How Much Topsoil to Level a Lawn? Yards for 500 to 5,000 sq ft

Every time you mow, the mower dips into the same low spot in the back lawn. A half-inch layer of topsoil over 1,000 square feet takes 41.7 cubic feet: 1.54 cubic yards, or about 2 tons at Penn State's 1.30 tons per cubic yard, and a quarter inch takes half that. Most lawns don't need a full layer, though: a 4 × 6 ft dip that sits 2 inches low holds just 4 cubic feet of soil.

The catch is depth per pass. An Ask Extension expert, Alison O'Connor, PhD, says no more than a half inch of material should go down at a time, so that 2-inch dip takes four thin passes, with the grass growing up through each one. Below: yards for 500 to 5,000 sq ft, the low-spot math, how to match your soil so water still drains, and the rake that pulls a thin layer into the dips.

Free calculator: our free mulch calculator also handles topsoil and compost. Enter the area and depth and it gives cubic yards and bag counts. No sign-up.

How much topsoil per square foot of lawn

Each figure is one even layer spread across the whole area. Tons use 1.30 tons (2,600 lb) per cubic yard.

500 sq ft, 1/4 in — 10.4 cu ft; 0.39 cu yd; 0.50 tons

500 sq ft, 1/2 in — 20.8 cu ft; 0.77 cu yd; 1.00 tons

1,000 sq ft, 1/4 in — 20.8 cu ft; 0.77 cu yd; 1.00 tons

1,000 sq ft, 1/2 in — 41.7 cu ft; 1.54 cu yd; 2.01 tons

2,000 sq ft, 1/4 in — 41.7 cu ft; 1.54 cu yd; 2.01 tons

2,000 sq ft, 1/2 in — 83.3 cu ft; 3.09 cu yd; 4.01 tons

5,000 sq ft, 1/4 in — 104.2 cu ft; 3.86 cu yd; 5.02 tons

5,000 sq ft, 1/2 in — 208.3 cu ft; 7.72 cu yd; 10.03 tons

The rule of thumb: one cubic yard spreads over 1,296 sq ft at a quarter inch, or 648 sq ft at a half inch.

Bulk is cheaper past a cubic yard or so. Two yards of topsoil is 54 one-cubic-foot bags.

How much to fill one low spot

Most lawns don't need a full layer. They need a few dips filled. Measure the dip's length, width and depth.

Example: a 4 × 6 ft dip that sits 2 in low holds 4 cubic feet of soil (24 sq ft × 2 ÷ 12).

At a half inch per pass, a 2-inch dip takes four passes. Let the grass grow up through each layer before you add the next one.

A small 3 × 3 ft dip 1 in deep takes 0.75 cubic feet: less than one bag.

How to level a lawn with topsoil

Match your soil. O'Connor warns that putting a different soil texture on top of your lawn can stop water from moving down. Pick a topdressing close to what you already have.

Mix it. A separate Ask Extension answer suggests equal parts sand and dry topsoil. O'Connor is more cautious: the answer says the experts generally don't recommend topdressing because an even layer is hard to spread, so keep the layers thin and close to your own soil.

Spread thin. Dump small piles, then pull the mix into the low spots with the back of a rake or a leveling rake. Keep the grass blades showing.

Repeat, don't pile. No more than a half inch at a time. Fill again once the grass has grown through.

Seeding too? If you do topdress, O'Connor says to do it first, then aerate and seed. If you are seeding late this year, see how to dormant seed a lawn.

A rake and a barrow for topdressing (#ad)

As an Amazon Associate, Curb Calc earns from qualifying purchases.

Rocklin 30 in Lawn Leveling Rake — a stainless steel leveling rake with a 30-inch head and a 78-inch handle, per the maker, sold for spreading topsoil, sand and compost into low spots. See it on Amazon

Best Choice Products Dual-Wheel Wheelbarrow — a 5 cu ft tub on two 14-inch inflatable wheels, rated for 330 lb, per the maker. At 96 lb per cubic foot, 330 lb of topsoil is about 3.4 cu ft, so fill it about two-thirds. See it on Amazon

Topsoil for leveling FAQ

How much topsoil do I need for 1,000 square feet? 0.77 cubic yards for a quarter inch, 1.54 for a half inch, and 3.09 for a full inch.

How much topsoil do I need for 5,000 square feet? 3.86 cubic yards at a quarter inch, or 7.72 at a half inch. At 1.30 tons per cubic yard, a half inch is about 10 tons.

How thick can I put topsoil on grass? An Ask Extension expert says no more than a half inch at a time. Deeper dips take several passes.

Should I use sand to level my lawn? Match your existing soil. An Ask Extension expert warns that a different texture on top can stop water from moving down. A separate Ask Extension answer suggests a half-sand, half-topsoil mix.

How many bags of topsoil are in a yard? A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 27 one-cubic-foot bags, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.

Free calculator: enter your lawn area and a depth of 0.25 or 0.5 inches in the free mulch calculator for yards and bags.

Watch Curb Calc on YouTube: youtube.com/@curbcalc

Sources: Ask Extension, Top Dressing a lawn (answer by Alison O'Connor, PhD); Ask Extension, Grass over grass; Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, DGLVR Materials Calculator.