Calculating how much topsoil you need for a project is one of the most common problems facing gardeners and landscapers looking to buy topsoil. If you make a mistake when measuring the area you need the topsoil for, it can lead to a great amount of waste of both topsoil and money!
A tonne of topsoil can cover a large area, but how much exactly? In this guide, we’ll tell you how much one tonne of topsoil will cover, along with a free topsoil volume calculator.
At Alsoils+, we supply a range of nutrient-rich topsoils to both domestic and trade customers, and can also deliver to those on the South Coast of the UK.
Growing vegetables
If you’re looking to grow healthy, nutrient-rich vegetables, then adding vegetable and fruit topsoil is a must. A tonne of topsoil will easily cover a medium-large sized allotment.
Levelling lawns
If you want to level a bumpy lawn, topsoil can go to large lengths in rectifying this issue. The general rule of thumb is to use between 2-3cm of topsoil – we’ve created the ultimate guide to levelling a lawn which will go into more detail.
Laying new turf pitches
Topsoil is used across many sports to ensure their pitches and area of turf are in top condition. Using topsoil in golf courses, football and rugby pitches means the grass on top gets the most nutrients possible so that the turf is hardwearing.
Topsoils can vary in screening sizes, therefore some topsoils may be denser than others. Generally speaking, 1 tonne of topsoil will cover 0.63 cubic metres or 22 cubic feet or 0.81 cubic yards.
Our bags of topsoil come in sizes of 0.75m³, meaning you’ll get just over a tonne of soil per bag! If you take our Premium Topsoil for example, this equates to less than £50 per tonne of topsoil.
To see how much topsoil you need for your project, we’ve created a free topsoil calculator for you to use below. If you want to know how topsoil is delivered, see our in-depth guide.
About the Author
Alsoils
The Alsoils Team
For more than three decades, Alsoils has been a trusted name in delivering superior soil, compost products and offering landscaping services. Based in Hampshire, Alsoils caters to a diverse clientele, including both homeowners and businesses. Our team are experts in all things gardening, so you can be sure you get the very best advice for topsoil, compost, manure and so much more!
Topsoils can vary in screening sizes, therefore some topsoils may be denser than others. Generally speaking, 1 tonne of topsoil will cover 0.63 cubic metres or 22 cubic feet or 0.81 cubic yards.
As a general rule a tonne of screened topsoil equals around 750 litres (0.75 cubic metres) or 1.3 tonnes to the cubic metre. It should be noted that blended topsoil may be less dense and therefore closer to 900 litres or even 1 cubic metre to the tonne.
Length in feet x Width in feet x Depth in feet (inches divided by 12).Take the total and divide by 27 (the amount of cubic feet in a yard). The final figure will be the estimated amount of cubic yards required.
Lawns: The recommended depth of topsoil for creating lawns from turf or seed is 4 to 6 inches. General: 6 to 9 inches of soil is usually sufficient for most planting. Vegetables: The depth of topsoil for growing vegetables will vary depending on what you plan to grow.
Topsoil sold by the scoop (frontloader bucket) or truckload is measured by the cubic yard and available from companies that sell landscaping materials. Expect to pay between $12 and $55 per cubic yard. Delivery can increase this amount up to around $100 or more depending on soil quality and distance.
Topsoil can be more in demand and expensive than other soil types because it contains more organic matter and can better hold water. But if your project doesn't call for nutrient-rich soil, you may choose sand, fill dirt, or mulch instead.
1 cubic yard of dirt is equal to about 2,000 lbs or 1 ton, which is a lot of dirt. You want to make sure when your fill dirt is getting delivered that you get it dumped as close as possible to the final destination, as moving it once it has been deposited can be extremely frustrating.
So, for a standard-size lawn of 1,000 square feet, you would need approximately 13 cubic yards (18 tons) of topsoil to cover the entire lawn at 4 inches deep. You can expect to spend around $130 to $650 for the topsoil, depending on the quality.
Dump trucks can usually carry about 10 to 14 cubic yards of dirt. To understand what a cubic yard looks like, it's easiest to think of one as a block of material around 3 feet in length, height, and width.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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