Topsoil Calculator
Calculate topsoil for a lawn, raised bed or garden. Get cubic yards, weight in US tons or tonnes, bags of 0.75, 1, 1.5 cubic feet or 40 lb, truck loads and an optional cost from any mix of units.
Leave blank for 1.
Spillage and uneven ground. Blank counts as 0.
Typical value. Ask your supplier. Blank hides the weight.
Blank hides the truck loads.
In your own currency.
Enter the dimensions to see the volume.
About the topsoil calculator
The Topsoil Calculator works out how much topsoil you need to cover a lawn, fill a low spot, regrade a yard or lay a fresh layer over a new planting area. Enter the shape and size of the area and the depth of soil, and it returns the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic metres and litres, plus the weight, the number of bags and the number of truck loads.
Topsoil is usually bought one of two ways. Small amounts come in bags from a garden centre. Larger jobs are delivered loose by the cubic yard or sold by weight, and suppliers often quote either. The calculator gives both views, so you can compare quotes in whichever unit they use.
How to calculate topsoil
Steps
- Choose the shape: rectangle, circle, triangle, trapezoid, or known area if you already have the square footage from a plan.
- Enter the measurements. Each length has its own unit, and you can mix feet, inches, yards, metres, centimetres and millimetres.
- Enter the depth. It is set to inches by default, and you can change the unit freely.
- Use quantity when you have several identical areas.
- Add a waste or settling allowance if you want a margin. It starts at zero.
- Optionally edit the density and enter a price per US ton, tonne, cubic yard, cubic metre or bag to see an estimated cost.
Formulas
The default density is 1.1 US tons per cubic yard, or 1.3 tonnes per cubic metre when you choose that unit.
For a circular area the calculator uses , where is the diameter. If you are unsure about the area of an odd-shaped lawn, split it into rectangles and triangles, or measure it with the Area Calculator first.
Worked example: a small bed
A bed is 10 ft by 10 ft and you want 4 inches of topsoil. The area is 100 square feet and the depth is 4/12 ft, so the volume is 33.33 cubic feet. Divided by 27, that is 1.23 cubic yards, or 0.94 cubic metres. At the default density the weight is about 1.36 US tons.
If you buy bags instead, you would need 45 bags of 0.75 cubic feet, 34 bags of 1 cubic foot, 23 bags of 1.5 cubic feet, or 45 bags of 40 lb (a 40 lb bag is roughly 0.75 cubic feet). Bag counts are rounded up.
Worked example: a lawn
A lawn measures 40 ft by 25 ft, which is 1,000 square feet. For a new lawn laid over poor ground, 4 inches of topsoil gives 333.3 cubic feet, or 12.35 cubic yards. A 5 percent settling allowance raises that to about 12.97 cubic yards, so two truck loads of 10 cubic yards would cover it. The weight of the unadjusted amount is about 13.6 US tons.
For top-dressing an existing lawn, a thin layer of about half an inch is typical. The same 1,000 square feet then needs only 41.7 cubic feet, or about 1.54 cubic yards. This is a very different order, which is why the depth matters most.
Typical depths
These are common rules of thumb, not requirements. Your soil, plants and local advice come first.
- New lawn: about 4 to 6 inches of topsoil.
- Raised beds: about 6 to 12 inches.
- Top-dressing a lawn: about half an inch.
- Filling and regrading: whatever the low spots need, measured at the deepest point or averaged.
Soil settles after it is spread and watered, so consider adding 5 to 10 percent for settling. Use the waste allowance field to do that.
Bulk versus bagged topsoil
Bags are easy to move and store, but the price per cubic foot is usually higher, so they suit small repairs and pots. Once you pass a cubic yard or two, a bulk delivery is often better value. For a larger job, check the truck load result. It uses a capacity you can edit, with 10 cubic yards as the default. Ask the supplier about minimum order sizes, delivery fees and whether the price is by volume or weight. The Unit Price Calculator can compare a bag price with a bulk price.
About weight
Weight is an estimate. Moist soil weighs noticeably more than dry soil, and different mixes vary in density, so the 1.1 US tons per cubic yard default is only a typical figure. Change the density field if your supplier gives you a different number. To convert between tons and tonnes or pounds and kilograms, use the Mass Converter.
Accuracy and limits
Ground is rarely perfectly level, so the depth is an average. Measure in a few places and use the typical value. The result is an estimate, so check the bag label for the actual volume and ask the supplier how they measure a load.
Privacy
Nothing is uploaded; every calculation runs in your browser and never leaves your device.
Related tools
For a similar job, try the Soil Calculator for raised beds and planters, the Mulch Calculator for the finishing layer, or the Gravel Calculator for paths and drainage. To compare units, use the Volume Converter.
Frequently asked questions
How much topsoil do I need for a lawn?
Multiply the lawn area by the depth, then divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. A 1,000 square foot lawn at 4 inches deep needs about 333 cubic feet, or 12.35 cubic yards, before any settling allowance.
How deep should topsoil be?
Typical figures are 4 to 6 inches for a new lawn and about half an inch for top-dressing an existing lawn. Raised beds usually need 6 to 12 inches. These are rules of thumb, so follow local advice for your plants.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
The calculator uses 1.1 US tons per cubic yard, or 1.3 tonnes per cubic metre, as a typical figure. Moist soil is heavier than dry soil, so edit the density field if your supplier gives a different number.
Should I add extra for settling?
Soil settles after it is spread and watered, so many people allow 5 to 10 percent extra. Enter that in the waste allowance field, which starts at zero. The right amount depends on the soil and how well it is compacted.
Is it cheaper to buy topsoil in bags or in bulk?
Bulk is usually cheaper per cubic yard once you need more than a yard or two, while bags suit small repairs and are easy to carry. Enter a price per ton, tonne, cubic yard, cubic metre or bag to compare estimated costs, and check delivery fees with your supplier.
How many bags of topsoil will I need?
The calculator shows bags of 0.75, 1 and 1.5 cubic feet and a 40 lb bag, which is about 0.75 cubic feet. Counts are rounded up. For a 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 4 inches deep, that is 45, 34, 23 and 45 bags. Check the label, as sizes vary.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. The topsoil volume, weight and bag sums run in your browser, so your lawn or bed sizes are never uploaded or stored on a server. They stay on this device and are not shared with anyone.