Topsoil calculator
Enter the area and finished depth to get how much topsoil to order. The calculator adds 20% for settling by default (change it under More options).
Enter your measurements
More options: Settling · Moisture · Bag price …
- Approx. weight
- 4.27 tons (8,533 lb)
- If you order bulk, ask for
- 4 cu yd
20 ft × 12 ft = 240 sq ft
240 sq ft × 4 in ÷ 12 = 80 cu ft ÷ 27 = 2.96 cu yd
2.96 cu yd + 20% for settling = 3.56 cu yd
3.56 cu yd × 1.2 tons/cu yd ≈ 4.27 tons
Bulk: 3.56 cu yd rounded up to the next ½ cu yd = 4 cu yd
- That many bags is a lot of carrying. Bulk topsoil is usually far cheaper at this volume — ask about delivery and whether it is screened.
- Hauling it yourself? At roughly 1,500 lb per load — a typical half-ton pickup payload; check the sticker in your door jamb — that is about 6 trips. Soil fills the payload long before it fills the bed.
- Spread it about 20% deeper than the finished depth: 4 in firmed is about 4.8 in loose. Water or roll it, then fill any dips before seeding.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much topsoil for a new 1,000 sq ft lawn | 14.8 cu yd |
| How much topsoil for a 10×10 garden bed | 2.22 cu yd |
| How much topsoil for 50 m² at 10 cm | 6 m³ |
Topsoil needed by depth
| Depth | Topsoil needed | Approx. weight | Bags to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 0.89 cu yd | 1.07 tons | 32 bags |
| 2 in | 1.78 cu yd | 2.13 tons | 64 bags |
| 4 in | 3.56 cu yd | 4.27 tons | 128 bags |
| 6 in | 5.33 cu yd | 6.4 tons | 192 bags |
| 8 in | 7.11 cu yd | 8.53 tons | 256 bags |
| 12 in | 10.7 cu yd | 12.8 tons | 384 bags |
Loose soil off the truck settles as it is watered and rolled, which is what the extra covers. The weight is an estimate — a cubic yard of topsoil (27 cubic feet, a 3 ft cube) can weigh anywhere from about 1 to 1.4 tons depending on how wet it is.
How the topsoil calculation works
Topsoil is sold by volume in bulk (cubic yards or m³) and by volume in bags, but trucks and scales care about weight. The calculator gets volume from area × depth, adds an allowance for settling, then multiplies by a typical density to estimate tons.
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 to order = cubic yards × (1 + settling allowance) tons ≈ cubic yards to order × density (≈ 1.0–1.4 tons per cu yd)
Density matters because soil holds water. Dry, loose topsoil can be around a ton per cubic yard; the same soil after a week of rain can be 40% heavier. That is why some yards sell by the ton and others by the yard — ask which, and convert with your supplier’s own number if they have one.
Why the calculator adds 20% for settling
The depths extension services give for lawns are firmed depths: Penn State and New Mexico State both ask for 4–6 in of topsoil after firming. Screened soil straight off the truck is fluffy. Soil suppliers commonly quote 10–15% settling over the first season on its own, and watering, rolling and foot traffic while you grade take it further, so the calculator adds 20% by default. On a thin topdressing there is little to settle, so drop it to 5–10%. If you would rather see the exact geometry, set it to 0.
How deep should topsoil be?
| Job | Typical finished depth |
|---|---|
| Topdressing / leveling an existing lawn | ¼–½ in per pass |
| Filling low spots in a lawn | Up to 2 in at a time, then let grass grow through |
| New lawn from seed or sod | 4–6 in of good soil, measured after firming |
| New garden bed on poor ground | 6–12 in, mixed into the soil below |
| Raised beds | Usually a blended mix — see the raised bed calculator |
Three common jobs, worked out
A new lawn is the big one: How much topsoil for a new 1,000 sq ft lawn walks through a delivery of about fifteen yards, and why Penn State Extension suggests working the first couple of inches into the ground underneath instead of leaving a sharp layer. For a vegetable plot, How much topsoil for a 10×10 garden bed covers building up 6 inches on poor ground. Working in metric? How much topsoil for 50 m² at 10 cm compares bulk bags with a loose tipper load.
If you only need the raw volume of dirt or fill for a hole or a low area, How many cubic yards of dirt for a 10×10 area, 4 inches deep shows the inches-to-feet step that trips most people up. Top-dressing an existing lawn with compost instead of soil is a much thinner job: see How much compost to topdress 1,000 sq ft of lawn.
Buying tips
- Ask for screened topsoil if you are seeding or leveling — unscreened soil carries rocks, roots and clods.
- Bagged topsoil is convenient for patching; at more than a yard or so, bulk is almost always cheaper per yard. Yards usually sell in half- or whole-yard steps, so the calculator prices bulk on the rounded-up order; set the step, the yard’s minimum and the truck size under More options.
- Get a soil test before adding a lot of soil or amendments — you may only need compost, not new soil.
- A standard pickup bed holds roughly 1–2 cubic yards of soil depending on size, but the weight can exceed a half-ton truck’s payload. Check your truck’s rating.
Topdressing, loose vs firmed depth and the other terms a soil yard uses are explained in words you’ll hear at the yard.
What you’ll need
- Wheelbarrow (6 cu ft class)Mid-range price
Most home wheelbarrows hold 4–6 cubic feet — so a cubic yard of mulch is five or six trips. Two wheels are steadier on soft ground.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Square-point transfer shovelBudget price
Flat blade for scooping gravel, soil and sand off a driveway pile — a round shovel leaves too much behind.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Bow rake / landscape rakeBudget price
Steel tines for spreading gravel and soil and leveling it flat. The flat back of a bow rake doubles as a leveling tool.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Soil test kitBudget price
A quick read on pH and nutrients. For detailed results, many state extension labs offer inexpensive mail-in tests.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
Typically about 1 to 1.4 short tons (roughly 2,000–2,800 lb), depending mostly on moisture. Dry, screened soil is at the light end; wet soil at the heavy end. Your supplier can give you a figure for their material.
How much topsoil do I need for 1,000 sq ft?
About 3.1 cubic yards per inch of finished depth, so 12.3 cubic yards in place at 4 in, or 14.8 cubic yards to order with 20% for settling. The full worked example is How much topsoil for a new 1,000 sq ft lawn.
How many bags of topsoil make a yard?
36 bags of 0.75 cu ft, or 27 bags of 1 cu ft. That is why bulk usually wins once you need more than a yard. The same division works for any bagged material — see How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard.
Should I buy topsoil by the ton or by the yard?
Either works if you convert correctly. A yard is a fixed volume; a ton of wet soil is less volume than a ton of dry soil. When buying by the ton, ask the supplier how many yards per ton their soil runs.
How much extra topsoil should I order for settling?
Suppliers commonly quote 10–15% settling in the first season, and more once the soil is rolled and watered for a seedbed, so the calculator adds 20% by default. For a ¼–½ in topdressing, 5–10% is enough. The new 1,000 sq ft lawn example shows the difference in yards.
Related guides
Sources
- Penn State Extension: Lawn Establishment (opens in a new tab) — A minimum of 4–6 in (firmed) of good topsoil for new turf; blend about 2 in into the subsoil.
- NMSU Extension Guide H-509: Turfgrass Establishment (opens in a new tab) — Add topsoil to a total depth of 4–6 in after firming; water to settle before fine grading.
- Harbor Soils — How much topsoil do I need? (opens in a new tab) — New topsoil typically settles 10–15% in the first season; topdress established lawns 1/4–1/2 in.
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement (opens in a new tab) — 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
- Gravel Monkey — How many tons of gravel in a dump truck? (opens in a new tab) — Typical payloads: single-axle about 6–10 tons, tandem 12–16, tri-axle 18–25; gravel hits the weight limit before the bed is full.