Topsoil Calculator

Topsoil for new lawns, beds and levelling: cubic yards or m³, the weight, and how many 0.75–1.5 cu ft or 25–50 L bags or bulk bags you need.

Topsoil is sold in bags (often 0.75 or 1 cubic foot in the US, and 25 to 50 litres in the UK and Australia), in bulk bags of around a cubic metre, and loose by the cubic yard or m³. Enter the area and the depth you want to add and this calculator gives the volume, the approximate weight and the number of bags of each size. New lawns are commonly laid on 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) of topsoil; a 12 × 10 ft area at 4 inches is 40 cubic feet, or 1.48 cubic yards, which is about 54 bags of 0.75 ft³ before extra. Soil settles after spreading, so 10% extra is included.

Units
Bag sizes
Area
ft
ft
in
Feet and inches work too: type 12'6 or 12.5.
t/yd³
%
Settles after spreading, so allow extra.
Volume
1.63 yd³

44 ft³ · 1.246 m³

Weight
1.79 tons

3,585 lb · 1.63 tonnes

Bags
59

0.75 ft³ bag

Bags needed by size
0.75 ft³ bag59
1 ft³ bag44
1.5 ft³ bag30
25 L bag50
30 L bag42
50 L bag25
1 m³ bulk bag2
How it was worked out
  1. Area: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 ft²; × 4 in (0.333 ft) deep = 40 ft³
  2. 40 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.48 yd³
  3. Plus 10% extra = 1.63 yd³
  4. 1.63 yd³ × 1.1 tons per yd³ = 1.79 tons (3,585 lb)
  5. 44 ft³ ÷ 0.75 ft³ per bag = 58.67, rounded up to 59 bags
Typical weights of common materials
Materialt/m³tons/yd³lb/ft³
Concrete2.402.02150
Gravel1.601.35100
Pea gravel1.601.35100
Crushed stone / crushed rock1.601.35100
River rock1.501.2694
Landscape rock / pebbles1.501.2694
Crushed limestone1.601.35100
Decomposed granite1.501.2694
Crusher run1.601.35100
Road base1.701.43106
Crusher dust1.501.2694
Aggregate (20 mm)1.601.35100
All-in ballast1.651.39103
MOT Type 1 sub-base1.801.52112
Sand1.601.35100
Topsoil1.301.1081
Garden soil1.301.1081
Fill dirt1.401.1887
Mulch0.350.2922
Bark chippings0.300.2519
Asphalt (compacted)2.321.96145

Loose, as-delivered figures; asphalt and concrete are as laid. Moisture, stone size and source change the real weight, so use your supplier's figure when you have it. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).

Common use cases

  • Topsoil for a new lawn from seed or turf
  • Filling or topping up garden beds
  • Levelling low spots and dips in a lawn
  • Regrading around a new build or a patio

How to use

  1. Choose feet and inches or metres and millimetres, and the country whose bag sizes you want.
  2. Enter the length and width of the area, or switch the shape to a circle, triangle or a known area. Use Add another area for L-shapes and separate beds.
  3. Enter the depth of topsoil. New lawns are often 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm); topdressing an existing lawn is a thin layer of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
  4. Check the density and the extra allowance. Change the density if your supplier quotes a different figure.
  5. Read the volume, weight and bag count, and add a price per ton, cubic yard, m³ or bag for a cost estimate.

FAQ

How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?

Commonly 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) over loosened subsoil. 1,000 ft² at 4 inches is 333 ft³, about 12.3 cubic yards. In metric, 50 m² at 100 mm is 5 m³.

How much does topsoil weigh?

Dry topsoil weighs roughly 1.1 US tons per cubic yard (about 1.3 tonnes per m³), and much more when wet. Check what your vehicle can carry before collecting it.

How many bags of topsoil in a cubic yard?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so 36 bags of 0.75 ft³, 27 bags of 1 ft³ or 18 bags of 1.5 ft³. A cubic metre is 20 × 50 L, 33.3 × 30 L or 40 × 25 L bags.

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