How much topsoil do I need for 1,000 square feet?
Covering 1,000 square feet with 4 inches of topsoil, the usual depth for a new lawn, takes 14.20 cubic yards including 15 percent for settling, which weighs about 15.6 tons. In bags that is 512 of the 0.75 cubic foot size or 256 of 1.5 cubic feet. A 2 inch top dressing needs 7.10 yards; a 12 inch raised bed depth needs 42.59.
Topsoil for 1,000 square feet by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards (15% settling) | Tons | 0.75 cu ft bags | 1.5 cu ft bags | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 7.10 | 7.8 | 256 | 128 | top dressing or leveling a lawn |
| 4 in | 14.20 | 15.6 | 512 | 256 | new lawn from seed or sod |
| 6 in | 21.30 | 23.4 | 767 | 384 | vegetable or flower bed |
| 12 in | 42.59 | 46.9 | 1,534 | 767 | raised beds, filling a low spot |
Screened topsoil at about 1.1 tons per cubic yard with 15 percent added for settling. Compost and garden mixes are lighter; wet or clay-heavy soil is heavier.
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Bulk or bags for 1,000 square feet?
At 512 bags you want bulk. Bagged topsoil at $2 to $3 per 0.75 cubic foot bag would cost $1,024 to $1,536, while 14.20 yards of screened topsoil costs about $355 to $639 plus a $50 to $100 delivery fee. That is more than one dump truck can carry, so expect two deliveries or a larger truck. Ask for screened topsoil, not fill dirt, and look at a sample: it should be dark, crumbly, and free of rocks and roots.
Spreading 1,000 square feet of topsoil
- Top dressing a lawn: no more than 1/2 in at a time, raked in so grass blades show through. Repeat rather than smothering the lawn.
- New lawn: 4 to 6 in over the subsoil, lightly compacted, graded to slope away from the house. Then seed or sod.
- Garden beds: 6 to 12 in, mixed with 2 to 3 in of compost. The raised bed soil calculator gives a full mix recipe.
- Soil settles 10 to 20 percent in the first season, which the order already allows for. Water it in before planting to speed that up.
- 1,000 square feet at 4 in is about 153 wheelbarrow loads from the pile.
Common questions
How many yards of topsoil for 1,000 square feet?
7.10 cubic yards at 2 inches, 14.20 at 4 inches, 21.30 at 6 inches, or 42.59 at 12 inches deep, each with 15 percent for settling.
How many bags of topsoil for 1,000 square feet?
512 bags of 0.75 cubic feet or 256 bags of 1.5 cubic feet at 4 inches deep. For a 2 inch top dressing, 256 and 128 bags.
How much does topsoil for 1,000 square feet weigh?
About 15.6 tons at 4 inches deep, or roughly 31,235 pounds. A half-ton pickup can safely carry about half a cubic yard, so plan on delivery for anything over a yard.