Topsoil Calculator
Calculate how much topsoil you need for lawns, garden beds, and grading. Enter your area and depth in feet or meters to get cubic yards or cubic meters, an approximate weight in tons or tonnes, how many bags that is, and an optional cost estimate.
- Area
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- Volume (cubic feet)
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- Volume (cubic yards)
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- Volume (cubic meters)
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- Approximate weight
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- Approximate weight (tonnes)
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- Estimated cost
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Or buy it bagged
- Bags
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- Bags
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- Bags
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Weight assumes ≈ 2,200 lb/yd³ (1.3 t/m³) — varies a lot with moisture.
Topsoil weight and coverage by the yard
A cubic yard of screened topsoil weighs about 2,200 lb (1.1 tons), so half a yard is roughly 1,100 lb and five yards about 5.5 tons. Weight swings with moisture — wet or clay-heavy soil can run 1.3 to 1.5 tons per yard — so treat these as planning figures and let your supplier quote the truck weight.
| Amount | Weight (lb) | Tons | Tonnes | Covers at 2 in | Covers at 4 in | Covers at 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ yd³ | 1,094 | 0.55 | 0.5 | 81 sq ft | 41 sq ft | 27 sq ft |
| 1 yd³ | 2,187 | 1.09 | 0.99 | 162 sq ft | 81 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
| 2 yd³ | 4,374 | 2.19 | 1.98 | 324 sq ft | 162 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 3 yd³ | 6,561 | 3.28 | 2.98 | 486 sq ft | 243 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 5 yd³ | 10,935 | 5.47 | 4.96 | 810 sq ft | 405 sq ft | 270 sq ft |
| 10 yd³ | 21,870 | 10.94 | 9.92 | 1,620 sq ft | 810 sq ft | 540 sq ft |
Based on 81 lb per cubic foot. Other materials, or your own density: the cubic yards to tons calculator.
Common questions
How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Topdressing 1,000 sq ft of lawn at 3 inches takes 1,000 × 0.25 = 250 cubic feet, or about 9.3 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a yard of topsoil cover?
One cubic yard covers about 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, and 54 sq ft at 6 inches. Lawn topdressing usually runs 1/4 to 1/2 inch, so a single yard goes a long way.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 2,200 lb — about 1.1 tons — for screened topsoil at a typical 81 lb per cubic foot. Wet or heavy clay soil can reach 1.3 to 1.5 tons per yard, which matters for delivery limits and for what a pickup bed can legally carry.
How much does half a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 1,100 lb, or roughly 0.55 tons. A full cubic yard of screened topsoil is about 2,200 lb at a typical 81 lb per cubic foot, and half a yard is half of that. Wet or clay-heavy soil can weigh a fifth to a third more.
How much does 5 yards of topsoil weigh?
About 5.5 tons, or roughly 11,000 lb, for screened topsoil at 81 lb per cubic foot. Wet or clay-heavy soil can push five yards to 6.5 to 7.5 tons, which is more than many single-axle dump trucks are rated to carry, so ask your supplier how many yards fit in one load.
How much does topsoil weigh per cubic foot?
About 81 lb per cubic foot for screened topsoil, with a typical range of 75 to 100 lb depending on moisture, organic content, and screening. Multiply by 27 to get weight per cubic yard: 81 × 27 is about 2,190 lb.
What does a cubic yard of topsoil look like?
A cube three feet on every side: 27 cubic feet. It fills about 4.5 standard six-cubic-foot wheelbarrows and spreads over 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep, enough for a 10 × 10 ft bed with room to spare.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil cost?
Bulk screened topsoil typically runs about $15 to $50 per cubic yard, plus a delivery fee that is often $50 to $150. Bagged topsoil works out to roughly $100 to $200 per yard once you count 36 bags. Prices vary a lot by region, so enter your local price in the calculator for a total.
How deep should topsoil be?
New lawns want 4 to 6 inches of topsoil over the subgrade; garden beds do better with 8 to 12 inches. Topdressing an existing lawn is only 1/4 to 1/2 inch at a time so you do not smother the grass.
How many bags of topsoil make a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 36 bags of 0.75 cubic feet (the usual 40 lb bag), 27 one-cubic-foot bags, or 18 bags of 1.5 cubic feet. In metric, a cubic meter is 40 bags of 25 L or 20 bags of 50 L.
How many tonnes of topsoil are in a cubic meter?
About 1.3 tonnes per cubic meter for screened topsoil at a typical 81 lb per cubic foot, and up to 1.6 tonnes or more when wet. A 10 × 5 m bed at 10 cm deep is 5 m³, roughly 6.5 tonnes.
What is the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is screened, organic-rich soil meant for growing; fill dirt is subsoil used to raise grade or fill holes and it compacts better but grows little. For a raised area, fill the bulk with fill dirt and cap it with 4 to 6 inches of topsoil.
How this is calculated
- Topsoil weight varies a lot — moisture, organic content, and screening can swing density from roughly 75 to 100 lb/ft³. Treat the tonnage as a rough planning number, not a delivery weight.
- Assumes a rectangular area with uniform depth.
- Typical depths: 1–2 in for lawn leveling and top-dressing, 4–6 in for new lawns, 6–12 in for new garden beds.
- The default 5% waste allowance covers settling after spreading and watering.
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — soil bulk density guidance — Typical bulk densities for loam topsoils around 1.2–1.6 g/cm³ (≈ 75–100 lb/ft³) depending on moisture and structure.
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Related reading
Short answers with the math shown- How Much Mulch Do I Need?One cubic yard of mulch covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches, and takes 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags. Coverage tables, the right depth by mulch type, and when bulk beats bagged.
- How Much Topsoil Do I Need?Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard. Coverage per yard by depth, how much a yard weighs, recommended depths for lawns and beds, and when to use fill dirt instead.
- How Much Gravel Do I Need?Measure the area, pick a depth, divide by 27. A worked example, a coverage table by depth, and how to convert cubic yards of gravel to tons before you call the supplier.