Filling beds, leveling low spots, or topping the whole lawn — get the order in yards, tons, or bags.
Fill area
sq ft
Topsoil to order
—
Approximate weight—
0.75 cu ft bags—
1.5 cu ft bags—
Screened topsoil runs roughly 1.0–1.3 tons per yard depending on moisture — this uses 1.1. For topdressing a living lawn, keep it to 1/2 in per pass so grass grows through.
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Same volume math, different material
Topsoil follows the mulch formula — area × depth — but it's heavier and it settles. Freshly placed soil compacts 10–20% after watering, so beds you're filling to a finished height deserve a little extra rather than an exact fill.
Refreshing 600 sq ft of beds with 2 inches: 100 cu ft = 3.7 yards, about 4 tons. As bags that's 134 of the 0.75 cu ft size — a stack that makes the bulk delivery decision for you. Bags make sense under about a yard; above that, bulk wins on price every time.
Topdressing a lawn is its own rule
Spreading soil over living grass is done thin — a half inch per pass, raked in so blades poke through — usually paired with overseeding. Burying grass under 2 inches kills it. For a brand-new lawn, 4–6 inches of quality topsoil over the grade is what separates lawns that thrive from lawns that struggle every August.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 2,000–2,600 lbs depending on moisture and composition — call it a ton-plus. That’s why a single yard visibly squats a half-ton pickup and two yards shouldn’t ride in one.
How thick should I spread topsoil over an existing lawn?
A half inch per application, raked so grass tips show through, ideally with overseeding. Anything much deeper smothers the existing grass instead of improving it.
Topsoil vs. garden soil vs. compost — which do I need?
Topsoil is general fill and leveling material; garden soil is topsoil blended with organic matter for planting beds; compost is an amendment you mix in rather than fill with. For raised beds, a topsoil-compost mix around 70/30 is a common recipe.
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