Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards & bags of topsoil for lawns and beds
Filling a bed or levelling a lawn? Enter the area and depth to get the cubic yards of bulk topsoil and the equivalent 40 lb bags. Below you'll find a coverage chart, how deep to go for each job, how topsoil differs from fill dirt and garden soil, what a yard weighs, and what it costs.
How much topsoil do I need?
Working out the cubic yards of topsoil you need is area × depth. Measure the area in square feet, multiply by the depth in feet (inches divided by 12), then divide by 27 for cubic yards.
The depth matters far more than most people expect, because it scales the whole order: going from 2 inches to 6 inches triples the delivery. This calculator adds 5% for settling, since fresh soil compacts noticeably once it is spread and watered in.
Topsoil coverage chart
Topsoil coverage per yard, what you need per 100 ft², and the topsoil weight per yard that decides whether you can collect it yourself. How deep topsoil for new lawn work should go is covered in the next table. Figures are bare volume before the settling allowance.
| Depth | One cubic yard covers | Cubic yards per 100 ft² | 40 lb bags per 100 ft² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 ft² | 0.31 | 11 |
| 2 inches | 162 ft² | 0.62 | 22 |
| 3 inches | 108 ft² | 0.93 | 33 |
| 4 inches | 81 ft² | 1.23 | 44 |
| 6 inches | 54 ft² | 1.85 | 67 |
| 12 inches | 27 ft² | 3.70 | 133 |
Topsoil is rarely ordered alone. The printable material coverage chart puts these figures next to gravel, mulch and sand so you can price a whole landscaping order from one sheet.
How deep should topsoil be?
Depth depends entirely on the job. The most common and most damaging error is topdressing a lawn far too thickly.
| Job | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Topdressing an existing lawn | 1/4 to 1/2 in | Any more smothers the grass |
| Levelling low spots | 1 to 2 in | Build up over several passes |
| New lawn from seed or sod | 4 to 6 in | Roots need room to establish |
| New planting bed | 8 to 12 in | Blend with compost |
| Vegetable garden | 12 in | Deeper for root crops |
| Raised bed | 12 in and up | See the raised bed soil calculator |
Topdress thin. A quarter inch across 1,000 ft² is under one cubic yard. Burying a living lawn in two inches of soil will kill it.
Topsoil: bags vs. bulk
A 40 lb bag holds about 0.75 ft³, so it takes roughly 36 bags to equal one cubic yard. Bags suit a single small bed; for anything larger, bulk delivery is dramatically cheaper per yard and saves an enormous amount of lifting.
The crossover is around 10 to 15 bags. Past that, you are paying a large premium for packaging and hauling it yourself in small loads.
Topsoil vs. fill dirt vs. garden soil
These are sold side by side and are not interchangeable. Buying the wrong one either wastes money or gives you something nothing will grow in.
| Product | What it is | Use for | Don't use for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil | Screened native soil | Levelling, lawns, backfill | Containers |
| Garden soil | Topsoil blended with compost | Beds and borders | Large-volume fill (cost) |
| Fill dirt | Subsoil, no organic matter | Raising grade, under patios | Anything you want to grow |
| Compost | Decomposed organic matter | Amending and topdressing | Using on its own |
To raise a grade under a lawn or patio, cheaper fill dirt belongs underneath, with quality topsoil saved for the top few inches where roots actually grow. Paying topsoil prices to fill a two-foot hole is money thrown away.
Worked example: topsoil for a new 500 ft² lawn
A new lawn area of 500 ft² needs 4 inches of quality topsoil to establish properly.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 500 ft² × 0.333 ft | 166.7 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 166.7 ÷ 27 | 6.2 yd³ |
| Plus 5% settling | 6.2 × 1.05 | 6.5 yd³ |
| Weight | 6.5 × ~1.08 tons | ~7 tons |
| If bagged instead | 175 ft³ ÷ 0.75 | 234 bags |
What topsoil weighs and what your truck can carry
Dry screened topsoil runs about 2,000 to 2,200 lb per cubic yard, so roughly one ton per yard. Wet soil is far heavier and can exceed 2,700 lb per yard after rain, which is why a delivery weighed after a wet week feels short on volume.
This catches people out with collection: a half-ton pickup is at its payload limit with about one cubic yard of soil, and a full-size truck bed filled level would be well over it. Overloading is genuinely dangerous for braking and suspension. Past a yard or two, pay for delivery.
What topsoil costs
Bulk screened topsoil commonly runs $12 to $60 per cubic yard depending on quality and region, plus $50 to $150 delivery. Blended garden soil costs more; unscreened fill dirt is cheapest and is sometimes free if a nearby site needs to dispose of it.
Bagged topsoil at roughly $3 to $5 per 40 lb bag works out to $108 to $180 per cubic yard, several times the bulk price. Bags only make sense for very small jobs or where a truck cannot reach.
Topsoil mistakes that waste a delivery
- Topdressing too thick. Over half an inch on an established lawn smothers it.
- Buying topsoil for deep fill. Use fill dirt underneath and save topsoil for the top few inches.
- Not asking whether it is screened. Unscreened soil arrives full of rocks, roots and clods.
- Ignoring drainage. Heavy clay topsoil over compacted subsoil creates a bathtub that drowns roots.
- Forgetting settling. Fresh soil drops noticeably after the first few waterings.
- Nowhere to put it. Seven tons is a big pile. Agree the tip location before the truck arrives.
How this topsoil calculator works out its numbers
Volume is area × depth at 27 ft³ to the cubic yard, with 5% added for settling. Bag counts assume a 40 lb bag holds about 0.75 ft³, giving roughly 36 bags to the cubic yard.
- Weight uses 80 lb/ft³ for screened dry topsoil, about 2,160 lb (just over a ton) per cubic yard.
- Wet soil is much heavier and can exceed 2,700 lb per yard, which matters if you are collecting rather than having it delivered.
- Depth guidance follows standard horticultural practice: a quarter to half inch for topdressing established turf, 4 to 6 inches to establish a new lawn.
Figures reviewed . Every worked example on this page is checked against the calculator above.
Topsoil Calculator: frequently asked questions
How many 40 lb bags of topsoil in a cubic yard?
About 36, since a 40 lb bag holds roughly 0.75 cubic feet and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Past about 10 to 15 bags, bulk delivery is far cheaper.
How deep should topsoil be for new grass?
4 to 6 inches of quality topsoil for a healthy new lawn. To topdress an existing lawn use only 1/4 to 1/2 inch, since anything thicker will smother the grass you already have.
How much does a yard of topsoil cover?
One cubic yard spreads 324 ft² at 1 inch deep, 162 ft² at 2 inches, 108 ft² at 3 inches, 81 ft² at 4 inches, or 54 ft² at 6 inches, before allowing for settling.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 2,000 to 2,200 lb dry, so roughly one ton per cubic yard. Wet soil can exceed 2,700 lb per yard, which matters if you are collecting it yourself: a half-ton pickup is at its limit with about one cubic yard.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is screened native soil containing organic matter, so things grow in it. Fill dirt is subsoil with the organics removed, which makes it stable and cheap for raising grade but useless for planting. Use fill dirt underneath and topsoil on top.
How much does topsoil cost?
Bulk screened topsoil commonly runs $12 to $60 per cubic yard plus $50 to $150 delivery. Bagged topsoil works out to roughly $108 to $180 per cubic yard, so bags only make sense for small jobs.