Soil & Topsoil Calculator
Find how much topsoil or dirt you need — enter your area and depth to get the cubic yards, the weight in tons, and the number of 40 lb bags, with a coverage and cost breakdown.
How much topsoil do I need?
Topsoil — sometimes searched as dirt or fill — is ordered by the cubic yard in bulk or in 40 lb bags. Find the volume by multiplying the area in square feet by the depth in inches and dividing by 324 for cubic yards. The calculator above also gives the weight in tons and the bag count so you can choose bulk or bagged.
cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324 · tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.1
Topsoil depth & bags
| Use | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| Topdressing a lawn | ¼–½ inch |
| New lawn / seeding | 3–6 inches |
| Garden & raised beds | 6–12 inches |
| 1 cubic yard | ≈ 36 × 40 lb bags · ≈ 1.1 tons |
For other bulk materials, see the mulch calculator, the sand calculator, or the cubic yards calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much topsoil do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards. For example, a 200 sq ft bed at 4 inches deep needs 200 × 4 ÷ 324 ≈ 2.5 cubic yards. The calculator above converts that to tons and 40 lb bags as well.
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
A 40 lb bag of topsoil holds roughly 0.75 cubic feet, so a cubic yard (27 cu ft) equals about 36 bags. Bulk topsoil by the yard is much cheaper than bags once you need more than about ten, which is where the calculator helps you decide.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
A cubic yard of topsoil weighs roughly 2,000–2,400 pounds, around 1 to 1.2 tons when dry, and noticeably more when wet or rich in clay. The calculator uses about 1.1 tons per cubic yard, which is typical for screened topsoil.
How deep should topsoil be?
For a new lawn, 3–6 inches of topsoil gives roots room to establish; for garden beds, 6–12 inches is common; and for topdressing an existing lawn, about a quarter to a half inch is enough. Set your depth above to match the job.