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Topsoil Calculator
Find out exactly how much topsoil your bed, lawn, or garden project needs — in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters — before you order. Enter your area and depth, and the calculator adds a sensible 10 percent extra for settling and waste, so you do not run short halfway through the job.
It also estimates how many bags you would need, the approximate weight of the load, and the cost at your local price per cubic yard. Change the shape, switch between feet and meters, or open Advanced options to adjust the waste percentage, bag size, and price.
Advanced options
Waste percentage, bag size, and price per cubic yard are already included in the result with their default values — open this section to change them.
Your information is not stored. Calculations are done in your browser.
55.00 cubic feet (1.56 cubic meters) for a 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 6 in deep, including 10% extra for settling and waste.
| Base volume (no extra) | 50.00 cubic feet / 1.85 cubic yards |
| Extra for settling and waste (10%) | 5.00 cubic feet |
| Total to order | 55.00 cubic feet / 2.04 cubic yards / 1.56 cubic meters |
| Bags needed (2 cu ft bags) | 28 bags |
| Estimated weight (estimate only) | 4,074 lb (2.04 tons) |
| Estimated cost at $45 per cubic yard | $91.67 |
Weight is an estimate only: it assumes about 2,000 lb per cubic yard for dry topsoil. Moist topsoil can weigh up to about 2,700 lb per cubic yard, so a real load may be heavier. Cost uses the price you enter; delivery fees are not included.
Key takeaways
- A 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 6 in deep needs 50.00 cubic feet of topsoil, which is 1.85 cubic yards before any extra.
- With the default 10% extra for settling and waste, order 55.00 cubic feet, or 2.04 cubic yards — that is 28 bags of 2 cu ft topsoil.
- That order weighs an estimated 4,074 lb (about 2.04 tons) and costs an estimated $91.67 at $45 per cubic yard.
- Measure depth in inches, convert it to feet by dividing by 12, then multiply by the area in square feet to get cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.
Contents
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Topsoil is the living top layer, bought by volume and laid by depth. This guide explains coverage, depth for lawns and beds, weight and bags
Complete guide: how topsoil is measured
The formula
For a rectangular bed: volume in cubic feet equals length in feet times width in feet times depth in feet. Depth in inches becomes feet when you divide by 12. For a circular bed, the area is pi times the radius squared, and the radius is half the diameter. Then divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, because one cubic yard is 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft, or 27 cubic feet. Multiply cubic feet by 0.0283168 to get cubic meters.
Worked examples
| Project | Base volume | With 10% extra |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft by 10 ft bed, 6 in deep | 50.00 cu ft / 1.85 cu yd | 55.00 cu ft / 2.04 cu yd / 28 bags of 2 cu ft |
| Circular bed, 10 ft diameter, 4 in deep | 26.18 cu ft / 0.97 cu yd | 28.80 cu ft / 1.07 cu yd / 15 bags of 2 cu ft |
| 3 m by 2 m bed, 15 cm deep | 31.78 cu ft / 1.18 cu yd | 34.96 cu ft / 1.29 cu yd / 18 bags of 2 cu ft |
How deep should topsoil be?
Topdressing an existing lawn usually needs only 0.25 to 0.5 in. A new lawn generally needs 4 to 6 in of topsoil. Raised garden beds and vegetable plots do well at 6 to 12 in, and deeper beds hold moisture better in dry weather. Measure the depth you actually plan to fill, not the height of the bed frame, if the bed already holds some soil.
Bags or bulk?
Small jobs are cheaper and easier in bags, while large jobs are almost always cheaper in bulk by the cubic yard. As a rough guide, one cubic yard equals about fourteen 2 cu ft bags, because 27 divided by 2 is 13.5. If your total is under about 1 cubic yard, bags are usually the practical choice. Above that, compare the bulk price per cubic yard, including delivery, with the bag price.
Weight: why it is only an estimate
Topsoil weight changes a lot with moisture and composition. Dry screened topsoil weighs roughly 2,000 lb per cubic yard. The same soil after rain can weigh around 2,400 to 2,700 lb per cubic yard. This calculator labels weight as an estimate for that reason, and you should check your supplier’s figure before planning transport or checking a trailer’s load limit.
Common mistakes
- Mixing inches and feet: a depth of 6 means 6 inches here, not 6 feet. Entering depth in feet would overstate the order twelvefold.
- Ordering the exact base volume with no extra: soil settles, beds are rarely perfectly level, and a little spillage is normal. The default 10% extra covers most of that.
- Forgetting delivery costs: bulk prices are often quoted before delivery, so the cost estimate here is for the soil itself.
- Measuring the outside of a raised bed frame instead of the inside soil area, which inflates the result.
How it works
Measure the length and width, or the diameter for a round bed, and the depth you want to fill.
Type in the measurements, pick feet or meters, and adjust waste, bag size, or price in Advanced options if you want.
See cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, bag count, estimated weight, and estimated cost — then order the total, not just the base volume.
New guide: Topsoil Explained: Coverage, Depth, and How Much You Need
Topsoil is the upper layer of soil, dark with organic matter, where roots live and plants feed.
Volume = area × depth. A 10-square-metre bed at 10 cm deep needs 1 cubic metre of topsoil. The same bed at 15 cm needs 1.5 cubic metres. Depth is the input that most often goes wrong, usually by being guessed instead of measured. The full guide, Topsoil Explained: Coverage, Depth, and How Much You Need, works through the method in detail, with worked examples and the cases that most often go wrong.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards of topsoil do I need for a 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 6 in deep?
You need 1.85 cubic yards before any extra, and 2.04 cubic yards with the default 10% extra. That is 55.00 cubic feet, or 28 bags of 2 cu ft topsoil.
How many bags of topsoil do I need?
Divide your total cubic feet by the bag size and round up. For the 10 ft by 10 ft example at 6 in deep, 55.00 cubic feet divided by 2 cu ft per bag gives 28 bags after rounding up.
How deep should topsoil be for a lawn or garden bed?
Topdressing needs only 0.25 to 0.5 in. A new lawn generally needs 4 to 6 in, and a raised garden bed does well at 6 to 12 in.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
About 2,000 lb when dry. That is an estimate only: moist topsoil can weigh up to about 2,700 lb per cubic yard, so check with your supplier for transport planning.
How much does topsoil cost?
It varies by area and supplier. This calculator multiplies your total cubic yards by the price you enter. At $45 per cubic yard, the 10 ft by 10 ft example at 6 in deep costs an estimated $91.67 for the soil itself, before delivery.
How do I calculate topsoil for a circular bed?
Find the area with pi times the radius squared, where the radius is half the diameter, then multiply by the depth in feet. A 10 ft diameter bed at 4 in deep needs 26.18 cubic feet, or 0.97 cubic yards, before extra — 28.80 cubic feet, or 1.07 cubic yards, with 10% extra.
How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply the area by the depth: area in square metres × depth in metres = cubic metres. A 10 m² bed at 10 cm needs 1 m³; at 15 cm, 1.5 m³. Add 5% to 10% for settlement and uneven ground, and round up to the delivery unit.
How much does a cubic metre of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 1.1 to 1.4 tonnes loose, about 1.2 tonnes as a planning figure, rising with moisture. A cubic yard is about 0.76 cubic metres and weighs roughly 0.9 tonnes. Check access and handling before ordering loose: a tonne per cubic metre is heavy barrow work.
What is the difference between topsoil and mulch?
Topsoil is the growing medium, laid to a depth and planted into. Mulch is a surface covering laid on top of soil to suppress weeds and hold moisture. They are different materials, calculated the same way by area and depth, and each has its own guide.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for general information only and is not professional landscaping advice. Volumes are calculated from the measurements you enter, weight is an estimate that varies with moisture and soil type, and prices vary by supplier and location. Confirm quantities, weight limits, and delivered prices with your supplier before ordering.