BUILDING UP GROUND
Shale at $275 a load or fill dirt from $280. Both compact firm and neither cares what it looks like. This is the structural layer.
TOPSOIL & FILL DIRT,
PRICED & DELIVERED IN TULSA
Fill dirt from $280 a truckload delivered, topsoil from $350, all-in for Tulsa County. The rule that saves you money: fill dirt raises the ground, topsoil grows the grass, and you should not pay for the second where the first will do.
01
WHICH DIRT DO I NEED?
Four materials, cheapest first. Most jobs stack two of them: structure below, growing layer on top.
GROWING GRASS
Topsoil, screened if you are seeding or sodding, unscreened if it is going under other material. The top 2 to 6 inches is the only part grass cares about.
GARDENS & DRAINAGE-FUSSY LAWNS
Sandy loam. The sand fraction keeps it from waterlogging, which is why gardeners and turf people pay the premium. For amended garden beds, see soils & composts.
DIRT GOING THE OTHER WAY?
If you need dirt and spoils hauled OFF your site instead, that is its own service: dirt hauling & spoils haul-off.
02
THE MATERIALS, IN DETAIL
SHALE
Compacted clay rock, and the cheapest load on this page. It packs down extremely firm, which is why pad builders like it as the first lift over soft ground, with better material capping it.
Use it for: building pads, raising low ground, the base lift under driveways over soft dirt.
One load delivered: $275
PAD / FILL DIRT, UNSCREENED & SCREENED
Subsoil with the organic matter long gone, which is exactly why it holds its shape instead of settling. Unscreened has rocks and clumps in it and costs less; screened rakes out smooth.
Use it for: filling holes and low spots, building pads, backfilling walls and trenches, raising grade before a topsoil cap.
One load delivered: unscreened $280, screened $295
TOPSOIL, UNSCREENED & SCREENED
The growing layer: dark, organic, and what seed, sod, and beds actually root into. Screened topsoil has the rocks and roots pulled out so it rakes fine and level, which is what you want anywhere you are seeding.
Use it for: new lawns and lawn repair (screened), topdressing, flower and vegetable beds, finishing grade over fill dirt.
One load delivered: unscreened $350, screened $375
SANDY LOAM, UNSCREENED & CLEAN
Soil with a real sand fraction, so it stays loose and drains instead of turning to brick like straight Oklahoma clay. The premium dirt for things you actually want to grow well.
Use it for: garden beds, leveling lawns that puddle, under sod on clay lots, planting mix base.
One load delivered: unscreened $535, clean $605
03
DIRT PRICES, ONE TABLE
All-in delivered prices for one full truckload (about 14 to 16 tons; shale is priced by the load) in Tulsa County. Outside Tulsa County runs $50 more per load. Prices as of 2026-08-15, estimates plus sales tax, confirmed on your quote. Multi-load job or repeat work? Ask about discounts.
| Material | Best for | One load, delivered |
|---|---|---|
| Shale | Pads, cheap structural fill | $275 |
| Pad / Fill Dirt, unscreened | Raising ground, backfill | $280 |
| Pad / Fill Dirt, screened | Smooth fill, final grading lifts | $295 |
| Topsoil, unscreened | Beds, under-layers | $350 |
| Topsoil, screened | Seeding, sodding, topdressing | $375 |
| Sandy Loam, unscreened | Gardens, lawns on clay | $535 |
| Sandy Loam, clean | Premium beds, under sod | $605 |
Photos are representative. Soil color and texture vary by source and batch. Final tonnage is by scale ticket.
04
PRICE YOUR JOB
Measure the area, pick the dirt, and get a real delivered number. The estimate carries straight into your quote request.
05
DIRT QUESTIONS, STRAIGHT ANSWERS
How much does a truckload of topsoil cost delivered in Tulsa?
A full truckload (about 14 to 16 tons) of unscreened topsoil runs $350 delivered in Tulsa County, and screened topsoil runs $375, all-in. Fill dirt is cheaper at $280 to $295 a load, and shale is $275. Outside Tulsa County adds $50 per load. Prices are estimates plus sales tax, confirmed on your quote. Multi-load job or repeat work? Ask about discounts.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Fill dirt is subsoil: it has little organic matter, which is exactly why it compacts firm and holds its shape. Use it to raise ground, fill holes, and build pads. Topsoil is the top layer with the organic matter still in it, which is what grass and plants grow in. The usual order is fill dirt to get the grade right, then a topsoil cap on top to grow in. Do not pay topsoil prices for a job fill dirt can do.
Should I get screened or unscreened dirt?
Screened dirt has been run through a screen to pull out rocks, roots, and clumps, so it rakes out fine and level. Get screened topsoil if you are seeding or sodding a lawn. Unscreened costs less and is fine buried under grade, inside a pad, or anywhere nobody will ever rake it.
What is shale used for?
Shale is compacted clay rock, and at $275 a load delivered it is the cheapest way we haul to build up ground. It packs extremely firm, which makes it a favorite first lift for building pads and driveways over soft ground, with better material capping it.
How many yards of topsoil are in a truckload?
Dirt is heavy, so a 14 to 16 ton load works out to roughly 15 to 17 cubic yards of topsoil. At a 2 inch spread that covers around 2,500 square feet, which handles most residential lawn topdressing jobs in one load. The calculator on this page does the math from your measurements.
→
GET DIRT ON THE GROUND
Call it in or send the quote form. Same-day answers during business hours.
Still price-shopping? What a dump truck load of dirt really costs. More materials: soils & composts · mulch · gravel & crushed rock · all materials & prices. Need dirt hauled OFF instead? Dirt & spoils haul-off.