Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards, tons or bags of topsoil for new lawns, raised beds and levelling low spots.
This topsoil calculator converts an area and depth into cubic yards, tons or bags of screened topsoil — for starting a lawn, topping up raised beds, or levelling a low spot in the yard.
It draws the area to scale as you type and adds a small allowance for settling. Bagged topsoil is typically 0.75 or 1 cubic foot per bag.
How deep does topsoil need to be?
For a new lawn from seed or sod, spread 3 to 4 inches of topsoil over the graded sub-soil and rake it level — grass roots want at least that much good soil. For over-seeding or a light top-dress, a quarter to half an inch is plenty. Filling raised beds, go by the bed height minus an inch of freeboard.
One cubic yard of topsoil covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep, or 324 square feet at 1 inch.
Screened or unscreened
Screened topsoil has been run through a mesh to pull out rocks, roots and clods — buy it for anything you will plant into or seed. Unscreened or "fill" soil is cheaper and fine for building up grade under a future lawn, but it needs raking and stone-picking.
For garden beds, a blend of topsoil and compost (roughly 3:1) drains and feeds better than topsoil alone.
Weight and delivery
A cubic yard of screened topsoil weighs about 1.1 tons dry and up to 1.5 tons wet, so book delivery for a dry stretch if you can — wet soil is heavier to pay for and miserable to move. Order about 10% extra; freshly spread soil settles noticeably in the first few weeks.
Common topsoil mistakes
Ordering unscreened soil for seeding. Rocks and root balls make a lumpy seedbed — pay for screened soil where grass or plants go.
Spreading over compacted sub-grade. Loosen or till the surface first so roots can move between the layers.
Taking delivery right after rain. Wet soil weighs up to a third more per yard and is miserable to move.
Too thin a layer for a lawn. Grass wants at least 3 to 4 inches of good soil; a dusting over subsoil will not hold.
| Material | lb / ft³ | tons / yd³ | Sold by | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screened topsoil (dry) | 75–85 | 1.10 | yd³ (some ton) | New lawns, bed top-up, levelling |
| Topsoil (moist) | 95–110 | 1.40 | yd³ | As delivered after rain — weighs more |
| Fill dirt / structural fill | 90–100 | 1.25 | ton or yd³ | Raising grade, backfill, berms |
| Compost | 40–50 | 0.55 | yd³ or bag | Bed amendment, lawn top-dressing |
| Garden / raised-bed mix | 65–80 | 1.00 | yd³ or bag | Filling raised beds (soil + compost blend) |
Every material calculator
Each of these uses the same measured-drawing tool with the right density and bag sizes built in: gravel calculator , mulch calculator , concrete calculator , concrete slab calculator , sand calculator , paver sand calculator , crushed stone calculator , sonotube concrete calculator , pea gravel calculator , river rock calculator , decomposed granite calculator , road base calculator . Or start from the material calculator homepage and pick a material there.
Frequently asked questions
How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?
Spread 3 to 4 inches. That is about one cubic yard per 80 to 100 square feet. A 1,000 square foot lawn area needs roughly 10 to 12 cubic yards.
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
About 27 bags of 1 cubic foot, or 36 bags of 0.75 cubic foot.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
About 1.1 tons (2,200 lb) when screened and dry, rising to 1.4 to 1.5 tons when wet.
How much does a yard of topsoil cover?
About 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 108 square feet at 3 inches, and 81 square feet at 4 inches.
What is the difference between screened and unscreened topsoil?
Screened soil has been sieved to remove rocks, roots and clumps — use it for planting and seeding. Unscreened soil is cheaper and suited to building up grade.
How much soil do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?
A 4 ft × 8 ft bed 12 inches deep holds 32 cubic feet, about 1.2 cubic yards or roughly 32 bags. Mix in compost at about one part to three.
Is topsoil sold by the yard or the ton?
Most landscape yards sell it by the cubic yard; some quarries and bulk suppliers price by the ton. The calculator shows both.
How much extra topsoil should I order?
About 10%. Loose soil settles as it is watered and walked on, and coverage is uneven over rough ground.
How many cubic yards of topsoil for a 1/4 acre?
A quarter acre is about 10,900 square feet. At 2 inches deep that is roughly 67 cubic yards; at 4 inches, about 135 cubic yards.
How much topsoil to level a bumpy lawn?
For minor levelling, a 1/2-inch top-dressing — about one cubic yard per 650 square feet. Fill deeper hollows separately and reseed those spots.
Is garden soil the same as topsoil?
No. Topsoil is the mineral A-horizon on its own. "Garden soil" and "raised-bed mix" are blends of topsoil with compost and aeration material, priced higher.
Can I put topsoil over grass to level it?
Only a thin 1/2-inch layer that the existing grass can grow through. A thicker layer smothers the lawn — strip it or kill it first.
How much does a truckload of topsoil cost?
A 10–14 yard tandem load of screened topsoil typically runs $250 to $700 delivered depending on region and quality, so $25 to $50 per cubic yard.