How to use this topsoil calculator
- Choose the shape of the area and enter its length and width (or diameter). Use How many? for several identical raised beds.
- Enter the depth of soil you need: the full bed depth for a new raised bed, or the thickness of the new layer for a lawn or bed.
- Keep the 10% extra for settling for raised beds and fills, or set it to 0 for thin top dressing.
- If you buy by weight, pick dry or moist soil (or type your supplier’s figure) and open Cost estimate.
For an irregular garden, measure the area with the square footage calculator, then enter the total as a rectangle with width 1 in the same unit.
Topsoil formula
Cubic feet = Square feet × (Depth in inches ÷ 12)
Cubic yards = Cubic feet ÷ 27
Litres = Square metres × Depth in cm × 10
Worked example: an 8 × 4 ft raised bed, 12 inches deep
- Volume: 8 × 4 × 1 ft = 32 cu ft, or 32 ÷ 27 = 1.19 yd³ (0.91 m³)
- Bags: 32 bags of 1 cu ft, or 32 ÷ 0.75 = 42.7, so 43 bags of 0.75 cu ft
- With 10% for settling: 35.2 cu ft (1.3 yd³), which is 36 bags of 1 cu ft or 47 bags of 0.75 cu ft
- Approximate weight (dry, before the extra): about 2,370 lb, or 1.19 US tons
In metric: a 2 × 1 m raised bed 30 cm deep holds 0.6 m³ (600 litres), which is 15 bags of 40 L or 12 bags of 50 L, and weighs roughly 710 kg when dry.
Top dressing a 50 × 40 ft lawn with ½ inch of soil needs about 83 cu ft, or 3.09 yd³. That is 84 bags of 1 cu ft, so a bulk delivery is usually the easier and cheaper option.
Bags of topsoil per cubic yard and cubic metre
Bag sizes are printed in cubic feet in the US and in litres in the UK and Europe. Counts are rounded up to whole bags.
| Bag size | Bags per yd³ | Bags per m³ |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | 48 |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | 36 |
| 40 L | 20 | 25 |
| 50 L | 16 | 20 |
How much area topsoil covers
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | Depth | 1 m³ covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ in | 1,296 sq ft | 2.5 cm | 40 m² |
| ½ in | 648 sq ft | 5 cm | 20 m² |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 10 cm | 10 m² |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 15 cm | 6.67 m² |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
How deep should topsoil be?
| Project | Common depth |
|---|---|
| Top dressing an existing lawn | ¼–½ in (0.5–1.25 cm) |
| New lawn from seed or turf | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) |
| Flower beds and borders | 6–12 in (15–30 cm) |
| Raised vegetable beds | 8–12 in (20–30 cm) or more |
| Filling low spots in a lawn | Thin layers, about ½ in (1–1.5 cm) at a time |
General garden guidance. Plants with deep roots and poor native soil benefit from deeper beds.
Tips for buying topsoil
- Bags or bulk? Bags suit a raised bed or two. Once you need more than about a cubic yard, compare a bulk delivery price, including the delivery fee.
- Ask for screened topsoil. Screening removes stones, roots and clods, so it spreads and levels more easily.
- Mix in compost for planting beds. Many gardeners blend topsoil with compost for vegetables and flowers rather than using topsoil alone. Finish with a layer of mulch to hold in moisture; the mulch calculator tells you how much.
- Buy dry if you pay by weight. Wet soil weighs more, so the same volume costs more when priced per ton or tonne.
- Fill raised beds in layers and water each layer. It settles the soil now instead of leaving the bed half-empty a month later.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 2,000 lb (about 1 US ton) when fairly dry, and around 2,300 lb or more when moist. Wet topsoil can be heavier still, so weight-based prices depend on the weather. Ask your supplier for their figure.
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 27 bags of 1 cu ft or 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft. A cubic metre equals 25 bags of 40 L or 20 bags of 50 L.
How much topsoil do I need for a raised bed?
Multiply length × width × depth. An 8 × 4 ft bed filled 12 inches deep holds 32 cubic feet, or about 1.19 cubic yards. Add 10–20% because loose soil settles after the first few waterings.
How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn?
A common recommendation is 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) of good topsoil for a new lawn from seed or turf. For top dressing an existing lawn, use a thin layer of about ¼–½ inch (0.5–1.25 cm) so the grass can grow through.
Does topsoil settle?
Yes. Loose, freshly delivered topsoil settles as it is watered and walked on. Many gardeners add 10–20% extra when filling raised beds. The calculator adds 10% by default; change it to suit your job.
What is the difference between topsoil, garden soil and compost?
Topsoil is general-purpose screened soil, good for filling, levelling and lawns. Bagged “garden soil” is usually topsoil blended with organic matter for planting beds. Compost is decomposed organic material that you mix into soil to improve it rather than use on its own.
How much area does a cubic yard of topsoil cover?
One cubic yard covers about 648 sq ft at ½ inch, 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches.
Last reviewed November 5, 2026.