Exact material estimates for every home & DIY project.

Topsoil Calculator

A topsoil calculator works out how much topsoil you need — in cubic yards and bags — to level a lawn, top a garden or fill a raised bed, from the area and depth.

Your measurements

Result
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Topsoil comes in bulk for big jobs or bags for small ones. A new lawn wants a few inches; a raised bed wants most of a foot — set the depth and the calculator handles the rest.

How it is calculated

Volume = area × depth, in cubic yards. Tons use ~1.1 tons per cubic yard (moist soil is heavier). Bag count assumes 1.5 ft³ bags. Soil settles, so a small over-order is sensible.

Steps

  1. Enter the area, or length and width.
  2. Set the depth — 3-4 in to top a lawn, 8-12 in for a raised bed.
  3. Read the cubic yards for a bulk order, or the bag count.
  4. Use screened topsoil where you'll plant.
  5. Order a little extra; soil settles after watering.

Worked example

A 200 sq ft bed at 4 in deep needs about 2.47 cubic yards of topsoil — roughly 45 bags of 1.5 ft³.

Common questions

How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply area by depth for the volume in cubic yards. The calculator also gives a bag count.
How deep should topsoil be?
About 3-4 in to top-dress a lawn; 8-12 in for raised beds and new planting areas.
How many bags in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet — about 18 bags of 1.5 ft³, or 36 of the smaller 0.75 ft³ bags.
Topsoil, garden soil or compost?
Topsoil is the base; garden soil is topsoil with amendments; compost is the organic booster you mix in. Use the compost calculator for that.

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