What's the best mesh size for screening topsoil?

This is probably one of the most common questions we get asked. If you are looking to produce and sell topsoil then you will obviously need to screen it to the correct size. There are a few different things that we’ve found over the years that can impact this decision. The main one being - what is the quality of other topsoil suppliers in the area? This may seem a strange thing to say but let me explain.

From your pre screened topsoil pile you want to screen that material and get as much of that to go through your screen and end up as the final product. Why? Because that is where the value is. Unless it’s good aggregate there is usually no value in the oversize so you want as much to go through the screen mesh as possible because that is where the money is made. So obviously we want as larger mesh as possible for it all to go through but there’s a catch. Your customers want a fine topsoil with no stones in it and if your competitors are providing that then you must do the same.

Now, to answer the question we have found in our miniscreens that a 35mm top mesh will break up the soil and present it to a 15mm bottom deck. the 15mm bottom deck will then produce the finished product. We’ve found that this is perfectly adequate in most applications and in damp conditions we can supply a 15mm elongated bottom mesh that will keep you screening when the conditions are damp.

In dry conditions some people have changed their mesh from 15mm to 10mm to create a really nice fine product BUT if that material gets wet it will turn to a porridge type consistency really quick and you will find more material ends up in the oversize (remember what I said earlier)

Hear is a video showing the difference an elongated mesh makes: