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Topsoil Calculator

Updated How we build and test

Enter the size of your lawn, garden or raised bed and how deep you want the soil to see how many cubic yards, bags or tons of topsoil to buy.

Shape of the area
%

Loose soil settles after watering. Use 0 for the exact volume.

Moist is a sensible default for a delivery. Weight only affects tons, not cubic yards or bags.

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Topsoil needed

Enter the area and depth to see how much topsoil you need.

How to use the topsoil calculator

  1. Enter the length and width of the lawn or bed, or pick a circle for round beds.
  2. Enter the depth of new soil. For a raised bed, use the height you’ll fill.
  3. Choose how wet the soil is. It only changes the weight in tons, which matters for truck and trailer loads.
  4. Pick your bag size and add a price to compare bags with a bulk delivery.

Topsoil formulas

Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27
Bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size (ft³), rounded up
Tons = cubic yards × weight per yd³ ÷ 2,000

Topsoil.com lists dry topsoil at 1,500–2,200 lb per cubic yard (about 2,000 on average), moist at 2,200–2,600 lb (about 2,400) and
saturated at 2,600–3,000 lb (about 2,800), and suggests assuming moist for delivery estimates unless the supplier says otherwise.

Worked example: a 4 × 8 ft raised bed, 12 in deep

  1. Volume: 4 × 8 × 1 = 32 ft³.
  2. Cubic yards: 32 ÷ 27 = 1.19 yd³.
  3. Bags: 32 ÷ 0.75 = 43 bags of 0.75 cu ft, or 32 bags of 1 cu ft.

Spreading 4 in of topsoil over a 30 × 40 ft lawn area takes 14.8 yd³, about 17.8 tons when moist. That’s
a bulk delivery, not a car trunk of bags.

Bags per cubic yard

Bag size Bags per cubic yard Bags for a 4 × 8 ft bed, 12 in deep
0.75 cu ft 36 43
1 cu ft 27 32
1.5 cu ft 18 22
2 cu ft 13.5 16

Topsoil and compost for a new lawn

The University of Maryland Extension’s guide to starting a new lawn suggests spreading 1 to 2 in of compost, which it equates to 3 or 6
cubic yards per 1,000 ft², and blending amendments into the soil with a rototiller that mixes 4 to 6 in deep. Our calculator agrees:
1,000 ft² at 1 in is 3.09 yd³ and at 2 in is 6.17 yd³.

Tips

  • Match the product to the job. Bagged “garden soil” and “raised bed mix” are usually lighter blends than bulk screened topsoil; check the bag label for what’s in it.
  • Fill raised beds in stages. Soil settles after the first few waterings, so keep some back to top up.
  • Raising a low spot a lot? Use cheaper fill dirt for the bulk and topsoil only for the top layer; see the dirt calculator.
  • Finishing the bed? The mulch calculator covers the layer on top.

Questions

How many bags of topsoil make a cubic yard?

36 bags of 0.75 cu ft or 27 bags of 1 cu ft. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.

How much topsoil do I need for a raised bed?

Multiply length × width × depth in feet. A 4 × 8 ft bed filled 12 in deep takes 32 ft³: 1.19 yd³ or 43 bags of 0.75 cu ft.

How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?

About 2,000 lb dry, 2,400 lb moist and 2,800 lb saturated, per Topsoil.com’s averages.

How much area does a yard of topsoil cover?

162 ft² at 2 in deep, 81 ft² at 4 in and 54 ft² at 6 in.

Sources

  1. How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?, Topsoil.com.
    Used for: Dry, moist and saturated topsoil weights; moist as the default for delivery estimates.
  2. Starting a New Lawn, University of Maryland Extension, Mar 16, 2026.
    Used for: 1–2 in of compost equals about 3–6 cubic yards per 1,000 ft²; till 4–6 in deep.

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