🟫 Topsoil Calculator
Find exactly how much topsoil you need for a new lawn, garden bed, or raised bed. Get cubic yards, weight, bag count, and cost — instantly. Free, no sign-up. Screened topsoil and soil blends.
A topsoil calculator tells you exactly how much topsoil you need to start a new lawn, fill a garden bed, or build up a low area. It converts your dimensions into cubic yards, cubic feet, weight in tons, bag count, and an estimated cost for bulk or bagged topsoil. The standard volume formula for a rectangular area is:
How to calculate topsoil in 3 steps:
- Measure the length, width, and depth of the area. A new lawn needs 4–6 inches of topsoil; garden beds 8–12 inches.
- Pick a topsoil grade, waste factor, and bag size — screened topsoil and 10% waste are the standard defaults.
- Click Calculate Topsoil to see total cubic yards, weight, bag count, and estimated cost instantly.
For example, a 12 ft × 6 ft garden bed at 9 inches deep needs (12 × 6 × 9) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = exactly 2 cubic yards of topsoil — that's 54 cubic feet, weighing roughly 2.2 tons.
Topsoil Calculator
Pick a shape, enter dimensions, see cubic yards, weight, bag count and cost instantly.
Know Exactly How Much Topsoil to Order –
for a Lawn, Bed, or Raised Garden
Topsoil is heavy and ordered by the cubic yard, but you measure your project in feet and inches. This free calculator bridges the gap — turning length, width, and depth into cubic yards, weight, bag count, and cost in seconds.
⚡ Try the Calculator NowTopsoil: The Foundation Under Every Lawn and Garden
Topsoil is the dark, nutrient-rich upper layer of soil where plants actually grow. Whether you are starting a lawn from scratch, filling raised beds, building up a sunken patch of yard, or giving tired ground a fresh start, the project begins with the same question: how many cubic yards of topsoil does it take?
The volume math is short — area times depth, divided by 27 — but topsoil adds two practical wrinkles. Depth is measured in inches while length and width are in feet, and forgetting to convert throws the result off twelvefold. And topsoil is heavy: a single cubic yard weighs about a ton, so the order is also a hauling decision.
This free Topsoil Calculator handles all of it. Pick a shape, enter your dimensions, choose a topsoil grade, and it returns cubic yards, cubic feet, weight in tons, bag count, and an estimated cost — so you can plan the order and the delivery together.
How the Topsoil Calculator Works
Pick a shape, enter three dimensions, choose a topsoil grade, and click once. The calculator returns the volume, the weight, the bag count, and the cost. Here is what each field does.
Pick the Area Shape
Rectangle covers lawns, beds, and raised boxes. Circle handles round island beds and tree areas. Triangle covers corner sections. The calculator swaps the input fields to match the shape.
Enter the Length & Width
Measure the area in feet. For a rectangle, the long side and the short side. For a circle, the diameter. For a triangle, the base and the perpendicular height.
📐 An L-shaped yard splits into two rectangles — run each and add the results.Enter the Topsoil Depth
Depth is what most people guess wrong. Use 4–6 inches for a new lawn, 8–12 inches for garden beds, and a thin 0.5–1 inch for topdressing. Enter it in inches — the calculator converts it.
📊 For a raised bed, the depth is the bed's interior height.Enter the Quantity
Filling several identical areas — three matching raised beds, four planters? Enter the count and the calculator totals them. For a single area, leave this at 1.
Pick Grade, Waste & Bag Size
Topsoil grade sets the auto-filled price and the weight. Waste factor adds margin for settling and uneven ground. Bag size lets you compare a bulk order against the bagged equivalent.
Hit Calculate — Read Every Number
Instantly see total cubic yards, cubic feet, weight in tons, bag count, the order size with waste, and the estimated cost for bulk or bagged topsoil.
✅ Formula: yd³ = (L × W × Depth_in ÷ 12) ÷ 27The Topsoil Volume Formula, Explained
The calculation is one volume formula plus one weight conversion. The only trap is the depth unit.
The volume formula: Volume in cubic yards equals length times width times depth — all in feet — divided by 27. The division by 27 converts cubic feet to cubic yards, since a cubic yard is a 3-foot cube and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
The inches step: Length and width are measured in feet, but topsoil depth is measured in inches. Before multiplying, convert the depth to feet by dividing by 12. A 6-inch layer is 0.5 feet, not 6. Skip this and the volume is twelve times too large — the most common topsoil-order mistake. The calculator does this conversion automatically.
From volume to weight: Topsoil is heavy and worth knowing the weight of before you arrange hauling. Multiply the cubic yards by a typical density — screened topsoil is about 2,200 pounds per cubic yard, roughly one ton. A blend with compost is lighter; wet or unscreened soil is heavier. The calculator shows the weight in tons for the grade you select.
Other shapes: For a circular island bed, the area is π times the radius squared (the radius is half the diameter); multiply by depth in feet and divide by 27. For a triangular corner, the area is half the base times the height. The calculator applies the right area formula when you pick a shape.
Depth, Coverage & Weight Tables
A few numbers do most of the planning. The recommended depths and the one-ton-per-yard weight are the ones worth remembering.
| Conversion | Multiplier | When You Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic feet → cubic yards | ÷ 27 | Converting calculated volume into bulk units |
| Cubic yards → tons | × ~1.1 | Estimating delivery weight and haul limits |
| Cubic yards → cubic meters | × 0.7646 | Working with metric specs or suppliers |
| Inches of depth → feet | ÷ 12 | The step people most often forget |
| Coverage at a depth | 324 ÷ depth in | Square feet one cubic yard will cover |
The formula in plain language: Multiply length by width by depth in inches, divide by 12 to put the depth in feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 × 6 bed at 9 inches deep is (12 × 6 × 9) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = exactly 2 cubic yards.
Recommended Topsoil Depth by Project
| Project | Recommended Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Topdressing an existing lawn | 0.5 – 1 inch | |
| 🌱 New lawn from seed or sod | 4 – 6 inches | |
| 🌷 Flower & planting beds | 8 – 12 inches | |
| 🥕 Raised garden beds | 10 – 12 inches | |
| 🕳️ Filling low spots / grading | Per site need |
Coverage & Weight of One Cubic Yard
| Depth | Coverage Per Cubic Yard | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 ft² | Topdressing a lawn |
| 2 inches | 162 ft² | Light leveling |
| 4 inches | 81 ft² | New lawn base |
| 6 inches | 54 ft² | Deep lawn prep |
| 12 inches | 27 ft² | Raised bed, deep planting |
One cubic yard of screened topsoil weighs roughly 2,200 pounds — about a ton. A pickup truck can usually carry only one to two yards by weight, even if more would fit by volume.
Factors That Affect How Much Topsoil You Need
The formula gives a clean theoretical number. A real lawn or bed reliably uses more. Here are the variables that move your order.
Topsoil Grades Compared: Quality, Use & Cost
"Topsoil" covers a range of products, from cheap unscreened fill to rich planting blends. The right grade depends on what will grow in it and how much finish work you want to avoid.
| Grade | Bulk Price/yd³ | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screened topsoil | $20–$50 | New lawns, general beds, leveling and seedbeds | Quality varies — ask what it was screened from |
| Garden soil blend | $40–$55 | Planting beds; topsoil pre-mixed with compost | Costs more — overkill for a plain lawn |
| Unscreened topsoil | $12–$25 | Rough filling where appearance does not matter | Rocks, roots, and clumps — hard to grade smooth |
| Premium planting mix | $45–$65 | Raised beds and intensive vegetable gardening | Most expensive; not needed for lawns |
| Fill dirt | $15–$30 | Raising grade and filling holes — no planting | No nutrients — nothing grows well in it |
How to Buy & Spread Topsoil: A Phase-by-Phase Roadmap
A good topsoil job is mostly preparation and grading. Here are the four phases that take a project from bare ground to a level, plant-ready surface.
Measure the area and decide the right depth for the use. Run the calculation, add a waste factor for settling, and split irregular yards into simple shapes. End with a cubic-yard figure and a tonnage so you can plan the delivery.
Ask each supplier for the soil price and delivery fee separately, and ask what the topsoil was screened from — quality varies a lot. Confirm the minimum order and whether the truck can reach your drop spot.
Remove weeds and debris, and loosen any compacted subgrade so the new topsoil bonds to it rather than sitting on a hard pan. Rough-grade the area so the topsoil layer comes out an even depth and water drains the right way.
Move the topsoil in manageable loads and spread it to a consistent depth, raking to a level grade and keeping a gentle slope away from buildings. Spread slightly high to allow for settling, and water lightly to help it settle in before seeding or planting.
2026 Topsoil Cost Breakdown
A topsoil order has two cost buckets — the soil and the delivery. Because topsoil jobs are usually large, bulk delivery is almost always the right route.
The calculator's cost estimate uses a typical 2026 bulk price per cubic yard for the grade you select. Delivery is separate: a flat haul fee that does not scale with order size, which is why a one-yard delivery costs far more per yard than a full truckload.
| Project | Volume | Weight | Bulk + Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| One raised bed (8×4 × 10") | ~1 yd³ | ~1 ton | $70–$160 |
| Small new lawn (400 ft² × 4") | ~5 yd³ | ~5.5 tons | $200–$400 |
| Garden bed group (200 ft² × 10") | ~6.2 yd³ | ~6 tons | $300–$500 |
| Topdress a lawn (1,000 ft² × 1") | ~3 yd³ | ~3.3 tons | $140–$280 |
| Level a yard (1,500 ft² × 4") | ~18.5 yd³ | ~20 tons | $500–$1,000 |
Example Topsoil Calculations
Three jobs, three depths — all worked through with verified math so you can sanity-check your own results. Each assumes a 10% waste factor.
How to Save Money on a Topsoil Order
Topsoil is inexpensive per yard, but the way you buy it and the grade you pick change the total more than anything else. These six moves are where the savings come from.
The biggest lever is buying bulk, not bags. Bagged topsoil costs several times more per cubic yard than bulk, and a real lawn or garden job means hauling dozens of heavy bags. For anything beyond a planter, a bulk delivery is cheaper and far less work — the only question is the delivery fee.
The second lever is matching the grade to the job. Premium planting blends are excellent in a vegetable bed and wasted under a plain lawn. Cheap fill dirt does everything a grading job needs and nothing a garden needs. Paying for quality only where it grows something keeps the order honest.
Six Cost-Cutting Moves
When This Calculator Is the Wrong Tool
Area times depth covers nearly every topsoil job, but not quite all. Here are the situations where the output needs care.
1. Heavily irregular or sloped yards. A yard that slopes or curves is not a flat rectangle of uniform depth. Forcing it into one shape and one depth can be well off. Break it into simple shapes, and for slopes, calculate an average depth across each section.
2. Topping up existing soil. The calculator computes the volume for the depth you enter. If usable soil is already there, enter only the top-up depth needed to reach the target — not the full final depth — or you will order roughly double.
3. Soil sold strictly by weight. This calculator works in volume and estimates weight from a typical density. If a supplier sells only by the ton and the soil is wet, the weight you pay for includes water. For weight-billed soil, ask for the loaded density on the day.
4. Engineered grading and structural fill. Raising grade near a foundation, or structural fill under a slab or driveway, follows compaction and material specifications set by an engineer. The volume math is the same, but the depth, material, and compaction are dictated by the spec.
Where to go instead: For bulk material in general — gravel, sand, fill — a cubic yard calculator covers the same volume math across every material. For surface mulch over a finished bed, a mulch calculator is the better fit. This tool's strength is being the fast, topsoil-specific answer with weight and grade built in.
Topsoil Terms You'll See On This Page
Quick reference for the topsoil and volume terms used throughout this calculator.
- Topsoil
- The upper layer of soil, rich in organic matter and nutrients, where plant roots grow. The material a lawn or garden is built on.
- Cubic Yard (yd³)
- The volume of a cube three feet on each side, equal to 27 cubic feet. The standard unit for ordering bulk topsoil.
- Cubic Foot (ft³)
- The volume of a cube one foot on each side. Bagged topsoil is measured in cubic feet, often one cubic foot per bag.
- Screened Topsoil
- Topsoil passed through a mesh screen to remove rocks, roots, and debris, leaving a uniform soil that grades smoothly.
- Unscreened Topsoil
- Topsoil that has not been screened. Cheaper, but contains rocks and clumps — suitable for rough filling, not seedbeds.
- Garden Soil Blend
- Topsoil pre-mixed with compost or other organic matter, richer than plain topsoil and better suited to planting beds.
- Fill Dirt
- Subsoil with little or no organic matter, used to raise grade and fill holes. Cheap, but nothing grows well in it.
- Depth
- How thick the topsoil layer will be — 4–6 inches for a lawn, 8–12 for beds. Measured in inches and converted to feet for the math.
- Density
- The weight of topsoil per unit of volume. Screened topsoil is about 2,200 pounds per cubic yard, roughly one ton.
- Waste Factor
- A percentage added to the raw calculated volume to cover settling and uneven ground. Ten percent is the standard default.
- Settling
- The drop in height as freshly spread, fluffed-up topsoil compacts after watering and weather. Typically 10–20% of the loose depth.
- Topdressing
- Spreading a thin layer of topsoil — half an inch to an inch — over an existing lawn to level it and improve the soil.
- Subgrade
- The existing ground surface beneath the new topsoil. Loosening a compacted subgrade helps the topsoil bond and drain.
- Delivery Fee
- A flat charge, typically $50–$150 per load, that bulk suppliers add for hauling. It does not scale with order size.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions about calculating, buying, and spreading topsoil.
How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply the length by the width by the depth, with every measurement in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. For a 20 ft × 15 ft lawn at 4 inches (0.33 ft) deep, that is 20 × 15 × 0.33 = 100 cubic feet, which is 100 ÷ 27 ≈ 3.7 cubic yards. If your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first. This calculator does every step automatically.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
A cubic yard of topsoil weighs roughly 2,000 to 2,400 pounds — about one ton. Screened, slightly moist topsoil sits in that range; wet topsoil weighs noticeably more, and soil blended with compost is lighter. This weight matters because topsoil is heavy: even a few cubic yards is a serious load for a trailer or pickup.
How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn?
Spread topsoil 4 to 6 inches deep for a new lawn so grass roots have enough quality soil to establish in. For garden and planting beds, go deeper — 8 to 12 inches. For simply topdressing or leveling an existing lawn, a thin half-inch to one-inch layer is enough. Decide the depth before calculating, since it drives the whole order.
How much area does a cubic yard of topsoil cover?
One cubic yard of topsoil covers 162 square feet at 2 inches deep, 81 square feet at 4 inches, or 54 square feet at 6 inches. The rule is simple: coverage in square feet equals 324 divided by the depth in inches. A new lawn at 4 inches deep needs roughly one cubic yard for every 80 square feet.
How much does topsoil cost in 2026?
Bulk screened topsoil in 2026 runs roughly $20 to $50 per cubic yard. Unscreened fill-grade soil is cheaper at $12 to $25, while garden blends and premium planting mixes cost $40 to $65. Bagged topsoil runs about $3 to $6 for a 1-cubic-foot bag. Bulk delivery adds a flat fee of $50 to $150 per load.
Should I buy topsoil in bags or in bulk?
Use bulk for almost any real project. Topsoil bags are small — often just one cubic foot — and heavy, so a single cubic yard means hauling and emptying around 27 bags. Bags only make sense for tiny jobs like filling a planter or a single small bed. For a lawn or garden beds, a bulk delivery is far cheaper and far less work.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is the upper, nutrient-rich layer of soil that supports plant growth; it is often screened to remove rocks and debris. Fill dirt is subsoil with little or no organic matter, used to raise grade, fill holes, and build up low areas. Use topsoil where things will grow and fill dirt where they will not — fill dirt is cheaper but will not support a lawn or garden.
What is screened topsoil?
Screened topsoil has been passed through a mesh screen to remove rocks, roots, clumps, and debris, leaving a uniform, easy-to-spread soil. It costs more than unscreened topsoil but is far better for lawns, seedbeds, and planting because it grades smoothly and has no surprises. Unscreened topsoil is cheaper and acceptable for rough filling where appearance does not matter.
How much topsoil do I need for a raised garden bed?
Measure the bed's length and width, and use the bed's height as the depth — raised beds are usually filled 10 to 12 inches deep. An 8 ft × 4 ft bed filled 10 inches deep needs 8 × 4 × 0.83 = about 27 cubic feet, or one cubic yard. Many gardeners use a blend of topsoil and compost rather than topsoil alone for raised beds.
What waste factor should I use for topsoil?
A 10% waste factor is the standard recommendation. Use 5% for a flat, well-prepared area; 10% for a typical job with normal settling and spreading loss; and 15% or more for uneven ground or a site where the soil will be compacted. Topsoil settles after spreading and watering, so ordering a little extra avoids a second delivery.
Does topsoil settle after it is spread?
Yes. Freshly spread topsoil is loose and fluffy and will settle and compact over the following weeks, especially after rain or watering. A bed or lawn can lose 10 to 20 percent of its loose height as it settles. Spread topsoil slightly higher than the final grade you want, or include a waste factor, so the settled result is at the right level.
How do I calculate topsoil for an irregular yard?
Break the area into simple shapes — rectangles, circles, and triangles — that you can measure individually. Calculate the topsoil for each piece, then add the results for a total. This calculator lets you switch shapes and run each section in turn; an L-shaped yard, for example, is just two rectangles added together.
More Tools You'll Love
Topsoil is the base layer of a landscaped project. These companion calculators handle the related measurements and materials.
Know Exactly How Much Topsoil
to Order in 30 Seconds
Enter your lawn or bed's length, width and depth — get cubic yards, weight, bag count, and estimated cost for screened topsoil and soil blends. All free.
Calculate Topsoil — Free Takes 30 seconds · No account needed · 5 topsoil grades