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Topsoil calculator

Work out how many cubic yards or bags of topsoil, fill dirt or garden soil you need for a new lawn, a raised bed or a garden, with extra for settling.

Units
What is it for?
Shape

New lawns need at least 4 in; 6 in is better.

Identical beds or areas.

%

10% for lawns and beds; 20% for compost-rich raised-bed mix.

Topsoil needed

4.07 cubic yards

110 cubic feet, with 10% extra for settling

0.75 cu ft bags
147Often sold as 40 lb bags
1 cu ft bags
110
Approximate weight
4.48 tonsDry soil; wet soil weighs more

Cost estimate

per cubic yard

Bulk: $102 plus delivery

Typical US price $15 to $50 per cubic yard (Angi, HomeAdvisor, LawnLove, October 2026). Delivery is often $50 to $150 per trip.

per bag

Bags: $515 for 147 bags

Typical US price $2 to $5 per bag (LawnLove, October 2026).

How it's calculated
  1. Area: 200 sq ft × depth 6 in = 100 cu ft
  2. Add 10% for settling: 110 cu ft
  3. 110 cu ft ÷ 27 = 4.07 cubic yards
  4. Bags: 110 cu ft ÷ 0.75 cu ft = 146.7, rounded up to 147

Estimates use manufacturer data sheets and industry guides (sources). Check local codes and your supplier's figures before you order.

How to use the topsoil calculator

  1. Choose what the soil is for. New lawn and raised bed set a sensible depth and settling allowance.
  2. Pick the shape of the area and enter its size, or choose Known area to type the square footage. For several identical raised beds, set How many.
  3. Adjust the depth if you need more or less.
  4. Read the cubic yards for a bulk delivery, or the number of bags for a small job.

How to calculate topsoil

Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 × (1 + settling %)

Example: a lawn area 30 × 20 ft, covered 6 in deep, is 600 sq ft × 0.5 ft = 300 cubic feet, or 11.1 cubic yards. With 10% extra for settling, order about 12.2 cubic yards.

Raised bed example: two beds of 8 × 4 ft, 12 in deep, hold 2 × 32 = 64 cubic feet. With 20% extra that’s 76.8 cubic feet: 2.8 cubic yards, or 103 bags of 0.75 cubic feet.

How deep to go

Project Depth
New lawn on poor or graded subsoil 4 in minimum, 6 in better (100 to 150 mm)
Raised bed for greens, beans, cucumbers At least 8 in (200 mm)
Raised bed for tomatoes, peppers, squash 12 to 24 in (300 to 600 mm)
Typical raised bed 6 to 12 in (150 to 300 mm)

Extension services often suggest filling raised beds with a mix of topsoil and compost rather than topsoil alone; Illinois Extension suggests equal parts. The calculator gives the total volume, so split it however you plan to mix.

Bulk or bags

Amount Usually cheaper as
A few cubic feet (one small bed, patching) Bags
More than about a cubic yard Bulk delivery

A cubic yard is 36 bags of 0.75 cubic feet, so bags add up quickly. Bulk soil is delivered by dump truck: make sure there’s a spot it can tip onto, and put a tarp down if it’s going on a driveway.

For the layer on top of a new bed, use the mulch calculator. For anything else sold by the yard, the cubic yard calculator does the conversion, and the square feet to acres calculator sizes a large lot.

Questions and answers

How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?

At least 4 inches, and 6 inches or more is better. New Mexico State University's turf guide calls 4 inches the absolute minimum and recommends 4 to 6 inches after firming. For 1,000 square feet at 6 inches, that's 18.5 cubic yards before settling.

How deep should a raised bed be?

Most raised beds are 6 to 12 inches deep (University of Illinois Extension). The University of Maryland suggests at least 8 inches for leafy greens, beans and cucumbers, and 12 to 24 inches for tomatoes, peppers and squash.

How many bags of topsoil make a cubic yard?

36 bags of 0.75 cubic feet, or 27 bags of 1 cubic foot. A 40 lb bag holds 0.75 to 1 cubic foot depending on the brand, so check the label.

How much extra should I order for settling?

Loose soil settles after it's spread and watered. Suppliers advise ordering 10 to 15% extra, and compost-rich raised-bed mixes settle more. The calculator adds 10% for lawns and 20% for raised beds.

How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?

About 1.1 tons (2,200 lb), the figure the calculator uses, though it varies a lot with moisture and how loose the soil is. Suppliers quote about 1 to 1.3 tons for typical topsoil, and Caterpillar's tables put loose dry topsoil at about 0.8 tons per cubic yard. Wet soil is heavier, which matters if you're hauling it in a pickup.

How much is a yard of topsoil?

Bulk topsoil usually costs $10 to $55 per cubic yard, and most homeowners pay $15 to $30 (Angi). Delivery adds about $50 to $150 per trip. Bagged topsoil costs about $2 to $5 a bag (LawnLove).

How much does a yard of topsoil cover?

81 square feet at 4 inches deep, 54 at 6 inches and 162 at 2 inches. Order about 10% more for settling, the calculator's default for lawns.

How much area does a ton of topsoil cover?

At about 1.1 tons per cubic yard, a ton of topsoil is about 24.5 cu ft: enough for about 74 sq ft at 4 in deep or 49 sq ft at 6 in. Ask your supplier for the weight of their soil.

Is a dirt calculator the same as a topsoil calculator?

For volume, yes: topsoil, fill dirt and garden soil are all worked out as length × width × depth and sold by the cubic yard or the bag. Only the weight differs, and the calculator's weight figure is for topsoil.

Sources

Figures checked October 2026.