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 2–3 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