Topsoil calculator for Illinois
Find yardage for finish grading, lawns, and beds, with depth guidance to set the order.
Enter your project dimensions
Choose the job and depth first, since depth changes the order more than area. A 1,000-square-foot lawn requires 12 cubic yards at 4-inch depth, while a half-inch topdressing takes just 1.5 yards. Enter the area and depth in this calculator to get cubic yards, the measure used to sell topsoil, along with tons at about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has rocks, roots, and clods removed, cutting down on raking after spreading.
Set depth before doing the math
- For lawn topdressing, use 1/4 to 1/2 inch and rake it through until the grass tips show.
- For overseeding preparation: use 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Seeded or sodded new lawn: place 4-6 inches over a loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: use 6 inches and blend it into the soil underneath.
- Raised vegetable beds: use 12 inches, though beds are better served by a garden-soil blend (see the Soil Calculator).
- In feet, measure the area, then select a depth from the options above.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, then use yards × 1.1 for tons. The calculator runs both figures and includes 5% when the allowance remains selected.
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 on the truck. Order 12.5 to 13 yards for the perimeter and low spots. Where prairie clay needs the subgrade raised, place fill dirt below and reserve the topsoil for the upper 4 inches used by roots.
Screened topsoil and ways to assess a load
Natural topsoil is the upper soil layer and contains organic matter. During screening, mesh removes stones, roots, and clods. Screened topsoil should be dark, break apart easily in your hand, and have an earthy smell instead of a swamp odor. Press a moist handful into a loose ball, then poke it to see if it crumbles. Heavy clay forms a smooth ribbon, while mostly sandy soil will not hold a ball. Gray soil or a sour odor can signal wet, airless storage; visible rhizomes can introduce weeds. Photograph questionable material before spreading it.
Spread it with care
- Because prairie clay can hold water, loosen the subgrade an inch before spreading. Four inches of topsoil on sealed clay drains like a bathtub with the plug in.
- Set the grade to fall 6-inch over the first 10 feet away from the house.
- Settle the soil without stomping it down. A footprint should leave about half an inch in settled topsoil.
- Arrange delivery during the week you plan to spread it. Once rain soaks a pile, each shovel can weigh a third more and the material smears rather than rakes cleanly.
Understanding a topsoil order
How much topsoil should I use for a new lawn?
What does one yard of topsoil weigh?
What does a yard of topsoil cost?
What area will a yard of topsoil cover?
What does topsoil mean?
Is topsoil suitable over existing grass?
For beds, topsoil or garden soil?
Should I till before applying topsoil?
Other calculators
Finished the lawn calculation? We deliver the soil.
Screened topsoil sold by the cubic yard, with free delivery across Illinois.
