Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards, tons, and bags of topsoil for beds, lawns, and fill.
Input sheet
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Topsoil is quoted in cubic yards by the truckload and in tiny fractions of a yard by the bag, so the same bed can cost $90 or $400 depending on how you buy it. This calculator gives the volume in yards, tons, and bags so you can compare both routes.
How it works
Length × width × depth in feet, divided by 27 for cubic yards. Dry screened topsoil runs about 1.1 tons per cubic yard; a typical bag holds 0.75 cu ft.
Volume is area times depth: length × width in feet, times depth converted from inches to feet, divided by 27 to reach cubic yards. Depth is the lever — doubling from 2 to 4 inches doubles the order.
Weight matters for delivery quotes because some suppliers sell soil by the ton. Dry screened topsoil runs roughly 1.1 tons per cubic yard; moisture pushes it toward 1.3. If a quote by weight looks different from a quote by volume, wet soil is usually the reason.
Cubic feet = length × width × (depth ÷ 12); cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27; tons ≈ yards × 1.1. A typical bag holds 0.75 cu ft.
Worked examples
A 20 × 10 ft garden bed getting 4 inches of new soil. → About 2.5 cubic yards — 89 bags or one small dump load.
20 × 10 × 0.333 = 66.7 cu ft; ÷ 27 ≈ 2.5 yd; ÷ 0.75 ≈ 89 bags. Bulk wins decisively here.
Topdressing a 50 × 40 ft lawn area with 4 inches for new grass. → About 24.7 cubic yards — a multi-truck bulk order.
50 × 40 × 0.333 = 666.7 cu ft ≈ 24.7 yd, roughly 27 tons. That is bulk-delivery territory, full stop.
Tips & gotchas
- Past about one cubic yard, bulk delivery is almost always cheaper than bags — and you skip hauling 60 bags through the yard.
- Order screened topsoil for beds and lawns; unscreened 'fill dirt' is for raising grade, not growing things.
- A cubic yard spreads about 100 sq ft at 3 inches deep — a handy sanity check on any estimate.
FAQ
How deep should new topsoil be?
2–3 inches to top-dress an existing lawn, 4–6 inches for new grass or garden beds.
Topsoil, garden soil, or compost?
Topsoil is the base material for grading and lawns. Garden soil is topsoil blended with compost for planting beds. Pure compost is an amendment you mix in, not a fill material.
How deep for a new lawn?
4–6 inches of quality topsoil gives seed or sod real rooting depth. 2–3 inches works for topdressing an existing lawn you are overseeding.
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