Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards of screened topsoil for a lawn, bed or grade fix. Soil settles 10–20% after spreading, so an allowance is built in — set it to 0 for bagged.
Order 4.5 yd³ — bulk soil is sold by the ½ yard; most yards run a 3 yd³ delivery minimum.
- Area
- 200 ft²
- Volume (100.0 ft³)
- 3.70 yd³
- Weight @ 1.10 t/yd³
- ≈ 4.1 tons
- Waste / settling 10%
- + 0.37 yd³
- Order quantity
- 4.07 yd³
- Truckloads
- 1 × tandem dump (≈10 yd³)
- Metric
- 3.11 m³
- 40 lb bag (0.75 ft³)
- 147 bags
- 1 ft³ bag
- 110 bags
- 1.5 ft³ bag
- 74 bags
- Materials + delivery$20–$55 / yd³ · Aug 2026
- $165 – $323
- Installed (with labor)typ. $395
- $267 – $567
How to calculate topsoil by hand
Cubic yards = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
Worked example
- Area: 20 ft × 10 ft = 200 ft².
- Volume: 200 ft² × (6 in ÷ 12) = 100 ft³.
- Cubic yards: 100 ÷ 27 = 3.70 yd³.
- Settling allowance 10%: 3.70 × 1.10 = 4.07 yd³ → order 4.5 yd³ (sold by the half yard).
- Bagged instead: 110 ft³ ÷ 0.75 ft³ = 147 × 40 lb bags — a pallet and a half.
- 1 yd³ of topsoil at 3″
- ≈ 108 ft²
- 1 yd³ of topsoil at 6″
- ≈ 54 ft²
- 1 yd³ in 40 lb bags
- 36 bags
- 1 yd³ screened topsoil
- ≈ 2,200 lb
Questions crews ask
How many cubic yards of topsoil do I need?
Length × width in feet gives square feet; multiply by depth in inches and divide by 324 to get cubic yards (12 × 27). A 20 × 10 ft area at 6″ is 200 × 6 ÷ 324 = 3.7 yd³. Add about 10% because loose soil settles once it is watered in.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
Screened topsoil runs 2,000–2,600 lb per cubic yard — 1.0 to 1.3 tons — depending on moisture and organic content. Wet clay soil is heavier; compost and garden mixes are lighter at 1,400–2,000 lb.
How many bags of topsoil make a yard?
A 40 lb bag holds about 0.75 ft³, so 36 bags make a cubic yard. 1 ft³ bags take 27; 1.5 ft³ bags take 18. Above roughly a yard, bulk delivery is cheaper than bags even with the delivery fee.
How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn?
Seed or sod wants at least 4″ of good topsoil and does best with 6″. For topdressing an existing lawn use ¼–½″ per application. Vegetable beds want 8–12″.
How much does topsoil settle?
Loose screened soil settles 10–20% after spreading and the first few waterings. The calculator adds 10% by default; use 20% for fluffy garden mixes or if you are filling a hole that will be compacted in lifts.
How much topsoil fits in a pickup truck?
A half-ton pickup is rated for about ½ yd³ of soil (1,100 lb); a ¾-ton for a yard. A tandem dump carries about 10 yd³ and a tri-axle 15–18 yd³. Most yards charge one delivery fee up to a full truck.