Compost Calculator for Topdressing
Topdressing with compost means a quarter to half an inch brushed into the grass — about 1.5 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet.
Work out what you need
Measure the area, set the depth, and this converts it to cubic yards, what it weighs on the truck, how many bags that replaces, and roughly what it should cost delivered.
Weight is quoted as a band because moisture moves it more than grade does — compost after heavy rain runs to about 140% of its dry weight. The delivered range starts from a published $25–55 per cubic yard and is scaled by how your region's material prices compare with the national average, so treat it as a sanity check and not a quote.
Get a real price from yards near youNot topdressing a lawn? The compost guide covers every other job.
Why 0.25–0.5 inches for topdressing a lawn
It feeds the soil rather than the plant, which is why it works slowly and why it keeps working the following season.
What goes wrong
It has to be finished compost. Anything still hot will burn the grass it sits on, and you cannot tell by looking — ask how long the pile has been standing.
More than about three inches worked in and you get a bed that holds too much water and slumps as the organic matter finishes breaking down.
Compost by the numbers
| Weight per cubic yard | 1,000–1,600 lb dry |
|---|---|
| Tons per cubic yard | about 0.7 |
| Bags in a cubic yard | 27 × 1 cu ft bags |
| Half-ton pickup, one trip | about 0.75 cubic yards |
| Usually priced by the | cubic yard |
| Typical delivered price | $25–55 per cubic yard |
Finished compost runs 1,000–1,600 lb per yard — heavier than mulch, lighter than soil. Fresh or hot compost weighs more and smells like it.