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Topsoil Calculator

Area 1

Sample shape, not to scale.

No result yet. Enter length, width and depth.

Buying options

Starts at 0%. No authoritative source we found says how much extra topsoil to allow, so none is added. Enter a percentage of your own if you want spare.

Bag size

Optional. The volume printed on your bag, in cubic feet. When entered, it is used instead of the sizes above.

Starting value: 1.05 tons per cu yd. Sources give 0.80 to 1.05 tons per cu yd for loose, dry topsoil. The two tables give different figures, so this is a starting value, the higher of the two. Wet soil weighs more: CIWMB gives 1.5 tons per cu yd for excavated, wet earth. Use your supplier's figure if you have one, or empty the field to leave the weight out.

Embed this calculator

Paste this code into your page. The calculator works inside the frame, with a link back to this page under it.

How to calculate topsoil

Topsoil is sold in bags marked in cubic feet and in bulk by the cubic yard. Both figures come from one volume.

Multiply the area you are covering by the depth of soil you want. Keep the units the same: with the area in square feet, the depth has to be in feet too, so 6 in becomes 0.5 ft. That gives cubic feet.

For a bulk order, divide the cubic feet by 27. For bags, divide by the cubic feet printed on the bag and round up, because part of a bag cannot be bought.

Soil is rarely spread to an even depth. Measure the depth in a few places and use the average.

Examples

Raised bed: 8 ft × 4 ft × 6 in

  1. Area: 8 ft × 4 ft = 32 sq ft = 2.97 m²
  2. Volume: 32 sq ft × 6 in = 16.0 cu ft = 0.59 cu yd
  3. With 0% waste: 16.0 cu ft + 0% = 16.0 cu ft = 0.59 cu yd
  4. Bulk order: 16.0 cu ft ÷ 27, rounded up to 0.01 cu yd = 0.60 cu yd
  5. Bags: 16.0 cu ft ÷ 0.75 cu ft per bag, rounded up = 22
  6. Weight of the topsoil: 0.59 cu yd × 1.05 tons per cu yd = 0.62 tons
  7. Cost: 22 bags × $2.50 = $55.00

22 0.75 cu ft bags no waste added. Bulk order: 0.60 cu yd. Weight of the topsoil: 0.62 tons. Estimated cost: $55.00.

Round low spot in a lawn: 10 ft × 2 in

  1. Area: π × (10 ft ÷ 2)² = 78.5 sq ft = 7.30 m²
  2. Volume: π × (10 ft ÷ 2)² × 2 in = 13.1 cu ft = 0.48 cu yd
  3. With 0% waste: 13.1 cu ft + 0% = 13.1 cu ft = 0.48 cu yd
  4. Bulk order: 13.1 cu ft ÷ 27, rounded up to 0.01 cu yd = 0.49 cu yd
  5. Bags: 13.1 cu ft ÷ 0.75 cu ft per bag, rounded up = 18
  6. Weight of the topsoil: 0.48 cu yd × 1.05 tons per cu yd = 0.51 tons

18 0.75 cu ft bags no waste added. Bulk order: 0.49 cu yd. Weight of the topsoil: 0.51 tons.

Area already measured: 200 sq ft × 2 in

  1. Area: 200 sq ft = 200 sq ft = 18.58 m²
  2. Volume: 200 sq ft × 2 in = 33.3 cu ft = 1.23 cu yd
  3. With 0% waste: 33.3 cu ft + 0% = 33.3 cu ft = 1.23 cu yd
  4. Bulk order: 33.3 cu ft ÷ 27, rounded up to 0.01 cu yd = 1.24 cu yd
  5. Bags: 33.3 cu ft ÷ 0.75 cu ft per bag, rounded up = 45
  6. Weight of the topsoil: 1.23 cu yd × 1.05 tons per cu yd = 1.30 tons

45 0.75 cu ft bags no waste added. Bulk order: 1.24 cu yd. Weight of the topsoil: 1.30 tons.

Topsoil by area and depth

Shape and sizeVolume0.75 cu ft1 cu ft
Rectangle: 10 ft × 10 ft × 1 in0.31 cu yd129
Rectangle: 10 ft × 10 ft × 2 in0.62 cu yd2317
Rectangle: 10 ft × 10 ft × 3 in0.93 cu yd3425
Rectangle: 10 ft × 10 ft × 4 in1.24 cu yd4534
Rectangle: 20 ft × 10 ft × 4 in2.47 cu yd8967
Triangle: 10 ft × 6 ft × 3 in0.28 cu yd108

Bags needed for each bag size, no waste added. The volume includes the waste.

What bulk topsoil weighs

Questions

How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?

Thirty-six bags of 0.75 cu ft, since 27 ÷ 0.75 = 36. At that count a bulk delivery is usually worth pricing.

Can I price a bulk delivery instead of bags?

Yes. Set "Buy as" to bulk. The main number becomes cubic yards, rounded up to the next hundredth, and the price field becomes a price per cubic yard. The bag count moves to the line underneath. A price per bag you entered earlier is kept for when you switch back.

Why are 0.75 and 1 cu ft the only bag sizes?

They are the topsoil bag sizes we could confirm on at least two product pages each. Bags of 1.5 and 2 cu ft exist, but the pages we could open sold garden soil in those sizes, not topsoil. For any other bag, type the cubic feet printed on it into "Your own bag size".

The bag says it covers 4 sq ft at 2 in. Why does the calculator count fewer bags than that suggests?

Four square feet at 2 in is 0.67 cu ft by geometry, a little less than the 0.75 cu ft in the bag. The coverage on the bag leaves about 11% spare. The calculator uses the full stated volume and adds nothing, so put a percentage in the waste field if you want the same margin.

How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?

Two public tables give 0.8 and 1.05 tons per cubic yard for loose soil, and one of them lists wet, dug earth at 1.5 tons. The weight line uses 1.05 tons, the higher figure, as a starting value. Change it under "Density for the weight" if your supplier gives another figure, and check the trailer's rating before you load it.

How deep should the topsoil be?

The calculator leaves that to you. The right depth depends on the soil already there and on what you plan to grow, and the sources this site draws on do not give a figure. A local extension office can advise for your area.

Does this work for compost, garden soil or fill dirt?

The cubic yards do, because they depend only on the space being filled. The bag count holds for any product in a bag of the size you choose. The weight is for topsoil only.

My bed is a ring, a trapezoid or an odd shape. Which shape do I pick?

Ring is for a bed around a tree trunk or a round feature. Enter the outer and inner diameters, each measured straight across through the centre. Trapezoid is for a bed with two parallel sides. Enter both sides and the distance between them, measured at a right angle. If you already know the area in square feet, choose Known area and type it in with the depth. Any other outline can be split into pieces, each added with "Add another area".

Related tools

Guides

Sources

Area × depth is plain geometry, and so is dividing by 27 for cubic yards. Each bag size is stated on at least two product pages (0.75 cu ft by Scotts and Farm & Fleet, 1 cu ft by three garden and hardware stores). The weight range comes from two state tables that give different figures. No source we found gives a default allowance for extra soil.

Methodology and sources

Last reviewed: October 8, 2026