Topsoil calculator for Iowa
Figure yardage for lawns, beds, and final grading with order depth guidance.
Enter your project dimensions
Start with the intended use, since depth affects your topsoil quantity more than square footage. At 4 inches, a 1,000-square-foot lawn takes 12 cubic yards, while a half-inch topdressing uses just 1.5 yards. Enter your area and planned depth into this calculator to get cubic yards, which is how topsoil is sold, plus tons based on about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has stones, roots, and clumps removed, leaving less material to rake out after spreading.
Choose depth before calculating
- For a lawn topdress, apply 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Rake it so the grass blades still show.
- Prepare for overseeding with 1/2 to 1 inch.
- For a seeded or sodded lawn, apply 4 to 6 inches over a loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: Work 6 inches into the native soil beneath.
- Set raised vegetable beds at 12 inches. For bed filling, a garden-soil blend is a better fit, so use the Soil Calculator.
- Enter the area in feet, then choose 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 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: a 1,000 square foot new lawn
For a 4-inch layer, 1,000 x 0.333 = 333 cubic feet = 12.3 cubic yards, or roughly 13.5 tons loaded on the truck. For this amount, plan on 12.5 to 13 yards and use any extra along edges or in low spots. Build up the subgrade with fill dirt before adding topsoil. Reserve the top 4 inches for the root zone.
Understanding screened topsoil and checking a load
Natural topsoil is the soil at the ground's surface, where organic matter is active. Screening runs it through mesh to separate out clods, roots, and stones. Screened topsoil should be dark, break apart easily in your hand, and smell earthy instead of swampy. Press a damp handful together. It should form a loose ball that falls apart with a poke. A smooth, slick ribbon points to heavy clay, while soil that will not make a ball is mostly sand. Gray soil or a sour odor can indicate wet, airless storage. Rhizomes you can see may bring in weeds. Take photos before spreading material that seems unusual.
Spread it with care
- Before placing topsoil, roughen the subgrade to an inch deep. Four inches sitting on sealed clay will hold water like a plugged bathtub.
- Slope the ground away from the house. Allow a 6-inch drop across the first 10 feet.
- Pack it lightly instead of stomping it down. In settled topsoil, your footprint should go in about half an inch.
- Set delivery for the same week you plan to spread the material. A pile that gets rained on can weigh a third more per shovel and will smear rather than rake.
Topsoil ordering basics
How much topsoil is needed for a new lawn?
What does one yard of topsoil weigh?
What is the price of a yard of topsoil?
What area can one yard of topsoil cover?
What does topsoil mean?
Is topsoil okay to spread over grass?
Should beds use topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before I add topsoil?
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Finished the lawn calculation? We'll deliver the soil.
Order screened topsoil by the cubic yard with free delivery across Iowa.
