Topsoil calculator for Alaska
Estimate yards for lawns, planting beds, and finish grades, with depth guidance to size the order.
Enter your project dimensions
Start by choosing the job, because depth changes the amount more than the site area. For example, a 1,000-square-foot lawn requires 12 cubic yards at 4 inches, while a half-inch topdressing takes barely 1.5 yards. This calculator turns the area and depth you enter into cubic yards, the selling unit for topsoil, plus tons based on about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screening removes rocks, roots, and clods from topsoil, saving time during final raking.
Choose depth before calculating
- Lawn topdressing: 1/4 to 1/2 inch, raked so the grass blades remain exposed.
- For overseeding: use 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Seeded or sodded lawn: 4-6 inches across loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: apply 6 inches and mix it into the soil beneath.
- For raised vegetable beds, allow 12 inches; a garden-soil blend is a better fit for beds (use the Soil Calculator).
- Take area measurements in feet, then choose a depth from the options above.
- To find cubic yards, divide cubic feet by 27, then multiply yards by 1.1 for tons. The calculator handles both calculations 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: new lawn, 1,000 square feet
At 4 inches, the calculation is 1,000 x 0.333 = 333 cubic feet = 12.3 cubic yards, or approximately 13.5 tons on the truck. Order 12.5 to 13 yards to allow for edges and low corners. Where the subgrade must be raised, place fill dirt first, reserving topsoil for the upper 4 inches used by roots.
Understanding screened topsoil and checking a load
Natural topsoil forms the surface layer and contains organic matter. During screening, soil passes across mesh that removes stones, roots, and clods. Screened material should look dark, feel crumbly, and have an earthy forest-floor smell instead of a swamp odor. Compress a damp handful: it should hold a loose ball and fall apart when pressed with a finger. If it forms a smooth ribbon, it is likely clay-heavy; if it cannot form a ball, it is largely sand. A gray cast or sour odor can show that it was kept wet without air, while visible rhizomes can introduce weeds. Take photographs before spreading anything that seems unusual, then call us.
Spread it with a plan
- Before placing topsoil, loosen the subgrade by an inch. Four inches of topsoil placed over sealed clay will drain like a bathtub with its plug in.
- Set the finish grade to drain from the house, with a 6-inch drop in the first 10 feet.
- Settle the soil with a light touch, not by stomping it down. A footprint in properly settled topsoil should press in about half an inch.
- Arrange delivery for the same week as spreading. A pile exposed to rain can weigh a third more per shovel and will smear rather than rake cleanly.
Understanding topsoil quantities
How much topsoil is needed for a new lawn?
What does one yard of topsoil weigh?
What is the cost of a yard of topsoil?
What area does a yard of topsoil cover?
Definition of topsoil
Can topsoil go over an existing lawn?
For beds, topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before applying topsoil?
More calculators
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Order screened topsoil by the cubic yard with free delivery across Alaska.
