Topsoil Calculator
Work out how much topsoil a lawn or bed needs, in yards, tons or bags.
Last reviewed September 19, 2026
Result
Buy 2.4691 yd³ cubic yards (0.75 ft³)Estimate
No allowance is added. Topsoil settles noticeably in the first few weeks, so a bed filled level will sink. Order about a tenth more than the calculated depth if a finished level matters, or plan to top it up.
- Approximate weight
- 2.71 ton (5,410.42 lb)Estimate
- Bags, if buying bagged
- 89Estimate
- Area covered
- 200 ft²
https://calcgallery.com/landscaping/topsoil-calculator/
Results are estimates for planning only. Actual needs vary with site conditions, products and workmanship. Always confirm quantities with your supplier and follow local building codes and manufacturer instructions. Read the full disclaimer
How to use it
- Measure the bed or lawn, or enter the area directly.
- Set the depth. About 100 mm, or 4 in, suits a new lawn; beds want more.
- Read the cubic yards or cubic metres for a bulk order, and the weight if your supplier sells by the ton.
- Open the advanced options for a bag count if the job is small.
How it is calculated
Topsoil is a volume, and then a weight:
volume = area × depth
weight = volume × density
bags = ceil(volume ÷ bag volume)The density is the part that varies. Screened topsoil runs around 1300 kg per cubic metre, or about 2200 lb per cubic yard, but that figure moves a long way with moisture and with how much organic matter is in it. Wet soil after a week of rain can be substantially heavier.
That matters because many suppliers sell by weight rather than volume. A ton of wet soil is less soil than a ton of dry soil, which is one reason buying by the yard is easier to check.
Practical tips
Order about a tenth more than the calculation. Soil settles, the ground is never as level as it looks, and running out halfway across a lawn means a second delivery charge for a fraction of a load.
Think about where it will be tipped. A cubic yard is roughly a washing machine in volume and over a ton in weight, and it arrives as a pile wherever the lorry can reach. Moving it thirty metres by barrow is most of a day.
Do not bury the existing grass. Four inches of soil over a lawn will kill the grass, and the decaying layer underneath holds water and slumps. Strip or thoroughly break up the surface first.
Break up the layer underneath. Soil laid straight onto compacted subsoil or builder’s rubble creates a drainage boundary, and roots stop at it. Fork over the base before spreading.
Buy the blend only where it matters. Fill the depth with plain topsoil and put the more expensive compost-blended soil in the top few inches, where the roots actually are.
Let it settle before turfing or seeding. A week and a rain shower, or a light roll, saves the dips that appear a month after you have finished.
With your numbers
- Volume = 200 ft² × 4 in deep
- Weight = that × density = 2.705 ton
- Topsoil = 2.4691 yd³
Quick reference
No allowance is added. Topsoil settles noticeably in the first few weeks, so a bed filled level will sink. Order about a tenth more than the calculated depth if a finished level matters, or plan to top it up.
| Job | Topsoil needed |
|---|---|
| 20 × 10 ft bed, 4 in deep | 2.4691 yd³ |
| 200 ft² at 4 in | 2.4691 yd³ |
| 500 ft² at 4 in | 6.1728 yd³ |
| 1000 ft² lawn at 2 in | 6.1728 yd³ |
| 100 ft² raised bed, 12 in | 3.7037 yd³ |
| 20 m² at 100 mm | 2 m³ |
| 50 m² at 100 mm | 5 m³ |
| 100 m² lawn at 50 mm | 5 m³ |
Common questions
- How much topsoil do I need for a 20 by 10 foot bed?
- About 2.47 cubic yards at 4 in deep, which is 66.7 cubic feet and weighs roughly 2.7 US tons. In metric that is 1.89 m³ and about 2.45 tonnes.
- How deep should topsoil be?
- Around 100 mm, or 4 in, for a new lawn, and 150 to 300 mm for beds and vegetable growing, depending on what you are planting. Deeper is generally better for beds, and turf needs less than most people expect because the roots stay shallow.
- How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
- Roughly 2200 lb, or about 1.1 US tons, though it varies a great deal with moisture. Wet soil can be half as heavy again as dry, which matters for delivery limits and for what your barrow and your back can manage.
- Is bagged or bulk topsoil better value?
- Bulk, by a wide margin, once you need more than about ten bags. A cubic yard is roughly 27 bags of 1 ft³, and buying that many bags costs several times what a bulk yard does. Bags only win when access is poor or the job is genuinely small.
- Does topsoil settle?
- Yes, noticeably. Freshly spread soil settles by around a tenth over the first few weeks as it is rained on and watered. Fill a raised bed level and it will be visibly below the edge within a month, so overfill slightly or plan to top it up.
- What is the difference between topsoil and garden soil?
- Topsoil is screened mineral soil and is the bulk material for filling and levelling. Garden or bed soil is usually topsoil blended with compost, and it costs more. For filling depth use topsoil; for the top few inches where things actually grow, the blend earns its price.