How do I calculate how much soil I need?

Multiply area (length x width) by depth, all in feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. For 10 ft x 8 ft at 6 inches: 10 x 8 x 0.5 = 40 cu ft = 1.48 cu yd.

How many cubic yards of soil do I need?

Cu yd = (length ft x width ft x depth ft) / 27. For 20 x 10 at 4 inches: (20 x 10 x 0.333) / 27 = 2.47 cu yd. Add 10 to 15 percent for settling.

How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?

Moist topsoil weighs approximately 2,700 to 3,000 lbs per cubic yard (1,600 to 1,775 kg per m3). Dry sandy topsoil can be as light as 2,160 lbs per cu yd. Confirm with your supplier.

How many bags of soil equal one cubic yard?

27 bags at 1 cu ft each, 36 bags at 0.75 cu ft, or 13.5 bags at 2 cu ft. Check the bag label for volume.

How deep should topsoil be for a lawn?

Minimum 4 inches for healthy lawn establishment. 6 inches is recommended for better root growth. Topdressing an existing lawn only needs 0.5 to 1 inch.

How do I calculate soil for a raised garden bed?

Volume = length x width x depth in feet. A 4 ft x 8 ft x 1 ft raised bed needs 32 cu ft = 1.19 cu yd. Mix topsoil with compost at 60/40 for best growing results.

How much does a truckload of topsoil cost?

Bulk topsoil delivery typically costs 150 to 500 dollars per 10 to 15 cubic yard load. Bagged soil costs 150 to 200 dollars per cubic yard equivalent. Bulk is almost always cheaper for projects over 1 cubic yard.

How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?

27 bags at 1 cu ft, 36 bags at 0.75 cu ft, 13.5 bags at 2 cu ft, or 9 bags at 3 cu ft.

How do I calculate soil for a circular garden bed?

Area = pi x radius squared. For 5 ft radius at 6 inches depth: 3.14159 x 25 x 0.5 = 39.27 cu ft = 1.45 cu yd.

How much soil do I need for a 10 by 10 area?

At 4 inches: 33.3 cu ft = 1.23 cu yd. At 6 inches: 50 cu ft = 1.85 cu yd. At 12 inches: 100 cu ft = 3.70 cu yd.

Should I add extra soil for settling?

Yes. Add 10 to 15 percent to your calculated volume. Loose topsoil compacts 10 to 20 percent after its first wet season.

What does a bag of topsoil weigh?

A standard 1 cu ft bag of topsoil weighs approximately 40 lbs (18 kg). A 2 cu ft bag weighs about 80 lbs.

How much soil does a pickup truck hold?

A 6 ft pickup bed holds 1 to 1.5 cubic yards. An 8 ft bed holds about 2 cubic yards. Always check your truck payload rating before loading moist soil.

Soil Calculator Volume, Weight and Bags

Length

Please enter a positive length.

Width

Please enter a positive width.

Depth

Please enter a positive depth.

Lawn: 4 in | Garden bed: 6-12 in | Raised bed: 12-18 in

Area Unit

Depth Unit

Bag Size

💡 Pro tip: Add 10-15% extra to your order to account for soil settling after the first watering.

Soil Volume Needed

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Sources & Methodology

✓Volume formula and topsoil weight data verified against USDA NRCS soil reference data and NIST unit conversion tables. 1 cu yd = 27 cu ft exactly. Moist topsoil weight reference: 2,700 lbs/cu yd.

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USDA NRCS — Soil Health Resources

Reference data for topsoil density, composition, and landscape management best practices

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NIST — Unit Conversions

Official conversion: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; 1 foot = 12 inches; 1 metre = 3.28084 feet

Methodology: All dimensions converted to feet internally. Volume (cu ft) = L(ft) x W(ft) x D(ft). Cu yd = cu ft / 27. Cubic metres = cu ft x 0.0283168. Weight assumes moist topsoil at 100 lbs/cu ft. Bags = ceiling(cu ft / bag size). Settling buffer = 15% added to tip recommendation.

⏱ Last reviewed: April 2026

How to Calculate How Much Soil You Need in 2026

The soil volume formula is straightforward: multiply the length of your area by its width to get the surface area, then multiply by the depth of soil required. All three measurements must be in the same unit. Most landscaping projects measure length and width in feet and depth in inches, so divide the inch depth by 12 to convert to feet before multiplying.

The Formula

Volume (cu ft) = Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Depth (ft)

Cubic yards = cu ft divided by 27 | Depth in inches: divide by 12 first
Bags needed = cu ft divided by bag size (cu ft), rounded up

Worked Example: 20 ft x 10 ft Garden at 6 Inches Deep

Area = 20 x 10 = 200 sq ft. Depth = 6 in / 12 = 0.5 ft. Volume = 200 x 0.5 = 100 cu ft. Cubic yards = 100 / 27 = 3.70 cu yd. Bags (1 cu ft): 100 bags. Weight (moist): approximately 10,000 lbs. Order 4.25 cu yd bulk to allow for 15% settling.

Depth Recommendation by Project Type

Project	Depth	Notes
Lawn topdressing	1-2 inches	Thin layer for levelling and feeding
New lawn establishment	4-6 inches	Minimum for healthy turf root development
Flower bed	6-8 inches	Standard for annuals and perennials
Vegetable garden	8-12 inches	Deeper = better yields
Raised garden bed	12-18 inches	Fill entire frame; blend with compost 60/40
Tree planting	12-24 inches	Backfill native soil mixed with compost

Bags vs. Bulk Topsoil

For projects under 1 cubic yard, bagged topsoil is convenient. Beyond that, the economics shift dramatically. Bulk topsoil typically costs $30-$60 per cubic yard delivered. Bagged soil from a garden centre can cost $150-$200 per cubic yard equivalent — up to 5x more expensive. For any project over 1 cubic yard, buying bulk from a local landscaping supplier is almost always the better choice.

Topsoil Weight by Type

Soil Type	lbs/cu ft	lbs/cu yd	kg/m³
Dry sandy topsoil	80-90	2,160-2,430	1,280-1,440
Moist topsoil (typical)	95-110	2,565-2,970	1,520-1,760
Wet clay topsoil	110-130	2,970-3,510	1,760-2,080
Bagged potting mix	25-40	675-1,080	400-640
Compost	40-50	1,080-1,350	640-800

💡 Pickup truck capacity: A standard 6 ft pickup bed holds 1 to 1.5 cubic yards of soil. At 2,700 lbs per cubic yard, that is 2,700 to 4,050 lbs of moist topsoil. Always check your vehicle payload rating before loading. Half a cubic yard (about 1,350 lbs) is a safe limit for most half-ton trucks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) = cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Convert depth from inches by dividing by 12. For 10 ft x 8 ft at 6 inches: 10 x 8 x 0.5 = 40 cu ft = 1.48 cu yd.

Cu yd = (L x W x D in feet) divided by 27. For 20 x 10 at 4 inches: (20 x 10 x 0.333) / 27 = 2.47 cu yd. Add 15% for settling to get your order quantity.

Moist topsoil weighs approximately 2,700 to 3,000 lbs per cubic yard. Dry sandy soil can be as light as 2,160 lbs/cu yd. Wet clay-rich topsoil can reach 3,500 lbs/cu yd. Confirm with your supplier before ordering truck deliveries.

27 bags at 1 cu ft each. 36 bags at 0.75 cu ft. 13.5 bags at 2 cu ft. 9 bags at 3 cu ft. Always check the bag label for its stated volume in cubic feet.

Minimum 4 inches for a new lawn. 6 inches is better for drought tolerance and root depth. Topdressing an existing lawn only needs 0.5 to 1 inch raked in to level and feed the turf.

Volume = length x width x depth in feet. A 4 ft x 8 ft x 1 ft bed needs 32 cu ft = 1.19 cu yd. Fill with a 60/40 blend of topsoil and compost for best vegetable growing results.

Bulk topsoil delivery typically costs $150-$500 per 10-15 cubic yard load depending on quality and location. Screened topsoil costs more than unscreened. Premium garden blends cost $50-$100 per cubic yard. Bagged equivalents cost $150-$200 per cubic yard.

At 2 inches: 0.62 cu yd. At 4 inches: 1.23 cu yd. At 6 inches: 1.85 cu yd. At 12 inches: 3.70 cu yd. Use the calculator above for any custom dimension.

Topsoil is the nutrient-rich top 6-12 inches of native soil, containing organic matter and microbes for plant growth. Fill dirt is subsoil with few nutrients used for structural filling under slabs or grading. Never use fill dirt where you want plants to grow.

Yes. Add 10-15% to your calculated volume. Loose topsoil compacts 10-20% over the first season after watering. For a 3 cu yd project, order 3.3 to 3.5 cu yd.

A standard 6 ft pickup bed holds 1 to 1.5 cubic yards. An 8 ft bed holds about 2 cubic yards. Moist topsoil at 1.5 cu yd weighs over 4,000 lbs. Always check your truck payload rating before loading.

Area = pi x radius squared. For 5 ft radius at 6 inch depth: 3.14159 x 25 x 0.5 = 39.27 cu ft = 1.45 cu yd. Use the soil calculator above with length = diameter and width = diameter for an approximate rectangle, or calculate manually.

A standard 1 cu ft bag weighs approximately 40 lbs (18 kg). A 2 cu ft bag weighs about 80 lbs. Weight varies with moisture and soil type. Always check the bag label for the actual stated weight.

Yes. The volume formula is the same for any bulk material. Only the weight differs. Mulch weighs roughly 400-600 lbs per cubic yard. Gravel weighs 2,800 to 3,400 lbs per cubic yard. Use our sand calculator for sand-specific weight estimates.

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