Topsoil Calculator
This topsoil calculator converts an area and a depth into the cubic yards or cubic meters of soil to order. Enter length and width in feet or meters (or the exact square footage), set your depth, and it returns the volume, the equivalent count of 0.75 and 2 cubic-foot bags, and the approximate delivery weight in tons.
Topsoil needed
4cubic yards
- Same volume in cubic meters3.06 m³
- Bags — 0.75 cu ft144 bags
- Bags — 2 cu ft54 bags
- Approx. weight (moisture-dependent)≈ 4.4 tons (8,000–10,400 lb)
Formulas last reviewed on .
How the topsoil volume is calculated
One conversion does the heavy lifting:
0.75 ft³ bags = yd³ × 36 · 2 ft³ bags = yd³ × 13.5
weight ≈ yd³ × 1.1 tons
Why 324? A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and each square foot covered 1 inch deep uses 1/12 of a cubic foot — so one yard covers 27 × 12 = 324 square feet at an inch. Square feet times inches of depth, divided by 324, lands directly on cubic yards with no intermediate steps.
The bag conversions are straight division of the yard: 36 of the little 0.75 cubic-foot bags or 13.5 of the 2 cubic-foot bags make exactly one cubic yard, and the calculator rounds both up to whole bags. Seeing the two counts side by side makes the bulk-versus-bagged decision obvious at a glance.
Weight is the loosest estimate: the calculator figures 1.1 tons per cubic yard, but real topsoil runs 2,000–2,600 pounds per yard depending on moisture and clay content, so the range is shown with every result. In metric mode the same math runs from square meters and centimeters, reporting cubic meters and tonnes.
Worked example: 4 inches of topsoil over a 27 × 12 ft side yard
Say the strip along your driveway — 27 ft long, 12 ft wide — is compacted junk fill and you want to spread 4 inches of screened topsoil before seeding. Those are the calculator’s default inputs, so the result box above shows this exact math.
- Area: 27 × 12 = 324 sq ft. (Handy coincidence with the constant — it makes the division clean.)
- Volume: 324 × 4 ÷ 324 = 4 cubic yards, which is 4 × 0.7646 ≈ 3.06 m³.
- In bags: 4 × 36 = 144 bags at 0.75 cu ft, or 4 × 13.5 = 54 bags at 2 cu ft. That’s three shopping carts groaning across the parking lot — this job wants a bulk delivery.
- Weight: 4 × 1.1 ≈ 4.4 tons, with a realistic range of 8,000–10,400 lb depending on moisture. A half-ton pickup is comically outmatched; one dump-truck drop is the answer.
Order the full 4 yards rather than 3.5 — spread soil settles roughly 10–15% after watering and a first rake-out, and a thin last pass is where seed germinates patchy.
How many cubic yards of topsoil for 100 to 2,000 square feet?
The table runs the ÷324 conversion for common areas at the three depths people actually spread: 2 inches for topdressing, 4 for a new lawn, 6 for a garden bed. Values are exact cubic yards — round up when you order.
| Area | 2 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 yd³ | 1.23 yd³ | 1.85 yd³ |
| 250 sq ft | 1.54 yd³ | 3.09 yd³ | 4.63 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 yd³ | 6.17 yd³ | 9.26 yd³ |
| 750 sq ft | 4.63 yd³ | 9.26 yd³ | 13.89 yd³ |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.17 yd³ | 12.35 yd³ | 18.52 yd³ |
| 1,500 sq ft | 9.26 yd³ | 18.52 yd³ | 27.78 yd³ |
| 2,000 sq ft | 12.35 yd³ | 24.69 yd³ | 37.04 yd³ |
Notice how fast depth compounds: doubling from 2 to 4 inches doubles the yards, and a 2,000 sq ft lawn at 6 inches is 37 yards — several full dump-truck loads. If a number in this table surprises you, check the depth before you blame the math.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn versus a garden bed?
For seeding or sodding a lawn, 4–6 inches of quality topsoil is the working standard — grass roots want at least that before they hit whatever the builder left behind. Vegetable and flower beds do better with 6–12 inches, since crops root deeper and you’ll be amending the soil for years. Topdressing an existing lawn is different: just ¼–½ inch raked in, or you’ll smother the grass you’re trying to feed.
When is bulk topsoil cheaper than bags?
The break-even lands around 1 to 1.5 cubic yards. Below that, bagged soil wins on convenience — no delivery fee, no driveway pile, spread it straight from the tailgate. Above it, bulk pricing takes over fast: a cubic yard delivered often costs about what 15–20 small bags do, but replaces 36 of them. Once a project crosses roughly 50 of the 0.75 cu ft bags, ordering loose by the yard is almost always the cheaper and less tedious route.
How many tons is a cubic yard of topsoil?
Call it 1.1 tons per yard for budgeting — that’s the figure this calculator uses — but treat it as a midpoint, not a constant. Dry, sandy screened topsoil can weigh near 2,000 lb per yard, while wet, clay-heavy soil pushes 2,600 lb or more. That swing matters when a supplier sells by the ton: the same paid weight buys noticeably less volume after a rainy week. When you can, order by the cubic yard, because your project is measured in volume, not weight.
Should I order extra topsoil for settling?
Yes — fluffed, freshly dumped soil compacts about 10–15% once it’s spread, watered, and walked on. If the math says 3.5 yards, order 4; the calculator shows exact volume, and rounding up at order time is the practical waste allowance for loose material. Any surplus is never wasted on a property: top up low spots, fill planters, or berm it around new shrubs.
What’s the difference between topsoil and garden soil?
Topsoil is screened native earth — decent structure, modest organic matter, sold cheap in volume, and exactly right for establishing lawns and raising grades. Garden soil is topsoil blended with compost and sometimes fertilizer, costing noticeably more per yard. Use plain topsoil for anything measured in whole yards, like this calculator’s typical jobs, and save the premium blends for beds and containers where roots live in a small volume.
These results are planning estimates only — verify quantities with your supplier and local building code before you buy or build. See our terms of use.