Dirt vs. Topsoil: What’s the Difference?

Unless you’re in the landscaping or excavation industries, you probably don’t think there’s much of a difference between dirt and topsoil—or, you may have never even thought about it! After all, that’s not really information you need in order to go about your everyday life. However, since we are in the excavation business, we do need to know the difference between dirt and topsoil in Jeffersonville, IN. Keep reading to find out more:

• Location: The biggest difference between dirt and topsoil is where they’re found in the Earth. Dirt, which is typically called fill, is the soil that’s found deeper in the ground. It’s composed of all sorts of organic and inorganic matter like roots and rocks. Topsoil, on the other hand, is literally the stuff on top. Since it’s closer to the surface, it typically doesn’t have all of the rocks and large chunks of matter that can be found deeper down.
• Material: Elaborating on the previous point, since fill is found deeper in the Earth, it typically has a ton of larger rocks and roots in it. However, these big chucks of material are typically removed from the pile before the fill is ever used in a project. Topsoil, though, is put through a screen (sometimes several times) in order to ensure every particle is removed. You won’t find chunks of any size in a pile of topsoil.
• Appearance: Depending on where you live in the country, the overall appearance of your dirt and topsoil can change. For example, places that have a ton of sand in the ground have different looking dirt than regions that have a lot of clay in the ground. To the untrained eye, topsoil and fill might look like the same thing. If the fill doesn’t have a ton of big rocks in it, you’d probably have to get pretty close to the pile in order to differentiate between the two. In general, fill is much more coarse than topsoil, since topsoil is sent through a screen.
• Uses: Although they’re both found in the ground and basically come from the same place, topsoil and dirt have pretty different purposes. If you’re working on a gardening project at your house, you don’t want to use dirt. All of those roots and rocks will make your new garden look awful! For outdoor projects that need to look nice, you’ll want to choose topsoil. If you’re doing a project around the house that’s not going to be seen by anyone, fill is typically just fine. At Estes Excavating Inc, we sell some of the finest topsoil and fill in the area, so you know you’re getting a good product when you shop with us.

If your property needs dirt or topsoil for a project, Estes Excavating Inc. is your go-to business to get the job done. We sell the best dirt and topsoil in Jeffersonville, IN and can have it delivered to your door. Give us a call today to learn more, and to find out about all of our other excavating and demolition services.

Categorised in: Topsoil

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