Soil for Top Dressing a Lawn

Top Dressing Your Lawn

Top dressing is the process of spreading a thin layer of soil over an existing lawn to level uneven surfaces, fill low spots, and introduce fresh nutrients to encourage healthy growth. For a typical backyard lawn of 10 metres by 8 metres (80 square metres), a standard 25mm top dressing layer requires approximately 2 cubic metres of topsoil. This thin layer is enough to make a noticeable difference without smothering your existing grass.

Two cubic metres of topsoil weighs approximately 2.2 tonnes, making it a comfortable single delivery for most suppliers. Despite being spread thinly, this remains a significant quantity of material that's best ordered in bulk rather than attempting to carry enough bags from the hardware store.

When to Top Dress

The best time to top dress is during the active growing season for your grass variety. For warm-season grasses like couch, buffalo, and kikuyu, this means late spring through summer. Cool-season grasses like ryegrass and fescue respond best to autumn top dressing. Avoid top dressing during dormant periods or extreme heat, as the grass may struggle to grow through the new soil layer.

Application Technique

Mow your lawn short before top dressing and remove any debris or thatch. Spread the soil in small piles across the lawn, then use a landscaping rake or the back of a garden rake to work it into the grass. The goal is to fill hollows and barely cover the grass blades, not to bury them completely. If more than the grass tips remain visible, you've got the depth right. Water thoroughly after application to help the soil settle into the turf canopy and encourage the grass to grow through.

Have a differently sized lawn? Use our main soil calculator to calculate the exact amount you need.