Topsoil Calculator
A topsoil calculator works out how much topsoil you need by multiplying your area by the depth, giving a volume in cubic yards, then converting to bags. Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard in bulk or in 40 pound bags. Enter your length, width and depth below for cubic yards, bags and cost.
depth in inches; 40 lb bag yields ~0.75 cubic feet; 36 bags per cubic yard.
- 40 lb bags
- 0
- Estimated cost
- $0.00
Enter your dimensions to see the result.
Estimate only. Material yields and prices vary by supplier and region; confirm before ordering.
How Do You Calculate How Much Topsoil You Need?
To calculate topsoil, multiply length by width for the area, then by the depth in feet for cubic feet, and divide by 27 for cubic yards. For bags, divide the cubic feet by 0.75, the yield of a typical 40 pound bag. A 20 by 10 foot bed at 4 inches deep is about 66.7 cubic feet, roughly 2.47 cubic yards, or 89 bags. The calculator does this instantly and shows the bulk versus bag crossover.
How Many Bags of Topsoil Are in a Cubic Yard?
There are about 36 of the 40 pound bags in a cubic yard, since a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and each bag yields roughly 0.75 cubic feet. Because that is a lot of bags, bulk topsoil by the cubic yard is far cheaper and easier for anything beyond a small bed or a few containers. The calculator shows both so you can see where bulk wins.
How Deep Should Topsoil Be?
Depth depends on the purpose. A new lawn needs 4 to 6 inches of topsoil for healthy root growth, garden beds often want 6 to 12 inches, and topping up an existing lawn may need only 1 to 2 inches. Depth multiplies directly into volume, so a deeper bed needs proportionally more soil. Set the right depth in the calculator for your planting.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much topsoil do I need for a 20x10 bed?
- A 20 by 10 foot bed at 4 inches deep needs about 2.47 cubic yards of topsoil, or 89 of the 40 pound bags. At 6 inches it needs about 3.7 cubic yards.
- How many bags of topsoil in a cubic yard?
- There are about 36 of the 40 pound bags in a cubic yard. Bulk topsoil is much cheaper for anything beyond a small bed, since the bag count climbs fast.
- How deep should topsoil be for grass?
- A new lawn needs 4 to 6 inches of topsoil for healthy roots. Topping up an existing lawn may need only 1 to 2 inches.
- How much does a yard of topsoil cover?
- One cubic yard of topsoil covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep, or about 160 square feet at 2 inches. Coverage falls as depth increases.