depth, but a half-inch topdressing uses only 1.5 yards. Enter the area and depth to calculate cubic yards, how topsoil is sold, and tons using about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has rock, roots, and clods removed, leaving less raking after it is spread.
Choose depth, then calculate
- For lawn topdressing, spread 1/4 to 1/2 inch and rake it in with the grass tips still showing.
- For overseeding: 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Seeded or sodded lawn: 4-6 inches on loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: 6 inches, blended into the native soil underneath.
- For raised vegetable beds, use 12 inches. A garden-soil blend is better for beds, so use the Soil Calculator.
- Find the area in feet, then select a depth from the choices above.
- To find cubic yards, divide cubic feet by 27, then multiply yards by 1.1 for tons. The calculator completes both calculations and includes 5% when the allowance remains 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 for a new lawn
A 4-inch layer uses: 1,000 x 0.333 = 333 cubic feet = 12.3 cubic yards, or about 13.5 tons on the truck. Plan on 12.5 to 13 yards for edges and low corners. If the subgrade must be raised, place fill dirt there first and reserve topsoil for the upper 4 inches where roots grow.
Screened topsoil: what it is and what to check in a load
Natural topsoil is the surface soil layer that contains organic matter. During screening, mesh separates out stones, roots, and clods. Look for dark material that breaks apart easily and has an earthy, forest-floor smell instead of a swamp odor. Press a moist handful together: it should make a loose ball and fall apart when poked. A smooth ribbon indicates heavy clay, while soil that cannot form a ball is mostly sand. Gray material or a sour odor suggests wet, airless storage. Rhizomes visible in the soil can introduce weeds. Photograph questionable material before it is spread.
Spread it carefully
- Break up the subgrade by an inch before applying topsoil. Water can sit above sealed clay beneath four inches of topsoil, much like a tub with its drain closed.
- Create a 6-inch drop away from the house over the first 10 feet.
- Firm the soil without stomping it. In settled topsoil, a footprint should press in about half an inch.
- Arrange delivery for the week the material will be spread. After rain, a pile can weigh a third more with each shovel and smear rather than rake smoothly.
Understanding topsoil quantities
How much topsoil is needed for a new lawn?
What does a yard of topsoil weigh?
What does a yard of topsoil cost?
How much area will a yard of topsoil cover?
What does topsoil mean?
Can topsoil go over existing grass?
For beds, topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before applying topsoil?
Other calculators
Finished with the lawn calculation? Arrange soil delivery.
Screened topsoil sold by the cubic yard, with free delivery throughout West Virginia.
