How much coverage is a yard of topsoil?

The average coverage of topsoil per square yard varies depending on where you live. If you live in an area where it snows a lot, you’ll want more coverage as snow absorbs water and allows for more even planting. In an area where rain is more common, you might want to go with a thinner layer.

A 4-foot by 8-foot area of yard will receive an average of one to two inches of topsoil. This may sound like a lot, but this quantity of earth will still leave plenty of room for plants to grow. You can expect to get between one to two inches of topsoil per square yard of your yard.

This coverage of topsoil will vary depending on your location. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, you may want to add more for better water absorption. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, you may want to go with a thinner layer to prevent the soil from becoming soggy.

How to cover a yard of top soil?

If you’ve never had a yard before, you’ll want to consider how much yard space you have and how much area you want to cover. If you have a small yard, you’re more likely to want to get enough topsoil to cover the entire area.

If you have a larger yard, you may want to consider getting a larger quantity of compost for covering the larger portion of the yard, while still adding enough topsoil to cover the entire area. It’s not hard to figure out how much topsoil you need to cover your yard. Just multiply the area of your yard by the depth of the topsoil.

For example, if you have a 100-square-foot deck, you’ll need about 300 square feet of topsoil. An additional consideration is how much material you need to fill in low spots. You’ll want to add about a half-yard of extra topsoil to fill any Depending on the size of your yard, you may want to consider renting a trencher to do the job.

A trencher is like a large auger that looks like a large snow blower. It can easily break up the top layer of earth and add more topsoil to your yard. If you have lots of landscaping materials, a trencher might be an easier option than digging up existing plants and adding the new topsoil.

How to cover a yard of topsoil?

A yard of topsoil is about 20 feet by 30 feet (or 600 square feet), and you’ll want to lay down a minimum of four inches of topsoil if you’re planting grass. (The more coverage you give your plants, the better they’ll grow.) Add one-half to two inches for planting shrubs and trees, and add another two to three inches for perennials.

For a yard of topsoil, you need approximately 4-6 cubic yards. That’s a significant amount of earth, so you don’t want to underestimate how much coverage you need. You’ll need to choose the right type of material for your yard based on how much sun it gets and what type of soil it has.

If it’s a lighter shade or has a clay or loam texture, you can use sand. If your yard is darker, you’ll want to go with silica sand or perlite. Use sand for a darker color, or perlite for a lighter color. Choose a material that’s fine enough to be compacted into the top layer of your yard’s soil.

How to cover a yard of topsoil with sod?

You will need a total of 12 yards of sod for a 4×6 yard lot, or 16 yards of sod for an 8×8 lot. If you have a larger yard, you may need to order extra sod or sod in sections to get the area covered. For a yard of sod, you'll need at least 3/4 of a cubic yard of topsoil, and to do a complete layer, you'll need at least six inches of soil.

You'll also need to decide how thick you'd like to have the grass, and your yard may need more or less than the recommended coverage. In general, you'll want to have a mound of earth about two to three inches above the grass level.

Soil is best laid on the ground in a smooth, level layer, and then placed onto the grass area with a sod cutter. You can also use a trowel or shovel to spread the topsoil out. Be sure to remove any large clumps or roots to make the grass roots easier to develop.

How to cover a yard of top soil with landscape fabric?

To cover a yard of topsoil, you will need a roll of landscape fabric that is the width of the bed multiplied by the length of the bed. For example, if you want to cover a 4×8-ft. bed, you will need a roll that is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, or 32 feet. If you do not have a large roll of landscape fabric, you can also use several smaller rolls.

To determine how much coverage you need, figure out the area of your yard in square feet and multiply it by the recommended depth of topsoil. For example, if you have a 100-square-foot yard of grass and your yard is 6 inches deep, you’ll need about 6 square feet of topsoil.

Set up the two pieces of landscape fabric next to each other so they are aligned. Leaving a 1-inch gap between them, mark the top corners of the fabric with your chalk. This will help you make sure the two pieces are lined up correctly.

Set the roll of landscape fabric on top of the strips and pull them together to create a flat surface. Re-align the chalk marks before securing the fabric in place with landscape staples.