Birmingham Dirt

Fill dirt, topsoil, gravel and dirt removal. Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties, Alabama.

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Topsoil

Revised October 2026

Start a lawn, level a yard, fill raised beds or top-dress what you have.

Topsoil is the dark top layer of ground where things grow. Around Birmingham it is in short supply, because most lots were scraped to red clay when the house was built. Bought topsoil is usually screened, which means it has been run through a mesh to take out rocks, roots and clods so it spreads smooth. A new lawn wants four to six inches of it over the clay. A raised bed wants a garden mix, which is topsoil blended with compost. Topsoil costs two to three times what fill dirt costs, so it only goes where something is going to grow.

Kinds of topsoil

  • Screened topsoil. Run through a screen so it spreads smooth. The usual choice for new lawns and leveling.
  • Unscreened topsoil. Cheaper, with clods and the odd root. Fine for deep beds and rough grading.
  • Garden mix. Topsoil blended with compost or sand. For raised beds and planting.

What it is for

  • A new lawn from seed or sod
  • Leveling low spots in an existing yard
  • Filling raised beds and planting areas
  • Top-dressing a thin lawn
  • Finishing grade over fill dirt before seeding

Topsoil is not for building on. It settles and holds water. Under a pad, a wall or a slab, use fill dirt.

Cross-section: grass over four to six inches of topsoil over compacted fill over the old grade Topsoil Fill, compacted in layers old grade 4 to 6 in
Figure 1. Fill raises the grade and carries weight. Topsoil, four to six inches of it, is the only layer grass can live in.

Questions people ask

How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?

Four inches is the usual minimum over clay, six is better. One cubic yard covers 81 square feet at four inches deep. A 2,000 square foot lawn at four inches is about 25 yards, which is two tandem loads.

Screened or unscreened topsoil?

Screened for anything you will see or walk on: lawns, leveling, beds. Unscreened for deep fills in beds or rough grading where a few clods do not matter. Screened costs more because the screening takes time.

Can I put topsoil straight on red clay?

Yes, and most lawns around here are exactly that. Rough up the clay first so the two layers knit, and do not go thinner than three inches or the grass will dry out in July.

How much does a truckload of topsoil cost in Birmingham?

A tandem load of screened topsoil, about 12 yards, usually lands between $300 and $650 delivered depending on the yard and the distance. Garden mixes cost more.

Topsoil by city

Local prices, delivery notes and what the ground is like in each place.

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