How much Topsoil do I require?

Topsoil is commonly used for gardening projects, improving soil quality, repairing lawn and improving the drainage capabilities of lawns. It is a completely natural solution, giving lawns a fast and efficient nutrient boost, amongst many other benefits.

But, if you’re looking to add a layer of topsoil onto your lawn, you’ll need to get your measurements precise – over-ordering is an unnecessary cost, while under-ordering would be a major frustration, and could considerably delay your project’s progress.

If you’re completely new to the whole field of lawn renovation, don’t worry – our experts are on hand to help. We’ve created this quick guide to topsoiling, to help you understand what top soil is used for, and to calculate the volume you need with professional precision.

What is topsoil?

As the name suggests, top soil is used as the top layer of soil or ground. A landscaper or turf specialist will add top soil to form the final layer of the ground, in order to ensure the new ground is better able to grow grass, flowers and other plants.

Top soil is a natural material, which consists of high levels of minerals and organic nutrients. This is because it has been exposed to natural processes like decaying leaves and insects working through the soil.

In fact, some top soil has been around – forming its rich composites of nutrients and minerals – for over 100 years.

As a result of these properties, top soil is commonly used across a variety of landscaping and gardening projects, as a quick and cost-effective way to improve soil quality.

In addition to increasing the soil quality, top soil is also commonly used for lawn repair, or to improve the drainage within a property.

How much topsoil do I need?

Time to get your maths cap on – this might require a few calculations. But don’t worry! If you follow these steps, we promise it’ll be a piece of cake (or a square of soil, as the case may be).

1. Decide what area you want to lay the top soil onto. Determine the part of your lawn that you would like to add top soil to. This could be the area of the lawn that is damaged, or the full area of the lawn that you will be laying, depending on the nature of your project.
2. Split your area into simple shapes. If your chosen area is one rectangle, then this step is a doddle. But, if your area is a more complicated shape, then break it up into a series of simple shapes – a series of either rectangles, circles or triangles. For example, if the area is shaped like the letter P, then break it up into a rectangle and a circle.
3. Take your initial measurements. For any circles within the area, measure their diameter. For rectangles, measure the width and height. For triangles, measure the height and width. Then, record these measurements. We would recommend doing this in centimetres (you can convert the measurement into metres afterwards, by dividing your answer by 100). 
4. Calculate the area. Using these measurements, you can then calculate the area. We’ve explained the maths in more detail below.

For a rectangle:

Multiply the length of the turf area by width.

Length X Width = Area

For example:

1800 cm X 500 cm = 900,000 cm

For a triangle:

Multiply the triangle’s height by its base, then divide by 2.

(Height X Base) / 2 = Area

For example:

500 cm X 800 cm = 400,000.

400,000 / 2 = 200,000 cm

For a circle:

Divide the diameter of the circle by 2. This is the circle’s radius.

Then, multiply 3.14 by the radius squared (the radius squared is the radius multiplied by the radius).

3.14 X radius X radius = Area

For example:

3.14 X 500 cm X 500 cm = 785,000 cm

And finally, once you have calculated your area, you will need to decide what depth of top soil you will need.

If you are filling a raised bed, then you will need to measure the height of the planter, from the bottom to 5cm below the planter’s top (so that you have enough leftover room to grow your plants).

If you are creating a green living roof, similarly, measure the edgings’ depth, then minus 5cm from your measurement (again, to allow enough room for the sedum and drainage mats).

If you are repairing or laying a  lawn, your depth of top soil will need to be a minimum of 15cm. This can always be higher, if you need your lawn to be raised to a higher point than this.

Then, once you have calculated your depth, you just need to multiply the total area of your top soil (which, is done by adding the areas of each of the different shapes together) by the height of the top soil needed.

Finally, divide the number by 100, and you have the exact volume of top soil that you need to buy.

How do I choose the right type of top soil for my project?

At Buckley Turf, we can provide you with an extensive range of top soil types for your new Lawn projects, offering you our expert advice, to ensure you receive the best-fit top soil type for your specific Lawn preparation area.

These can be general purpose-blend top soil, or a top soil that has been custom blended for your specific project.

And, if all this maths is just leaving you with a headache, don’t worry. Buckley Turf’s experienced team of turf and lawn specialists are on hand to assist you throughout your project. Our Lawn Laying and preparation services are available across the areas of Derby, Loughborough, Leicester, Nottingham, Melton Mowbray, Burton on Trent and beyond.

If you’d like to find out more about any of our Lawn Laying services, don’t hesitate to get in touch.