If you want to get rid of weeds and diseases in your lawn or make it look better, topdressing might be the answer. This simple lawn care technique can turn your struggling landscape into a showstopper. What you need to topdress your lawn, how to do it, the benefits, and when you should finish this job are all things we will talk about. In this article, we’ll cover:
A luscious green lawn is the pride and joy of many homeowners. But achieving a thick, healthy lawn requires commitment and care. Top dressing is one lawn care task that can make a big difference in improving your lawn’s appearance and soil health. However, many homeowners wonder about the cost of top dressing a lawn and if it’s worth the investment.
When weighing whether or not to top dress, it’s important to look beyond just the upfront price. The benefits of top dressing must also be factored in when calculating the true cost and value of this service. Let’s take a deeper look at what’s involved in top dressing and the key considerations around cost.
What Top Dressing Entails
Before diving into costs let’s quickly review what top dressing involves. Top dressing is the process of spreading a thin layer of material evenly across the lawn surface. Typical top dressing materials include
- Compost – Nutrient-rich organic matter that feeds soil microbes
- Quality soil – Adds nutrients and organic content
- Sand – Helps with drainage and leveling
These materials are normally applied around 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inches thick. Top dressing is typically done in early fall or spring when grass is actively growing. The goals are to:
- Improve soil composition and nutrition
- Increase microbial activity
- Level bumpy areas
- Fill in bare spots
- Boost root development
Now that we’ve covered the basics of lawn top dressing, let’s explore the costs
Top Dressing a Lawn Yourself
Doing a DIY top dressing seems like a way to save money, but looks can be deceiving. Here are the typical costs to top dress a 5,000 sq ft suburban lawn yourself:
- Materials – Soil, compost, or sand at $20-40 per cubic yard. Need 2-4 yards for 5,000 sq ft.
- Delivery fee – $60-100 to deliver materials.
- Equipment rental – Lawn tractor at $150/day and drag mat at $40/day.
- Labor – 10-20 hours over 2-3 days for spreading.
So materials, delivery, and equipment can easily cost $300 to $600. Factor in the sweat equity of multiple long days doing heavy work. Suddenly a DIY job starts to look much less economical. Renting equipment helps but still requires hard work.
Professional Top Dressing Services
Hiring a professional lawn care company to top dress simplifies the process. Here are typical costs for professional top dressing service on a 5,000 sq ft lawn:
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$200-400 per application – Average costs range from $0.04-0.08 per sq ft per application. Price depends on materials used and region.
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$100-250 for materials – Company provides quality soil, compost or sand blend tailored for lawns.
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$50-150 per hour – Rate charged for labor, equipment and truck to transport and spread materials quickly and efficiently.
So on the high end, professional top dressing may cost around $500-600 compared to doing it yourself. However, pros have the right equipment, knowledge and efficiency to do the job properly in a fraction of the time.
Key Top Dressing Cost Considerations
When weighing the decision between DIY or hiring a pro, consider these key factors:
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Convenience – Top dressing is messy and labor-intensive. Professionals handle the hard work for you.
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Quality – Pros use premium materials blended specifically for lawn top dressing.
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Efficiency – A pro team can top dress efficiently in a few hours versus days for a DIY job.
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Results – Experience leads to proper application depth and techniques for better outcome.
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Cost over time – Though initial cost may be higher for pros, the long-term lawn benefits offset this over multiple seasons.
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Value of your time – Spending weekends doing back-breaking top dressing work has an opportunity cost.
Take these factors into account beyond just bottom line costs when deciding between DIY and professional top dressing.
Cost Breakdown for Top Dressing a 10,000 sq ft Lawn
To give a complete picture, let’s look at an estimated cost breakdown for a larger 10,000 sq ft suburban lawn:
DIY Costs
- Materials (4 cubic yards) = $150
- Delivery fee = $100
- Equipment rental = $190
- Labor (16-20 hours) = Sweat equity of 1-2 long days
Total cost = $440+ your time
Professional Service Cost
- Materials and delivery = $300
- Labor (4 hours at $50/hr) = $200
- Equipment fee (included) = $0
Total cost = $500
As this breakdown shows, once labor is factored in, DIY costs are comparable to hiring a pro on larger lawns. The pro also completes the work faster and no equipment rental is needed.
When to Top Dress for the Best Value
Top dressing should be done every 1-3 years as part of a comprehensive lawn care program. Annual top dressing provides maximum benefit but is not essential. Here are tips on getting the most for your money:
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Focus top dressing around aeration in early fall when grass can fully utilize the nutrients.
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Alternate years between light 1⁄4 inch and heavier 1⁄2 inch top dressing applications.
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Use compost/soil blends if cost is a concern as sand is more expensive.
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For DIY, rent equipment for larger projects rather than buying equipment.
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See if your lawn care company offers package deals with aeration and fertilization services.
Getting the timing and application right ensures cost-effective top dressing that boosts the health and appeal of your lawn for years to come.
Is Top Dressing Worth the Cost?
While top dressing represents an added lawn care investment, the benefits make it a very worthwhile service. Top dressing replenishes organic matter and nutrients in soil to create a better growing environment. Here are some of the key benefits that justify the cost:
- Improves moisture retention which means less watering
- Increases root development for a thicker lawn
- Reduces weeds by improving turfgrass density
- Helps level bumpy areas for better mowing
- Minimizes thatch buildup problems
- Improves soil composition and nutrient availability
- Boosts soil microbial activity critical for plant health
When you consider these meaningful benefits, it becomes clear that top dressing is a smart investment for improving lawn health and beauty. Your lawn will reap rewards for several seasons after just one top dressing treatment.
If you’ve been debating adding top dressing to your lawn care regimen, factor in not just the upfront cost but also the long-term value. Proper top dressing boosts visual appeal, resilience and soil health to make your investment pay dividends for years to come. Consult with professional lawn care experts in your area to determine the right top dressing schedule and techniques for your particular lawn.
Rake and water the topdressing into the lawn
Spread the organic matter out and then rake it in gently. Then, water your lawn well to move the material down to the soil’s surface.
Helps seed germination
Because topdressing is good for so many things, it helps seeds grow. That’s why it’s often done along with overseeding the lawn.
Poor lawn grading can cause drainage issues that may lead to fungal disease and yard erosion. Topdressing smooths out uneven areas in the lawn. But don’t go too far, or you might raise the grade too much, which would make drainage and erosion problems worse. Topdressing works best for leveling mildly uneven lawns.
The Secret to the Perfect Lawn? Topdressing! Topdress Your Yard
FAQ
What time of year should I top dress my lawn?
How much does top dressing cost?
How much top dressing for lawn?
Is it good to top dress your lawn?
How much does lawn topdressing cost?
Perhaps you use topdressing to cover bald patches, control thatch, or even out the lawn’s surface. Knowing the cost of lawn topdressing helps to keep your budget in line and make better buying choices. Topdressing your lawn with either sand, compost, or topsoil costs roughly $10-$89 per acre, excluding labor, machines, or delivery.
How do you put a top dressing on a lawn?
Shovel the top dressing onto the lawn. Start with a small amount to cover just a few square feet at a time. Some experts recommend flinging the material in the same kind of motion used to hit a hockey puck. This helps spread the material in a thin (¼- to ½-inch deep) layer.
What is Lawn top-dressing?
Lawn top-dressing is a treatment that improves the soil quality, and thus, enhances the growth of healthy grass. Sometimes referred to as compost top-dressing, the process involves adding a thin layer of organic material to all or parts of the lawn. RELATED: 6 Common Lawn Problems That Are a Real Pain in the Grass
Should I top dress my lawn?
Top dressing has the added benefit of improving soil composition. Topsoil can be used as part of a top dressing mix. These two lawn toppings might also require different steps for effective application. The best time to top dress a lawn depends on the type of grass in your yard and your geographical location.