About the Topsoil Calculator
This topsoil calculator estimates how much topsoil, fill dirt or garden soil you need to cover an area to a given depth. Enter the length and width in feet, the depth in inches and the material, and it returns the volume in cubic feet and cubic yards, the approximate weight in pounds and tons, the number of bags and the delivered cost at your price per yard.
Use it when leveling a yard, preparing ground for sod or seed, filling low spots or building up planting areas. Bulk soil is sold by the cubic yard, but trucks are limited by weight, so the weight estimate helps you check whether one delivery will do or whether a pickup can carry it.
Weights are typical loose, moderately moist figures; wet soil can be 20–30% heavier. A settling allowance of about 10–20% accounts for compaction after raking and watering. For new lawns, 4–6 inches of topsoil is a common target.
With the default inputs, the soil needed is 4.07 cu yd. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the topsoil calculator
- 1Measure the area length and width in feet.
- 2Decide the depth — 4–6 inches for new lawns, 1–2 inches for top-dressing.
- 3Pick the material and a settling allowance.
- 4Enter your supplier’s price per cubic yard.
- 5Order the cubic yards shown and check the weight against your delivery or trailer limit.
Formula and method
The area (length × width) is multiplied by the depth converted to feet (inches ÷ 12) to get cubic feet. A settling allowance is added because loose soil compacts once it is spread, raked and watered, then the total is divided by 27 to convert to cubic yards.
Weight uses typical loose bulk densities: about 2,200 lb per cubic yard for screened topsoil, 2,400 for fill dirt, 1,600 for a light garden soil or compost blend and 2,700 for sand. Moisture content changes these figures, so treat weight as an estimate.
- Depth
- Layer thickness in inches
- Settling %
- Extra volume for compaction
- Density
- Pounds per cubic yard of the chosen material
Worked examples
20 × 15 ft area, 4 inches of topsoil
300 sq ft at 4 inches is 100 cubic feet; with 10% settling it becomes 110 cu ft, or 4.07 cubic yards. At about 2,200 lb per yard that weighs roughly 4.5 tons and costs about $143 at $35 per yard.
Fill dirt: 50 × 20 ft at 2 inches
1,000 sq ft at 2 inches is 166.7 cubic feet, or 6.17 cubic yards. At about 2,400 lb per yard, fill dirt weighs around 7.4 tons.
Garden blend: 10 × 10 ft at 6 inches
100 sq ft at 6 inches is 50 cubic feet; adding 10% settling gives 55 cu ft or 2.04 cubic yards, weighing about 3,260 lb for a light compost blend.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?+
Dry screened topsoil weighs roughly 2,000–2,200 lb (about 1–1.1 tons) per cubic yard. Wet soil can weigh 2,500–3,000 lb, so weight varies with moisture and clay content.
How much area does a cubic yard of topsoil cover?+
One cubic yard covers about 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches deep.
How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?+
Aim for 4–6 inches of good topsoil for a new lawn. For 1,000 sq ft that is about 12.3 cubic yards at 4 inches or 18.5 cubic yards at 6 inches, before settling.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?+
Topsoil is the upper, organic-rich layer that supports plant growth. Fill dirt is subsoil with little organic matter, used to raise grade or fill holes, and is then usually capped with topsoil.
How many bags of topsoil equal a yard?+
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft, 27 bags of 1 cu ft or 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft.