How much topsoil do I need?

DrPhilG

Currently looking at clearing an abandoned bit of land behind my small back garden. It's huge, maybe 32m by 27m.

I have a serious amount of crap & blue clay to remove, get drainage in, and then add topsoil to make it into a lawn.

There are various calculators online but most are telling me I'd need as much as 240 tonnes which sounds like too much. A friend of mine did a similar job last year and they put in 150 tonnes and they said themself that they overdid it because they got the soil for almost nothing. They reckoned they could have done the job with 120t.

Quick look on donedeal and there's a fella nearby who will deliver for about €12 per tonne which would be nearly €3k just for topsoil, which would probably put an end to the project before it begins.

standardg60

It all depends on what depth of topsoil you're planning on having, 4 inches is c.85 tonne, 6 inches is c.130 tonne, so your friend's amount sounds about right

The Continental Op

You can never have toooooo much topsoil, but as above if its just grass 4 inches will do the job. I'd make the provision that you do a good job leveling the site first otherwise you'll have some areas only a couple of inches deep and others 6 inches.

DrPhilG

Plan was for 6 inches to be on the safe side.

So I'm looking at €1500 or so unless I find a better price.

The Continental Op

Commercially even for shrub planting we'd not put on more than 6 inches. That would be a bare minimum BUT if you are doing some decent subsoil preparation it will be enough.

You might find a better price if you take it as it becomes available. Either there is banked soil which is sat waiting to be sold or soil as its stripped and looking for a home. Sometimes you can get soil as it get stripped off site a cheaper as it doesn't involve a lot of handling but you risk getting some rubbish thrown in.

DrPhilG

Thanks @The Continental Op

Yeah I was thinking of maybe adding a bit at a time.

The ground should be well prepped, drainage going in and the area flattened. I'll be planting a hedge at some stage but there's no hurry on it as the area isn't really overlooked.

Waiting for the price to come in for the bulk of the work, and I've sent the feelers out to a few local farmers and construction folks in case there's any going cheap.

I believe there is a tip nearby that can take my scruff which should save a bit. I'm looking at between 300-400 tonnes of clay, rushes and old scrub to go out first.

The Continental Op

If you can put a little more depth of soil in for the hedge, it might help in the long run.

When you are taking soil as its stripped you can get a lot of weeds in with it can be worth leveling then spraying if you have the time. However if its all going to be grass the mower will take up most of the weeds that might come in. Obviously be on the lookout for the real nasties, Japanese Knotweed and Horse/Mares Tail just beware a load might be really cheap because they were on site. Eyeball every load if you can, but again if you are putting it all to grass you won't notice either but they still might be there in a few years time and haunt you if you put in beds.

I wouldn't be inclined to remove too much material from the site. Strim and mow if you can and its surprising what can come of it. Our garden started out as field with brambles, Japanese Knotweed and Mares Tail, still have the Mares Tail thats a given but the rest have goon.

DrPhilG

@The Continental Op strimming & mowing isn't really an option, I just have way too much crap up there including a 6ft boundary of piled high soil, and none of it is good. That's why I'm looking at hauling away about 2-3 times what I'm bringing in.

magicbastarder

what's the plan for it? you could make a BMX course just by shifting some of the existing stuff around!

The Continental Op

Doing something with it for kids was my first thought, like make a few castles out of it.

btw I could use all that "soil" and have a plan to try and import about a thousand tons of it but I know that will never happen. A neighbor with a piles like that would be perfect.

DrPhilG

Initially just a boring old lawn. In time, a summer house of some variety, paved area with seating, BBQ, fire pit etc.

The Continental Op

I think I'd work out if I could move that around into something a bit more interesting with two levels. The only problem then is cutting the slope between the levels but if the slope is gentle enough it can be managable. Some higher ground would give some privicey to a seating area and perhaps some shelter with wind protection and or hide the view towards piles of silage bales?

DrPhilG

Split levels etc not an option, it's all or nothing I'm afraid.

The Continental Op

There must be some farmer locally that would take what you are getting rid of to fill in a hole somewhere?

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119074265#Comment_119074265

Oh yeah I have a few leads on how to shift the crap.

Not so many on cheap topsoil lol.