Topsoil Calculator
Volume for a bed or a lawn, with settling allowed for.
Work out Topsoil. Volume for a bed or a lawn, with settling allowed for. Built to be checked against a delivery note.
Around a ton per cubic yard dry, and considerably more when wet.
Leave at zero for a bulk order.
Density varies with material, stone size and how wet it is, and you are charged for what crosses the weighbridge. Use the supplier's own figure rather than a general one — it moves the tonnage proportionally.
Cubic yards needed
6.17
6.79 tons · 166.7 cu ft
6.17 cubic yards before any allowance for settling. Freshly delivered soil is aerated by the handling and compacts once spread and watered, so a bed filled to exactly this volume tends to sit below its edging within a season.
How the Topsoil Calculator works
Topsoil is ordered by the cubic yard and almost always under-ordered, for a reason that is easy to miss: loose soil settles. Material delivered fluffed by handling compacts once it is spread and watered, so a bed filled exactly to the calculated volume ends up below its edging within a season.
Also known as: how much topsoil do I need · garden soil calculator · dirt calculator · soil calculator cubic yards
The calculation itself
Area times depth, converted to cubic yards through the same exact twenty-seven. Topsoil is ordered by the yard and weighs roughly a ton per yard dry, considerably more wet.
In practice
500 square feet at four inches is 166.7 cubic feet, or 6.17 cubic yards — around six and a quarter tons at a typical dry density.
Four to six inches is the usual depth for a new lawn, more for beds where things root deeply. Too thin a layer over compacted subsoil is a common reason a lawn never establishes, and it is a depth problem rather than a soil-quality one.
Why topsoil is nearly always under-ordered
Loose soil settles, and the material arrives aerated by the handling that got it there. Once spread and watered it compacts noticeably, so a bed filled exactly to the calculated volume sits below its edging within a season.
The volume here is the finished volume. Ordering a margin above it is normal practice rather than caution, and the exact allowance depends on the material and how wet it was when delivered.
Screened soil settles more predictably than unscreened, which brings stones and root matter that you will end up removing by hand anyway.
Acting on it
Order above the calculated volume and expect to use it. Running short mid-job means a second delivery charge for a fraction of a load.
Check access and drop point before ordering. A ton of wet soil is not something to move twice.
For a lawn, get the depth right before worrying about the grade of soil. Depth is what decides establishment.
Frequently asked questions
How much topsoil do I need?
Area times depth, converted to cubic yards. A four-inch layer over 500 square feet is about 6.2 cubic yards before any allowance for settling.
How deep should topsoil be?
Four to six inches for a new lawn, more for beds where things will root deeply. Too thin a layer over compacted subsoil is a common cause of a lawn that never establishes.
Does topsoil settle?
Yes, noticeably. Freshly delivered soil is aerated by the handling and compacts under its own weight and watering, so allowing extra is normal rather than cautious.
What does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?
Around a ton dry and considerably more when wet, which matters for delivery access and for anything you are wheeling it over.
Is screened topsoil worth it?
For seeding and beds, generally yes — unscreened soil brings stones and root matter that you will end up removing by hand. It is a cost-per-yard question rather than a volume one.
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