Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard, and one cubic yard is 27 cubic feet — enough to cover 108 square feet at 3 inches deep. To size your own order: area in square feet × depth in feet ÷ 27.
Coverage per cubic yard
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1/4 in | 1,296 sq ft |
| 1/2 in | 648 sq ft |
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft |
How deep should topsoil be?
| Job | Depth |
|---|---|
| Topdressing an existing lawn | 1/4–1/2 in |
| Overseeding / repairing patches | 1/2–1 in |
| New lawn from seed or sod | 4–6 in |
| Vegetable or perennial beds | 8–12 in |
| Filling low spots and grading | as needed |
Topdressing is the one people over-order. A quarter inch sounds like nothing, but a single cubic yard covers nearly 1,300 sq ft at that depth — and going much deeper smothers existing grass.
Worked example: a new lawn
Seeding a 1,000 sq ft area with 4 inches of topsoil:
- Volume: 1,000 × 0.333 = 333 cubic feet
- Cubic yards: 333 ÷ 27 = 12.3 cubic yards
- Weight: at about 81 lb per cubic foot, roughly 13.5 tons
- With 10% waste for settling: order about 13.6 cubic yards
The Topsoil Calculator returns cubic yards, approximate tons, and a cost estimate from your local price per yard.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 2,200 lb — roughly 1.1 tons — for screened topsoil at a typical 81 lb per cubic foot. Two things move that number:
- Moisture. Wet soil can hit 1.3–1.5 tons per yard. After heavy rain a “three yard” delivery can be over the truck’s limit.
- Composition. Clay-heavy soil is denser than a sandy loam or a compost blend.
This matters for hauling. A half-ton pickup is at its payload limit with well under one cubic yard of damp topsoil — not the two or three yards the bed looks like it would hold.
Topsoil, fill dirt, garden soil, compost
| Material | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt | Subsoil, no organic matter | Raising grade, filling holes |
| Topsoil | Screened surface soil | Lawns, general planting |
| Garden soil | Topsoil blended with compost | Beds, raised beds |
| Compost | Fully decomposed organic matter | Amending, topdressing — not a bulk fill |
To raise a low area significantly, fill the bulk with fill dirt — it compacts better and costs less — then cap it with 4–6 inches of topsoil. Filling three feet of grade with pure topsoil is expensive and will settle for years.
Before you order
- Ask if it’s screened. Unscreened topsoil arrives with rocks, roots, and clods you’ll spend a weekend raking out.
- Order in one delivery. Most suppliers charge a flat delivery fee per trip, so two loads of five yards usually costs more than one of ten.
- Settling is real. Fresh topsoil settles 10–20%. Spread slightly proud of your finished grade and water it in.
- Check the source if you’re growing food — ask whether it’s been tested, especially near older buildings or industrial sites.
Get your number from the Topsoil Calculator, then add the delivery fee to compare suppliers on the real total.