Calculator · Topsoil
Topsoil Calculator: How Many Yards of Topsoil Do I Need?
Enter the size of the lawn, bed or low spot and the depth, and get what to order: cubic yards, tons or bags of topsoil or fill dirt, with the cost. Several raised beds of the same size count in one go.
Materials ticket · Topsoil
Enter your measurements and your shopping list prints here.
How to calculate how much topsoil you need
- Find the area in square feet. Length × width for a rectangle; 3.14 × radius² for a circle. For several raised beds, multiply one bed by how many you have.
- Multiply by the depth. Area × depth in inches ÷ 324 gives cubic yards.
- Convert to what you buy. Landscape yards sell by the cubic yard, quarries by the ton (multiply yards by about 1.15), and stores by the bag (multiply yards by 36 for 0.75 cu. ft. bags).
Check it with a published example: the University of Wisconsin Extension works out ¼ inch of topdressing over a 10,000 ft² lawn as about 8 cubic yards. The calculator gives 7.72 yd³.
Topsoil for common projects
Calculated with the same engine as the calculator, without the waste margin. Bulk prices are the middle of HomeGuide's range, before delivery.
| Project | Cubic yards | Tons | 40 lb bags | Bulk cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New lawn, 20 × 30 ft, 4 in | 7.41 | 8.5 | 267 | $225 |
| New lawn, 1,000 ft², 6 in | 18.52 | 21.3 | 667 | $563 |
| Three raised beds, 4 × 8 ft, 8 in | 2.37 | 2.7 | 86 | $75 |
| Garden bed, 10 × 20 ft, 8 in | 4.94 | 5.7 | 178 | $150 |
| Leveling a 5,000 ft² lawn, ¼ in | 3.86 | 4.4 | 139 | $120 |
| Raising a low area, 10 × 10 ft, 6 in (fill dirt) | 1.85 | 2.3 | — | $30 |
How much area topsoil covers
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 1 bag (0.75 cu. ft.) covers |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ in | 1,296 ft² | 36 ft² |
| ½ in | 648 ft² | 18 ft² |
| 1 in | 324 ft² | 9 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 4.5 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 2.3 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 1.5 ft² |
| 8 in | 41 ft² | 1.1 ft² |
How deep should topsoil be?
- New lawn: 4–6 inches (HomeGuide). Loosen the top 2–3 inches of the existing ground first, spread the topsoil and work it into the loosened layer, then rake it level for seed or sod.
- Garden beds and raised beds: at least 8 inches (HomeGuide), with 1–3 inches of compost mixed in.
- Leveling a lawn: ¼–½ inch at a time. The University of Wisconsin Extension says to keep at least half of the grass blade visible, or the grass can die from lack of light. Fill deeper dips over several months, letting the grass grow through between additions.
For leveling, Wisconsin also recommends a soil that matches the one you have, so water does not stop at the line between two layers. It warns against spreading an unmixed layer of "black dirt" (muck soil), which can keep water from draining and kill the turf.
Topsoil or fill dirt?
Topsoil is the top layer of soil, dark with organic matter: it is what grass and plants grow in. Screened topsoil has been passed through a mesh for an even texture. HomeGuide puts it at $30–$40 a yard for small orders and $20–$30 from 15 yards up. Fill dirt is inorganic subsoil (broken-down rock, clay, sand) for leveling holes, raising the ground or backfilling, at $5–$25 a yard. Nothing grows well in it, so for a deep fill you can bring the area up with fill dirt and finish the top 4–6 inches with topsoil, the depth HomeGuide gives for a new lawn.
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 36 bags of 0.75 cu. ft.: about $144 at $4 a bag, against about $30 for a yard in bulk. Bags make sense for a raised bed or two; for a lawn, call a landscape supplier. Delivery runs $50–$150 per trip, a standard dump truck carries 8–12 cubic yards, and a tandem load about 18 (HomeGuide).
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
36 bags of 0.75 cu. ft., the size of a typical 40 lb bag. Some brands sell 1 or 1.5 cu. ft. bags (27 and 18 bags per yard): divide 27 by the volume printed on your bag. At $2–$6 a bag (HomeGuide), a yard in bags costs $72–$216, against about $20–$40 in bulk before delivery.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 1–1.3 tons (2,000–2,600 lb) per cubic yard in bulk, according to a Tennessee supplier's chart. HomeGuide puts dry screened topsoil as light as 1,000 lb and wet topsoil at 3,000 lb or more. The calculator uses 1.15 tons, the middle of the chart's range.
How much area does a yard of topsoil cover?
324 ft² at 1 inch deep, 81 ft² at 4 inches, 54 ft² at 6 inches and about 41 ft² at 8 inches. Divide 324 by the depth in inches.
How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?
HomeGuide recommends 4–6 inches. For 1,000 ft² that is 12.35 cubic yards at 4 inches and 18.52 at 6 inches. Loosen the top 2–3 inches of the ground first and mix the new soil in, so water drains through instead of sitting between the layers.
How much does topsoil cost?
HomeGuide puts screened topsoil at $20–$40 per cubic yard and fill dirt at $5–$25, before delivery, which runs $50–$150 a trip. 40 lb bags cost $2–$6 each.
How many yards of dirt are in a dump truck?
A standard dump truck carries 8–12 cubic yards, and a tandem load is about 18 cubic yards (HomeGuide). Ask your supplier what their truck holds before you order a full load.
Sources
- Smoky Mountain Sand & Gravel (Maryville, TN): Aggregate tons vs. cubic yardssmokymountainsg.com
- HomeGuide: Fill dirt, sand and topsoil cost (September 8, 2023)homeguide.com
- University of Wisconsin-Extension: Lawn aeration and topdressing (A3710, John C. Stier)hort.extension.wisc.edu
- Lawn Depot: Top Soil 40 lb bag, 0.75 cu. ft.lawndepotinc.com