Topsoil Calculator
Use this topsoil calculator to find how much soil a lawn, garden bed or raised bed needs from its area and depth. Pick the use for a typical starting depth (new lawn, garden bed, raised bed or a thin top-dressing), subtract beds and paths, add a settling allowance and read cubic yards, tons and bags. For any bulk material in one general volume tool use the cubic yard calculator, and for turf, stone or sand see the sod, gravel and sand calculators.
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Typical, varies by material and moisture. Adjust to match your supplier.
Cubic yards (cu yd)
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Cubic yards before waste
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Total surface area
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Cubic feet (cu ft)
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Cubic meters (m³)
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Estimated weight
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Bags needed
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One cubic yard covers (at this depth)
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Estimated cost
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Cubic feet = net area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 12; cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. The allowance (10% by default) is an adjustable extra for settling and uneven ground, not a standard. Starting depths: at least 4–6 in of topsoil for a new lawn (Penn State Extension), 6–8 in for garden beds (Kansas State) and 8–24 in for raised beds depending on the crop (University of Maryland Extension), and no more than ½ in per top-dressing pass (Clemson HGIC). Weight uses a typical 1 US ton per cubic yard; moisture and compost change it. Bags are rounded up to whole bags, and bags sold by weight use the density above.
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How it works
- How much topsoil do I need?
- Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches, divide by 12 for cubic feet and by 27 for cubic yards. A 20 × 10 ft area at 4 in deep is 66.7 cu ft, or 2.47 cu yd, before any allowance; with 10% extra it is about 2.72 cu yd.
- How deep should topsoil be?
- It depends on the use. Penn State Extension says a new lawn usually needs at least 4–6 in of good topsoil, raised beds are often 8–12 in or deeper for tomatoes and peppers (University of Maryland Extension), and a top-dressing on an existing lawn should be no more than ½ in at a time (Clemson HGIC). Choose a use above or enter your own depth.
- How many bags of topsoil make a cubic yard?
- A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft or 27 bags of 1 cu ft. Bags sold by weight depend on density: at a typical 1 US ton per cubic yard, a cubic yard is about 50 bags of 40 lb. Check the volume printed on the bag.
- How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
- A typical planning figure is about 1 US ton (2,000 lb) per cubic yard of loose topsoil, the same value the cubic yard calculator uses. Wet soil, clay and compost change the weight a lot, so use your supplier's figure when you order by the ton.
- Should I fill a raised bed with topsoil only?
- University of Maryland Extension suggests a mix of compost and purchased topsoil in a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio for beds on soil, or compost with a soilless mix for beds on hard surfaces. Enter the bed size and depth here for the total volume, then split it by your mix ratio.