# Top soil for leveling mistake?



## Dan1234 (Aug 31, 2018)

Hi All,

I purchased 5 yards of topsoil for leveling and hole filling, and then oversees on top.

It was advertised for leveling, grass growing and tested by the local university for approved use.

Long story short, leveling with this is almost impossible, it contains so many clumps. I have to first separate out any of the larger clumps, many softball size clumps and some even larger.

Then once I transport into yard and rake it with leveling rake I'm left with some decent size clumps that I have to gather and transport back to the pile, which really reduces my efficiency. This soil can really only be used efficiently to fill deeper low spots and holes. Maybe 50% of it is actually useful.

Question I have for those of you who have purchased top soil in the past. Is this typical of what I should expect and just have to deal with it?

Or should I be on the phone with the company tomorrow asking them to come and take it back?

I included some pics below for reference with shovel and glove in pics for comparison.

Thanks!
Dan


----------



## wareseeker (Jul 28, 2019)

I believe this is not really a "top soil" for leveling or top dressing for resseed. It should be called filled dirt. You still have to have one layer of compost mixed before over seeds. I ran on the same problem, but still better than this and it took 3 months in order to bring anything backup but I still have to redo this fall or next early spring. The good top soil for seeding should be fine, and no clumps. From this experience, I have to go to the site to see the product first before have them to deliver to me.


----------



## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

You need screened topsoil for leveling. It is very smooth and no clumps. I have spread lots of topsoil in my yard, getting a good quality topsoil containing combination of silt, clay, and sand is what you need,


----------



## Dan1234 (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks! This was advertised as "screened".

I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see what they can do. Probably a mistake on their part. Maybe they loaded wrong stuff because I definitely ordered and was charged for their topsoil. My pics look just like the dill dirt on their website.

In the meantime I'm not putting anymore out.


----------



## Wlodyd (Aug 27, 2018)

Yes, that is definitely not screened or pulverized, or anything close to that. If advertised as either of those, I would definitely call the company back. I've purchased a lot of "pulverized" topsoil and it has almost no clumps. Regular topsoil would look more like that and I would only use for fill and significant regrading.


----------



## Mattsbay_18 (Aug 3, 2018)

You did a good job working with what was delivered. Good luck the rest of the way.


----------

