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Topsoil Calculator

Estimate topsoil in cubic yards, tons and bags for lawns and beds.

Area shape

New lawns and gardens are commonly 4–6 in; raised beds use the bed height.

Sets the density used for the optional weight in tons.

Fresh topsoil settles ~10–20% after watering and time. Keep 10% to reach final grade after it settles.

Enter your area and depth to see how many cubic yards of topsoil you need.

Shop bagged topsoil →

BuildFigure — Topsoil estimate
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Estimate only — verify quantities before ordering.

How much topsoil do I need?

To figure out how much topsoil you need, multiply length × width × depth (in feet) to get cubic feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then add ~10% for settling. For example, a 30 ft × 20 ft garden at 6 inches deep needs about 11.11 cubic yards — roughly 12.22 cubic yards with settling, or about 13.44 tons of screened topsoil. Enter your area above for an instant estimate in cubic yards, tons and bags you can print or share.

How we calculate topsoil

  • Rectangular: area (sq ft) = length × width
  • Circular: area (sq ft) = π × (diameter ÷ 2)²
  • Volume (cu ft) = area × depth — all in feet
  • Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
  • With settling = cubic yards × (1 + settling%) · Tons = cubic yards × density
  • Screened topsoil ≈ 1.10 tons/cu yd (moist 1.35 · compost 1.00)

How to use this calculator

  1. Pick a shape. Choose a rectangular or circular area — a raised bed is just a rectangle at the bed height.
  2. Enter dimensions. Type length and width (or diameter) and the depth to fill.
  3. Choose the soil. Select screened, moist or compost so the weight in tons is right.
  4. Read your estimate. See cubic yards (primary), tons and bags, then print or share it.

Tips & real-world notes

  • Order extra for settling — loose fill drops after rain and irrigation, so top up to reach final grade.
  • Weight swings with moisture: a “yard” of wet topsoil can weigh 40%+ more than dry, screened soil.
  • For raised beds, a common blend is roughly 60% topsoil to 40% compost — pick the closest soil type for weight, and mix in compost by volume.
  • Fill dirt (subsoil) is for bulk grading and leveling, not for growing — save screened topsoil for the top 4–6 inches where roots live.
  • Trucks sell by the cubic yard; confirm the supplier’s yardage against your estimate.

Frequently asked questions

How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, and add ~10% for settling. A 30 ft × 20 ft garden at 6 inches needs about 12.22 cubic yards.
How many tons is a cubic yard of topsoil?
About 1.10 tons for loose screened topsoil, rising to 1.30–1.40 tons when moist. Compost and garden mixes are lighter at roughly 1.00 ton per cubic yard.
How deep should topsoil be?
Plan 4–6 inches for new lawns and gardens. For raised beds, fill to the bed height, often 8–12 inches.
Why add a settling factor?
Fresh topsoil settles 10–20% after watering and time, so ordering about 10% extra keeps the finished grade at the height you want.
How much topsoil for a lawn?
For a light lawn topdressing, 1–2 inches is typical; for a new lawn bed, 4–6 inches. Enter your lawn size and depth above to get cubic yards and tons.
How much topsoil for a 1,000 sq ft lawn?
It depends on depth. At 2 inches for a topdressing, 1,000 sq ft needs about 166.7 cu ft ÷ 27 ≈ 6.2 cubic yards (about 6.8 with settling). At 4 inches for a new lawn bed it’s about 12.3 cubic yards (roughly 13.6 with settling), or near 15 tons of screened topsoil.
How much soil for a 4×8 raised bed?
A 4 ft × 8 ft bed is 32 sq ft. At 10 inches deep that’s 32 × 0.83 ft ≈ 26.7 cu ft — about 1 cubic yard, or roughly 36 of the 0.75 cu ft (~40 lb) bags. Fill a full 12-inch bed and it’s 32 cu ft (about 1.19 cubic yards, ~43 bags). Above about a cubic yard, bulk delivery is usually cheaper than bags.
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
With the common 0.75 cu ft (~40 lb) bag, a cubic yard is 27 ÷ 0.75 = 36 bags. Larger 1 cu ft bags take 27 per yard, and 1.5 cu ft bags take 18. That’s why bulk delivery wins once you pass roughly a cubic yard.
What’s the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is the dark, screened upper layer rich in organic matter — it’s what plants and grass root into, so use it for the top 4–6 inches of beds and lawns. Fill dirt is the subsoil below it: cheaper, denser and low in organics, meant for bulk grading, leveling and raising low spots, not for growing. Many projects use fill dirt to build up a base, then cap it with topsoil.

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