Topsoil Calculator
Enter your area’s length, width, and depth below to calculate how much topsoil you need, in cubic yards or tons. Before you order, it’s worth confirming which of three commonly confused products you actually need. Ordering the wrong one is a common and expensive mistake.
- Cubic yards
- 2.78 cu yd
- Order (rounded up)
- 3 cu yd
- Weight
- 3.1 tons
Topsoil typically runs 1 to 1.2 tons per cubic yard. Adjust the density above if your supplier quotes a different figure, since moisture content affects actual weight.
How Much Topsoil by Area and Depth
Cubic yards = (Length ft × Width ft × Depth in.) ÷ 324
Example: A 15 ft × 10 ft garden area at 6 inches deep.
15 × 10 × 6 ÷ 324 = 2.8 cubic yards → order 3 cubic yards
Topsoil is lighter than gravel. Figure roughly 1 to 1.2 tons per cubic yard, compared to about 1.4 tons for typical crushed stone. If your supplier prices by weight:
2.8 cubic yards × 1.1 tons/yd³ ≈ 3.1 tons
What a Cubic Yard of Topsoil Actually Is
Suppliers sell by the cubic yard, but almost every practical question needs a different unit: will it fit in my truck, how many bags is that, how much will it weigh. One cubic yard equals:
| Unit | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Cubic feet | 27 cu ft |
| Cubic meters | 0.765 m³ |
| Liters | 765 L |
| US gallons | 202 gal |
| US quarts | 808 qt |
Weight Depends on Moisture, and the Spread Is Large
This is where most published figures mislead by giving a single number. Topsoil weight swings substantially with moisture content and whether it’s been screened:
| Condition | Per Cubic Yard | Density |
|---|---|---|
| Dry, screened | ~2,000 lb (1.0 ton) | ~74 lb/cu ft |
| Average moisture | ~2,200 lb (1.1 tons) | ~82 lb/cu ft |
| Wet or unscreened | ~2,400 lb (1.2 tons) | ~89 lb/cu ft |
Going the other way, one ton of topsoil is roughly 0.91 cubic yards at average moisture. The practical consequence is for hauling: a half-ton pickup is generally rated for about 1,000 lb of payload, so a single cubic yard of damp topsoil is already over double what the truck should carry. Most half-ton trucks can safely take about half a yard at a time.
The construction unit conversions guide carries the same conversions for gravel, mulch and asphalt, and explains why no single yards-to-tons figure works across materials.
Bagged Topsoil vs. Bulk
Bagged soil is priced per bag but sold by volume, and the bag sizes aren’t standardized. To reach one cubic yard:
| Bag Size | Bags per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| 0.75 cu ft (typical 40 lb bag) | 36 |
| 1 cu ft | 27 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 |
| 2 cu ft | 14 |
At 36 bags to the yard, bagged topsoil is almost always more expensive than bulk delivery once you need more than about 10–15 bags. Bulk becomes worth the delivery fee surprisingly quickly.
Coverage by Depth
How far a cubic yard goes depends entirely on how deep you’re spreading it:
| Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard | Coverage per 0.75 cu ft Bag |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 9 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 4.5 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 3 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | — |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | — |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft | — |
Fill Dirt vs. Topsoil vs. Garden Soil: Know Which One You Need
These three get used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they’re genuinely different products at different price points:
| Product | What It Is | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt | Subsoil with little to no organic matter, often includes clay, sand, or rock | Filling low spots, raising grade, and structural backfill, but not for growing anything |
| Topsoil | The nutrient-rich upper layer of soil, may or may not be screened for debris | General lawns, leveling, as a base layer under garden soil |
| Garden soil / planting mix | Topsoil blended with compost, amendments, and often screened fine | Raised beds, flower beds, vegetable gardens, or anywhere you’re planting directly |
Ordering fill dirt when you needed topsoil is the classic expensive mistake. It’s cheaper per yard, but plants won’t grow well in it, and you’ll end up buying topsoil on top of it anyway. If you’re building a raised bed or planting area, garden soil or a topsoil/compost blend is usually worth the extra cost over plain topsoil.
Screened vs. Unscreened Topsoil
“Screened” topsoil has been passed through a mesh screen to remove rocks, roots, and large debris. It costs more but is worth it for anywhere you’ll be planting or that needs a smooth finished surface, like a new lawn. Unscreened topsoil is fine for fill applications or areas that will be tilled and amended before planting anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much topsoil do I need for a raised garden bed?
- A standard 4 ft × 8 ft raised bed filled 12 inches deep needs about 1.2 cubic yards. Most people mix this with compost rather than using plain topsoil alone, since raised beds benefit from richer, better-draining soil.
- Can I use fill dirt for a garden?
- Not directly, because fill dirt typically lacks the organic matter and nutrients plants need. It's appropriate as a base layer to raise grade, topped with several inches of actual topsoil or garden soil where you'll be planting.
- How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn?
- 4 to 6 inches is standard for establishing a new lawn from seed or sod, enough to support healthy root development without needing to till deeply into the subsoil below.
- How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
- About 2,200 lb (1.1 tons) at average moisture. Dry screened topsoil runs closer to 2,000 lb, and wet or unscreened material can reach 2,400 lb or more. That spread matters for hauling: a half-ton pickup rated for roughly 1,000 lb of payload can safely carry only about half a cubic yard at a time.
- How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
- It depends on bag size, which is not standardized. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 36 of the typical 0.75 cu ft (40 lb) bags, 27 one-cubic-foot bags, 18 bags at 1.5 cu ft, or 14 bags at 2 cu ft. Once you need more than about 10–15 bags, bulk delivery is usually cheaper even after the delivery fee.
- How many cubic feet are in a yard of soil?
- 27 cubic feet. A cubic yard also works out to about 0.765 cubic meters, 765 liters, 202 US gallons, or 808 quarts, useful when comparing bulk pricing against bagged product sold in liters or quarts.
- Is topsoil sold by weight or volume?
- Both are used, depending on the supplier: bulk delivery is often priced by the cubic yard, while some suppliers price by the ton. Since topsoil moisture content varies, weight-based pricing can fluctuate more than volume-based pricing for the same amount of material.
Estimates on this page are for planning purposes. Confirm product type and quantity with your supplier, especially for large delivery orders.
Written by: The CubedCalc Team. We research and fact-check every calculator using manufacturer specs, building codes, and industry references. We are not licensed contractors or engineers; always verify structural or code-critical numbers with a qualified professional.