Topsoil Calculator

Cubic yards, tons and bags of topsoil for a new lawn, raised bed or garden, with a bulk-versus-bag cost comparison.

Filling a raised bed and preparing a lawn with screened topsoil A wheelbarrow of screened topsoil is rolled from a delivered pile to a cedar raised bed and tipped in. On the graded lawn area a landscape rake levels the soil between grade stakes and a string line, and a broadcast spreader passes behind, scattering grass seed.

Prefer your local store? Enter its prices for a cost estimate.

Soil reference

6″ 6″ PLACED HIGH: SETTLES 10–20%SEED + STARTER FERTILIZER1–2″ COMPOST MIXED INTO TOP6″ SCREENED TOPSOILSUBSOIL LOOSENED 2–4″UNDISTURBED SUBGRADEKEEP SIDING 6″ ABOVE GRADESLOPE AWAY 6″ IN FIRST 10 FT
Typical new-lawn section at the house. Slope is exaggerated; local code and drainage plans take precedence.

Depth by use

New lawn, seed
4–6 in
Under sod
4–6 in
Top-dressing a lawn
¼–½ in
In-ground garden bed
6–12 in
Raised bed
full box height

Mixes

Screened topsoil
lawns, grading
Screen size
⅜–½ in
Garden blend
soil + 25–40% compost
Raised-bed mix
≈ 60/40 soil/compost
Avoid
clay subsoil as fill

Weight and settling

Dry
≈ 1.0–1.2 t / yd³
Wet
up to 1.5 t / yd³
Loose fill settles
10–20%
1 yd³ covers
81 ft² at 4 in
6 ft³ wheelbarrow
≈ 5 loads / yd³

Seeding

Tall fescue
6–8 lb / 1,000 ft²
Kentucky bluegrass
2–3 lb / 1,000 ft²
Overseeding
about half the rate
Cool-season grass
late summer–early fall
Warm-season grass
late spring–early summer

Safety Call 811 a few days before you till or regrade so buried lines are marked. Keep fill off siding and away from the foundation sill.

Full notes
  • For a new lawn, spread 4-6 inches. To top-dress an existing lawn, 1/4 to 1/2 inch is plenty.
  • Topsoil weighs about 1.1-1.3 tons per cubic yard depending on moisture; wet soil is heavier.
  • Soil settles over the first weeks, so order about 10% extra.
  • Raised beds: enter the inside length, width and soil height of the box.

Planning a bigger project?

Mulch CalculatorHow many cubic yards, or 2 cubic foot bags, of mulch you need for flower beds, tree rings and borders.Gravel CalculatorCubic yards and tons of gravel for a driveway, path, drainage trench or patio base.Project: Plan a Garden BedAll the calculators for this job in order.

Common sizes

Drag to change the size
12 × 16 ft192 ft²
4 in deep2.61 yd³ · 71 × 1 cu ft bag6 in deep3.91 yd³ · 106 × 1 cu ft bag
4 × 8 ft24 × 24 ft

Drag the corner of the shape or the slider. Grid squares are 2 ft. Tap a result to load it into the calculator.