This free topsoil calculator tells you how many cubic yards, tons and bags of topsoil you need for a garden bed, lawn, or fill area. Enter the shape and size, choose a depth, and get a ready-to-order quantity with weight and cost.
Choose the shape of the area (rectangle, circle or triangle), enter its dimensions and the depth of topsoil you want to spread, then set an allowance for settling and waste. Optionally add the price per cubic yard and any delivery fee. The calculator returns volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters, weight in tons, the number of bags of bagged soil, a suggested order rounded up to the next half yard, and a table comparing other depths for the same area.
Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard, but yards are hard to picture. Ordering too little means a second delivery fee, often $50 to $150, and a second batch that may differ in color and texture from the first. Ordering too much leaves a pile in the driveway that you have to move or pay to haul away.
A homeowner building three raised beds, a landscaper top-dressing 5,000 square feet of lawn and a gardener filling a 12-inch vegetable plot all face the same question: how much is enough? Take a 1,000 square foot lawn renovation. Spreading 4 inches of topsoil needs about 12.4 cubic yards before any allowance, and about 13.6 yards with 10% extra. A yard of damp topsoil weighs 1.1 to 1.4 tons, so that is far more than a pickup can safely carry in one trip. Weight matters for trailer limits and for protecting your driveway. A good estimate also lets you compare bulk delivery against bagged soil, where the same job would take roughly 490 bags of 0.75 cubic feet.
Every measurement is converted to feet first, then the math runs in cubic feet before converting to yards.
A handy rule of thumb: one cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 108 square feet at 3 inches and 81 square feet at 4 inches. All rounding goes upward, never down, so you do not come up short. Densities are typical for screened loam. Real weight varies with moisture, sand and clay content, so confirm with your supplier. This is a planning estimate, not engineering, permit or inspection approval, and local codes vary.
Say you are filling a 20 ft × 10 ft garden area with 4 inches of average topsoil, a 10% settling allowance, a price of $35 per yard and a $60 delivery fee.
1,000 sq ft × (4 ÷ 12) ft = 333.3 cubic feet, or 12.35 cubic yards. Adding a 10% settling allowance brings it to about 13.6 cubic yards, so order 14 yards.
One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, 81 at 4 inches and 54 at 6 inches. Divide 324 by your depth in inches for a quick estimate.
For a new lawn, 4 to 6 inches is common. Vegetable and flower beds usually want 6 to 12 inches. Lawn top-dressing over an existing lawn is only about ¼ to ½ inch. Always follow your plant or seed guidance.
Typically 2,000 to 2,800 pounds, or about 1.0 to 1.4 short tons. Dry, sandy soil is lighter, while wet or clay-rich soil is heavier. This calculator lets you choose a weight class.
Bulk is almost always cheaper per yard once you need more than about a yard. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, or 36 bags of 0.75 cubic feet. Bags suit small repairs, containers and spots you cannot reach with a wheelbarrow.
Yes. Order 5 to 15% extra to cover settling, uneven ground and spillage. Left-over soil is easy to use elsewhere, while a short order means another delivery fee.
Calculator by Toolwick