Topsoil Calculator
This topsoil calculator tells you how much soil a bed or lawn needs. Enter the area and the depth, and you'll get the volume in cubic yards and cubic feet, the number of bags, and a rough weight in tons. Add a price per cubic yard and it totals the cost too. Everything updates as you type, so it's easy to compare a 2-inch top-up with a 6-inch lawn base. It's free, you won't need an account, and it runs in your browser, so planning a delivery takes seconds. You'll see the amounts the moment you type.
- Cubic yards
- Bags of soil
- Weight in tons
- Cost option
- Area presets
Last updated June 17, 2026 Feet and inches, by volume Reviewed by the Calcowa team
Enter a length, width, and depth above zero.
Bags are 0.75 cubic feet each, and a cubic yard weighs about 1.1 tons. Order 5 to 10 percent extra, since soil settles when you water it.
How do you calculate topsoil?
Topsoil is sold by volume, so the job is to turn an area and a depth into cubic yards. First you find the area, length times width, then multiply by the depth, changing the inches to feet by dividing by 12, which gives cubic feet. Divide that by 27, the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard, and you have the yards a supplier will quote. From there, bagged soil comes in 0.75 cubic foot bags, so dividing the cubic feet by 0.75 gives the bag count, and a cubic yard weighs roughly 1.1 tons, which sets the delivery weight. This tool runs every step and adds a cost if you enter a price, so you'll order the right amount without doing the conversions on paper. You don't have to remember that 27 cubic feet make a yard, and you won't guess at the bag count, since it's all worked out for you. That's the slow part of a soil order done in a tap.
Ordering soil, step by step
Here's the quick routine before you call the yard, and it's just three steps:
- 1
Measure the areaGet the length and width of the bed or lawn in feet.
- 2
Pick the depth2 to 3 inches tops up a bed; 4 to 6 starts a lawn.
- 3
Read the volumeYou'll get cubic yards, bags, tons, and a cost.
Coverage by depth
How many square feet one cubic yard of topsoil covers at each depth.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | about 324 sq ft |
| 2 inches | about 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | about 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | about 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | about 54 sq ft |
Frequently asked questions
You enter the area you're covering and how deep you want the soil, and it works out the volume. It multiplies the area by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, divides by 27 for cubic yards, and converts that into bagged soil and an approximate weight in tons. Add a price and it totals the cost too. It all runs in your browser, so you'll see the amounts update the moment you change a number, and you can copy the result for the supplier.
It depends on the area and the depth. As a guide, one cubic yard of topsoil covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep, or roughly 160 square feet at 2 inches. For a new lawn, 4 to 6 inches is common, while topping up a bed might only need 2 to 3. Enter your numbers and the tool gives the exact cubic yards, so you don't have to round in your head or guess at the coverage.
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and bagged topsoil usually comes in 0.75 cubic foot bags, so a cubic yard is about 36 bags. Bags are handy for small beds and tidy for a car trip, but for anything over a cubic yard, bulk soil by the yard is cheaper and far less lifting. The calculator shows both the cubic yards and the bag count, so you'll see where the switch makes sense.
Roughly 1.1 tons, or about 2,200 pounds, though it varies with moisture and how much sand or clay it holds. Wet soil is heavier, so a yard can climb toward 2,500 pounds after rain. This tool uses a typical figure to estimate the weight, which helps when you're checking a trailer rating or a delivery limit. Treat the tonnage as a guide, since your soil blend will differ a little.
Yes, a small buffer of around 5 to 10 percent is wise, because soil settles and compacts after you spread and water it, and the ground is rarely perfectly level. Running a touch short means a second delivery fee or another store trip, while a little extra fills low spots or tops a bed. Round your order up, and you'll usually be glad you did once the soil settles in.
Yes, it's completely free, with no sign-up, and it runs right in your browser, so nothing you enter leaves your device. Type the area and depth, read the cubic yards, bags, and tons, and add a price for the cost. Bookmark it for a new lawn, a raised bed, a garden refresh, or a landscaping quote, and you'll have an accurate soil estimate whenever you need one.
Related tools
More construction and material tools.
Concrete, framing, and finish.
Gravel CalculatorCubic yards and tons of gravel.
Concrete CalculatorCubic yards, bags, and slabs.
Topping up a garden?
Work out the soil above, or browse all the construction tools.