Last updated: October 2026
How much topsoil do I need?
Short answer: Multiply length × width × depth (all in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Add 10% for settling and waste, and round bag counts up — you can't buy part of a bag. The calculator above does all of it and estimates your cost.
How to calculate topsoil volume
Measure the length × width of your bed, raised bed, or lawn area in feet. Then pick a depth in inches: 6–12 inches for raised beds and new plantings (6 in minimum for most vegetables), 3 inches for refreshing an existing bed, and 1/2 inch or less for top-dressing a lawn. The 10% waste default covers settling after watering — keep it unless you have a reason to change it.
Bulk soil is sold by the cubic yard; bagged soil by the cubic foot. The calculator shows both, so you can price either option.
Common project sizes
*With 10% waste included.
Bagged vs. bulk topsoil
Bags (1–2 cu ft) are convenient for small beds, but the price per cubic yard is much higher than bulk. Once your project passes about 1 cubic yard (roughly 13–14 two-cubic-foot bags), getting soil delivered in bulk is almost always cheaper. Enter your local price per bag or per yard above to compare both options directly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much topsoil I need?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 to get cubic yards — bulk soil is sold by the yard. The calculator above does the math, adds your waste allowance, and converts the result into bags and cost.
How many bags of topsoil do I need?
Divide your total cubic feet (including waste) by the bag size. A 2 cu ft bag is the most common retail size — for example, a 10×10 ft bed at 3 inches deep with 10% waste takes 14 two-cubic-foot bags. Bagged soil costs more per yard than bulk, so for big projects order bulk delivery by the cubic yard.
How deep should topsoil be for a garden bed?
Use 6 to 12 inches of topsoil for raised beds and new plantings — 6 inches is the minimum for most vegetables, 8–12 inches for root crops. For top-dressing an existing lawn, 1/4 to 1/2 inch is enough. Add about 10% extra, because fresh soil settles and compacts after the first few waterings. Learn more about
what topsoil is and how it differs from subsoil.
How many cubic yards of topsoil make a ton?
About 1.3 to 1.5 cubic yards of dry screened topsoil weigh one ton (roughly 1,300–1,600 lb per cubic yard). Moisture changes this a lot — wet soil can weigh far more. Bulk sellers normally price by the cubic yard, which is exactly what the calculator outputs.
Is my project data private?
Completely. Every calculation runs locally in your browser with JavaScript — your measurements are never sent to a server, stored, or tracked.
