Topsoil calculator
Add your areas and the depth to fill. You get cubic yards for bulk delivery, the weight, and the number of bags if you are buying it bagged.
Inputs
Result
Topsoil coverage chart
Square feet one cubic yard covers at each depth, before settling.
| Depth | Sq ft per cubic yard | Cubic yards per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|
How it is worked out
A 1,000 sq ft lawn topped with 4 in of soil needs 333 cu ft, or 12.3 cubic yards, before settling. With 10% for settling, order 13.6 yards.
How much to allow for settling
Delivered topsoil is loose. Once it is raked, rolled and watered it settles, typically by 10 to 20%, and more if it was screened dry or dumped in a high pile. Allow the larger figure where the finished grade matters, such as against a foundation or a patio edge.
Depth guide
- Top dressing an existing lawn: 1/4 to 1/2 in, spread thin enough that the grass shows through.
- New lawn from seed or sod: 4 to 6 in over the subsoil.
- Flower and shrub beds: 6 to 8 in.
- Vegetable beds and raised beds: 8 to 12 in, or the full depth of the bed.
Weights use Engineering ToolBox's figures: loam about 80 lb per cubic foot, loose fill dirt 76. Wet soil is heavier, so a delivery after rain weighs more for the same yards.
Questions
How many yards of topsoil do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324. 1,000 sq ft at 4 in is 12.3 cubic yards, plus 10 to 20% for settling.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 1 to 1.1 tons dry, using 76 to 80 lb per cubic foot. Wet topsoil can weigh half as much again.
How many bags of topsoil are in a yard?
36 bags of 0.75 cu ft, or 27 bags of 1 cu ft. Bags make sense for small beds; past about a yard, bulk delivery is cheaper and far less work.
How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?
4 to 6 in. For 1,000 sq ft that is 12.3 to 18.5 cubic yards before settling.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is the organic upper layer that grows plants. Fill dirt is subsoil with little organic matter, used to raise grade or fill holes. Fill goes under, topsoil goes on top.
More Landscaping calculators
Gravel calculator
Tons and cubic yards of gravel, crushed stone or sand for any mix of areas, by depth and material density.
Mulch calculator
Cubic yards or bags of mulch for every bed, topping up what is already there to the depth you want.
Sod calculator
Square feet, pieces and pallets of sod for any mix of lawn areas, with waste, weight and the cost to buy and lay it.
Grass seed calculator
Pounds and bags of grass seed for a new lawn or overseeding, by grass type, from university extension seeding rates.
Paver calculator
Pavers to order for a patio or walk, plus the gravel base, bedding sand and edge restraint under them.
Retaining wall calculator
Blocks, caps, base gravel and drainage stone for a segmental block retaining wall, course by course.
Cubic yard calculator
Cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres for any area and depth, the unit bulk material is sold in.