How Much Topsoil Do I Need? Cubic Yards, Tons and Bags

Q: How much topsoil do I need?

Multiply the area by the depth to get a volume, then multiply by 1170 kg per cubic metre to get the weight. At 2 inches deep, 100 square feet needs about 0.61 cubic yards, which weighs about 0.6 US tons.

How much topsoil do I need?

Multiply the area by the depth for a volume, then multiply the volume by 1170 kg per cubic metre for a weight. At 2 inches deep, 100 square feet of topsoil is about 0.61 cubic yards, which weighs about 0.6 US tons. Enter your own measurements below.

Topsoil calculator

Shape of the area

RectangleCircleL-shapeTriangle

Length

Width

Depth

Typical:

Extra for wasteCovers settlement, uneven ground and the material lost around the edges. A second delivery for half a yard costs more than the extra you did not use.

PriceYour supplier's price, so the total is yours and not an average.

Use your supplier's density

Bulk densityPublished figures for topsoil run from 940 to 1400 kg/m3, a spread of 49 percent. This calculator uses 1170. If your supplier states their own figure, it beats any table.

kg/m3

This calculator needs JavaScript. The arithmetic is: area times depth gives volume, volume times bulk density gives weight, weight divided by your bag or load size gives what to order. For topsoil, use 1170 kg per cubic metre.

Enter your measurements to see what to order.

How much topsoil for a given area

At 2 inches deep, the depth Mainland Aggregates recommends.

Area	Cubic yards	US tons	Cubic metres
100 sq ft	0.61	0.6	0.46
200 sq ft	1.22	1.2	0.93
400 sq ft	2.43	2.4	1.86
600 sq ft	3.65	3.59	2.79
1,000 sq ft	6.08	5.99	4.65

Every figure above is the calculator's own output at 1170 kg per cubic metre, with no waste added. Add 10 percent to any of them before ordering.

Why two suppliers deliver different weights for the same order

Published densities for topsoil run from 940 to 1400 kg per cubic metre. On a 2.43 cubic yard order that is the difference between 1.93 and 2.87 US tons. No supplier states a moisture condition, and topsoil after rain is much heavier than the same soil dry. The band is wide because the material is.

4 published figures from 4 suppliers, read 2026-09-20.

Supplier	Published figure	Condition
Premier Landscape Products LLC (Milwaukee, WI)US	2100 LBS/YARD (1050 LBS/HALF YARD)	unstated (no moisture condition
Jewson (product branded Hallstone; manufacturer listed on page as Rolawn)UK	Product Weight 470 kg; Contains approx. 500 litres (0.5m3)	bagged, 'when packed'
Australian Native Landscapes (ANL)AU	Topsoil 1.4 (Tonnes / Metre)	loose (figure sits in the table's 'Loose Tonnes' column)
Melcourt Industries LtdUK	Bulk Density 900 - 1200 kg/m3	unstated

How much extra to order

10 percent. Covers settlement, uneven ground and the material lost around the edges. A second delivery for half a yard costs more than the extra you did not use.

How many tons in a cubic yard of topsoil?

About 0.99 US tons, and one ton is about 1.01 cubic yards.

The topsoil calculator handles circles, L-shapes and triangles, and switches to cubic metres and bulk bags.