Topsoil & Grass Seed Calculator
Mole-ravaged lawn? Patchy bits after a tough winter? Building a new lawn from scratch? Enter the patches and we'll tell you exactly how much topsoil and grass seed you need, with bag-size recommendations and a delivery weight.
What are you doing?
Damage level
Light , dry patches, light scarifying, 15 mm topsoil
Moderate , molehills levelled, patchy areas, 30 mm topsoil
Heavy , deep mole ruts, full re-level, 60 mm topsoil
Patches to repair (metres)
Measure each affected area as a rectangle. For irregular shapes, use the longest width × length to slightly over-estimate (better than running short).
Topsoil needed
0.03
cubic metres (0.04 tonnes delivered)
Recommended: 25 L bags
2 × 25 L bags
Available from any garden centre or builders' merchant.
Grass seed needed
0.03
kg of seed (25 g, at 25 g/m²)
Pre-seed fertiliser
0.04 kg
at 35 g/m², applied 2 to 3 days before sowing
For Fife conditions we recommend a hard-wearing rye/fescue mix, or a dwarf-rye blend if you have kids and dogs. Avoid ornamental bent-grass mixes, they can't cope with the wear.
How to actually fix a mole-damaged lawn
- 1
Wait until the moles are gone. If you reseed while they're still active, you're feeding the problem. We can survey and humanely deter, get in touch.
- 2
Spread the molehills. The fine soil they push up is excellent topsoil, don't bin it. Rake it flat across the surrounding area first; you'll need less imported topsoil.
- 3
Firm the runs. Walk over the raised tunnels in stiff boots, or use a roller. Top up the dips with topsoil so the surface is level.
- 4
Apply pre-seed fertiliser, then sow. Rake the topsoil to a fine tilth, broadcast the seed at the calculated rate, then rake gently to cover. Water if it's dry, Fife's east coast can be surprisingly arid in May.
- 5
Protect from birds. Sparrows and starlings will hoover up uncovered seed within hours. A scattering of dry grass clippings or fine netting for the first 10 days makes a huge difference.
Want us to do the lot?
Mole survey, topsoil delivery, levelling, seeding and the first fortnight of watering, all part of our lawn restoration service. Free quotes across Fife.
Book a free quote