Topsoil Calculator for Sod and Lawns
Find the topsoil to spread under new sod, or to grow grass from seed. Uses Canadian depth rules, in feet or metres.
Measure your project
Your answer
That is 18.69 m³ and weighs about 22.24 tonnes. We added 10% extra.
If you buy bags
Which costs less?
This price is for picking it up yourself. Add a delivery fee in "Change prices" if they bring it.
Screened topsoil: $39 a cubic yard, the middle of 23 Canadian yards (Oct 2026). Pickup price, before delivery and tax. 25 L bag: $3.50, from only 3 Ontario stores.
Quick answers
- How deep under sod
- 150 mm (6 in) is Kitchener's rule. Toronto uses 100 mm. Ontario sod growers say 3–4 in.
- 30 × 40 ft lawn
- About 22.2 cubic yards at 6 in deep (17.0 m³). With 10% extra, order 24.4.
- Topsoil in a truck
- About 16 tonnes in a tandem and 22 in a tri-axle, says one Ontario yard's 2022 list. That list puts 18 and 25 cubic yards of topsoil in them.
- Price
- About $39 a cubic yard at the yard, the middle of 23 sellers, before tax.
- Settling
- No Canadian figure found. One US supplier adds 10% for it.
How to work it out
- Measure the lawn area in feet and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth from the Canadian rules below. 6 in (150 mm) is Kitchener's rule.
- Multiply the square feet by the inches, then divide by 324. That is cubic yards of topsoil.
- Add up to 10% for settling, then round up to what your yard sells.
30 × 40 = 1,200 sq ft
1,200 × 6 ÷ 324 = 22.22 cubic yards
22.22 + 10% = 24.44 cubic yards
How deep: Canadian rules for topsoil under sod
Sod growers and cities across Canada print their own depth. Here is what each one asks for.
| Who | Depth | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario sod growers (NSGAO) | 3–4 in (76–102 mm) | Growers’ guide |
| Western Turf Farms, BC | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Sod farm |
| City of Toronto | 100 mm (3.9 in) | City sod spec |
| City of Lethbridge, AB | 135 mm or more (5.3 in) | Keep it 25 mm below finished grade |
| City of Kitchener, ON | 150 mm or more (5.9 in) | Sod or seed |
| City of Winnipeg, MB | 75 mm packed (3.0 in) | 100 mm for seed |
| Town of Caledon, ON | 300 mm or more (11.8 in) | Parks and open space |
City rules are for city and new-build work. We show them as a guide.
Only Caledon's park rule goes past 150 mm. The others sit between 3 and 6 inches.
This calculator starts at 150 mm (6 in), Kitchener's rule. Pick 100 mm (4 in) to match Toronto.
Topsoil for common lawn sizes
Find your lawn size, then read across to your depth.
| Lawn | 4 in (100 mm) | 6 in (150 mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 6.2 | 9.3 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 12.3 | 18.5 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 18.5 | 27.8 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 24.7 | 37.0 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 37.0 | 55.6 |
No extra added. For m³, multiply by 0.765.
Western Turf Farms gives 12–18 cubic yards for 1,000 sq ft at 4–6 in. Our table agrees.
Bags or a truck?
A lawn takes a lot of soil. The 30 × 40 ft example needs 680 bags of 25 L.
For a lawn, loose topsoil from a yard makes more sense. With 10% extra, the example lawn needs 24.4 cubic yards. One Ontario yard's 2022 list puts about 25 yards of topsoil in a tri-axle and 18 in a tandem. So this lawn fits in one tri-axle, but not a tandem.
Small delivery trucks carry only 3–6 yards. Their fee is about $75 a trip, the middle of 7 yards.
Getting the soil ready for sod
The Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario gives these steps. Lethbridge adds one more.
- Till the ground 3 to 4 inches deep.
- Put down topsoil over the tilled ground, 3 to 4 inches deep, or to your city's rule.
- Keep the soil 25 mm below the final ground level. That is Lethbridge's rule.
- Spread fertilizer: the growers use 10 kg of 5-20-20 for each 100 m² (1,076 sq ft).
- Lay the sod, then water it fast: about ¾ in of water in the first hour.
Settling and seed
We found no Canadian figure for how much topsoil settles. The calculator starts at 10% extra, from one US supplier.
For seed, Winnipeg asks for 100 mm of packed topsoil, more than its 75 mm under sod. Kitchener uses 150 mm for both.
Top dressing an old lawn
Top dressing fills small dips in a lawn that is already growing. Clemson and UW–Madison extension services say to spread ¼–½ in at a time. Keep at least half of each grass blade showing.
The University of Maryland says shallow ruts can take up to ¾ in. Fill deeper dips with several thin layers, or lift the sod and regrade.
Questions people ask
How thick should topsoil be for sod or grass?
Ontario sod growers say 3–4 in, and Western Turf Farms 4–6 in. City rules ask for 100 mm (Toronto), 135 mm (Lethbridge) or 150 mm (Kitchener).
How much topsoil do I need for sod?
Type your lawn's length and width in the calculator, or find its size in the table on this page. Western Turf Farms gives 12–18 cubic yards for each 1,000 sq ft.
Do you need topsoil to grow grass from seed?
Yes. Winnipeg asks for at least 100 mm of packed topsoil for seed, a bit more than for sod. Kitchener asks for 150 mm (6 in) under sod or seed.
How much topsoil to top dress a lawn?
Only ¼ to ½ in at a time, say Clemson and UW–Madison extension services. On 1,000 sq ft, that is about 0.77 to 1.54 cubic yards.
How do I prepare topsoil for sod?
Ontario sod growers say to till 3 to 4 in deep first. Lethbridge keeps the topsoil 25 mm below the finished grade.
Can I use bags of topsoil for a new lawn?
You can, but it takes a lot of them. The 30 × 40 ft lawn needs 680 bags of 25 L, or 748 with 10% extra. Loose topsoil from a yard is easier.
How much does topsoil for a lawn cost?
The 30 × 40 ft lawn needs 24.4 cubic yards with 10% extra. At $39 a yard, that costs about $953, before delivery and tax.
Where our numbers come from
- Sod prep: Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario
- Topsoil under sod: Western Turf Farms (BC)
- Topsoil depth: City of Toronto TS 5.00 Sodding (100 mm)
- Sodding spec: City of Lethbridge Section 07060 (topsoil depth, sod soil)
- Topsoil depth: City of Kitchener landscape design (150 mm)
- Topsoil depth: Town of Caledon Standard 709, Sod Installation Detail (300 mm)
- Topsoil for sod and seed: City of Winnipeg spec CW 3540
- Topdressing depth: Clemson Extension (HGIC)
- Top dressing a bumpy lawn: UW–Madison Extension
- Filling ruts: University of Maryland Extension
- Weights per cubic yard: Canadian yards and producers (few sources each)
- Loose prices: the middle of up to 23 Canadian yards (Oct 2026)
- Store prices: Ontario Home Depot, RONA, Home Hardware and Chamberlain Timber Mart (Oct 2026)
- Delivery fees (7 Canadian yards); loads up to 22.9 tonnes (LBL, Almonte ON)
- Truck sizes and stone weights: A. Miron Topsoil price list (2022)
- Topsoil extra: Palmetto Sand & Gravel (add 10% for settling)
- Unit sizes: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches)
Made by BuildersCount. Last checked 4 Oct 2026.
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