Topsoil calculator for Mississippi
Calculate lawn, bed, and finish-grade quantities from the depth you need.
Enter your project dimensions
Start with the job, then choose the depth, because depth changes the load more than area. A 1,000-square-foot lawn uses 12 cubic yards at 4-inch depth, while a half-inch topdressing takes just 1.5 yards. Enter your area and depth here to get cubic yards, the usual sales measure for topsoil, plus tons based on about 2,200 lb per dry yard. Screened topsoil has stones, roots, and clods removed, leaving less cleanup after spreading.
Pick depth before calculating
- Use 1/4 to 1/2 inch for lawn topdressing, then rake it in lightly while leaving the grass tips exposed.
- Prepare for overseeding with 1/2 to 1 inch.
- New seeded or sodded lawn: spread 4 to 6 inches over loosened subgrade.
- Flower beds: use 6 inches and blend it into the soil underneath.
- For raised vegetable beds, figure 12 inches. A garden-soil blend is better suited to beds, so use the Soil Calculator.
- Find the area in feet, then choose a depth from the options above.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, then multiply yards by 1.1 for tons. The calculator handles both steps and adds 5% when the allowance is left on.
Tons = cubic yards × 1.1
Coverage guide
| 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 of 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. Plan on 12.5 to 13 yards to handle edges and low spots. Where the subgrade must be raised, place fill dirt first, then save topsoil for the top 4 inches used by roots.
Screened topsoil and what to look for in a load
Natural topsoil is the surface layer, with organic material throughout it. Screening runs the soil through mesh to remove clods, roots, and stones. Screened topsoil should look dark, feel crumbly, and smell earthy instead of swampy. Press a moist handful together. It should form a loose ball, then crumble when poked. If it makes a smooth ribbon, it has heavy clay. If it will not hold a ball, it is mostly sand. A gray color or sour odor points to wet, airless storage, while rhizomes can bring in weeds. Before spreading material that seems wrong, photograph it and call us so the issue can be addressed.
Spread it the right way
- Before placing topsoil, break up the subgrade by an inch. Four inches over sealed clay, including Yazoo clay, will hold water like a plugged bathtub.
- Slope the ground away from the house with a 6-inch drop in the first 10 feet.
- Settle it lightly, not by stomping. A footprint in properly settled topsoil should sink about half an inch.
- Set delivery for the same week you plan to spread the material. Rain can make a pile weigh a third more per shovel, and it will smear instead of rake cleanly.
Understanding a topsoil order
How much topsoil is required for a new lawn?
What does one yard of topsoil weigh?
What is the price of a yard of topsoil?
What 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 putting down topsoil?
Other calculators
Finished the lawn calculation? We can deliver the soil.
Screened topsoil sold by the cubic yard, with free delivery across Mississippi.
