How to Topdress & Level Your Lawn Using Sand or TopSoil? Beginners DIY Guide

This is a beginners guide to understanding top dressing, using sand, soil and other materials and how to apply it safely to your lawn and grass. Improve your lawn and transform your poor or ugly lawn with topdressing using this guide.

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Disclaimer:
This video, description & comments may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links I may receive a small commission.

Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Silver Cymbal assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Silver Cymbal recommends safe practices when working on machines and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Silver Cymbal.

[russoft]

the only video under 5 minutes on this topic. thumbs up. Concise.

[blahcott]

Thank you for this video. After watching so many that did sand, I did sand (with a soil mix) on my front lawn. However, a contractor I hired put only dirt on my side lawn (would have taken too much dirt to fill that in on my own and I don't have a truck). Grass grew easily on the side lawn. Barely growing, if at all on front lawn spots. Also, it is now squishy on my front lawn, but sturdy on my side lawn. I realized all the sand videos I watched steered me in the wrong direction. I'm now watching this after the damage was already done, though I'm glad you're warning others on this one, and I now have even more confidence and argument to do just dirt (the sand videos are still out there and Youtube's algorithim still throws them at me).

[msk]

Sand doesn't compress like soil/compost does so it helps level the lawn much better. Sand does have no nutrients so if you have large divots that you are trying to level you should be filling with compost/soil first followed by sand. I use a 80/20 soil/sand for first stab at leveling then uses sand for final leveling but make sure to use the level tool he shows then a push broom to get down at soil level but I always compost top dress for adding nutrients. If you use just soil or compost top dressing you will still have an uneven lawn as they are more prone to movement during the different seasons in areas like New England.

[MrAluntus]

I made a mix, 70% top-dress (compost/soil), 20% Peat Moss, and 10% Play Sand. I made a lawn leveler which screens out the stones and twigs and the result has been a really nice cushion lawn. We had hard-packed soil with a ton of clay on a hill that did not absorb water well, no matter how many times I aerated. This method, while laborious because I had to spread out at least 2-3 inches of it, is proving to work well for the grass seed germination. Long-term results are TBD. btw, your lawn advice has been really helpful, especially because we also live in MA, so thank you.

[RionPhotography]

Sand and clay are a great combination contrary to popular myth. The sand loosens the clay (it does NOT create “concrete”) and since clay holds such a great amount of nutrients already the result is a beautiful and nutrient rich soil that grass will thrive in. People need to actually try some of this stuff instead of believing everything they read online.

[tonyhemingway]

When I lived in Houston Texas, a friend top dressed his lawn with sand. I thought that he was out of his mind but learned better. It wasn't long before night crawlers start coming up through the sand and leaving casings that mixed with the sand. His lawn did real well.

[AGermanMan]

Living in New England last 10 years - my lawn has always been -mehh. So thankful I found your channel. A HUGE thank you for sharing !

[toxaq]

In New Zealand we call crop dusters top dressers. So top dressing your lawn sounds super exciting!

[dubs]

I have always used good quality Top Soil whenever I’ve top dressed our lawn. I’ve been concerned about any potential salt content in sand and have avoided using it on the grass. When necessary, I will repeat the top dressing multiple times during the growing season in order to slowly fill in swales or deep recesses only after giving the grasses a chance to recover and grow. This process has always worked well.

[deanfehr]

Thx for that informative video. I’ve followed the debate about sand top dressing for years. Finally this makes sense that it depends on the soil that’s already there and if it’s compatible. Great tip.

[lindarankin]

Thank you for making it easy to understand. I"m glad I found your channel.

[samwimpy]

Silver Cymbal - You are, by far, the best lawn care expert on YouTube that I have found in terms of your videos...good explanation, succint in your communications, you don't play annoying music as so many seem to do, etc...I have only recently discovered your channel...I really like it!

Question...top dressing large areas....the hand held rake style leveler is good for small areas. What do you recommend for large areas that can be pulled behind a riding mower/lawn tractor?

I just recently purchased a Cub Cadet XT2 LX46 lawn tractor, which has alerted me to the need to level my lawn, such a bumpy ride!

I have a homemade 'chain length fence section' that I could pull behind my lawn tractor, but thinking it may be too rough on my fescue lawn?

[jarhead]

using the eco spreader u still have to go back and use the leveling rake. even tho it’s spreading out evenly you still want to fill the low spots and take out the high spots.

[benkeating]

Thank you, your video was helpful. My lawn's on a predominantly clay soil and I was thinking of using sand to topdress but now I know that'd be a mistake. So, thanks again!

[larryclausen]

I’ve been using a 64 qt bag of potting mix, a bag of premium sand and 1/2 a bag of Black Kow mixed in my wheelbarrow. Couldn’t afford the recommended tool, so I’ve been using an old push broom. Little extra work, but the Zoysia has really started spreading

[RogerSiswick]

Used a leveling rake and it is without doubt the best lawn tool to purchase after a mower, I used a 50-50 mix sand and screened soil.

[jamesmabe]

You're right on point. Can't go wrong with compost or topsoil. Sand only in specific situations. Good video!

[johnmininger]

I understand that sand will give you a more level, reel quality lawn. My two cents is that if you have problems currently with your soil then fix that problem first before top dressing with sand. I started with terrible clay soil, including rocks and debris that were left by the developers ... the house was about a year old when I bought it so I didn't have any say in that. Shallow roots, rock hard cracked dirt in the summer, a soil test that defied belief. After a lot of effort, most of the soil has been remediated and the lawn is beautiful. Cannot imagine having done that with a layer of sand on top.

[johnascialpi]

one small trick to help with clay soil and sand is to add compost or topsoil in addition to the sand. I remembered reading that just make sure they're mixed well enough and the compost is fine enough for the lawn. great tips by the way thanks :-)

[justinblakeman]

Thanks Here in Florida I live next to a golf course so My backyard is in direct competition with the pros. An d I can’t always do what they do but I can always use tips and tricks to help my lawn look it best.