Topsoil calculator
Work out how much topsoil you need in cubic yards, tons or bulk bags, with the weight range wet and dry soil actually covers.
Topsoil calculator
Use your supplier's density
You need
- Volume
- Weight
- Area
| Order by | Exact | Order, rounded up for anything sold in whole bags |
|---|
Enter your measurements to see what to order.
One cubic yard of topsoil weighs about 0.99 US tons and covers about 165 square feet at 2 in.
How to work out how much topsoil you need
- Measure the area in feet and multiply length by width.
- Pick a depth in inches and multiply it by the area to get a volume.
- Multiply the volume by the bulk density, 1170 kg per cubic metre for topsoil, to get a weight.
- Divide the weight by your supplier's ton or cubic yard to get what to order, and round up. Suppliers do not sell part bags.
- Add 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, at 1170 kg per cubic metre. Because published densities run from 940 to 1400, the honest answer is a range: between 0.79 and 1.18 tons per cubic yard depending on grading and how wet the load is.
How many cubic yards in a ton of topsoil?
About 1.01 cubic yards. One tonne is about 0.85 cubic metres.
How deep should topsoil be laid?
| Use | Depth | What the supplier says |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn dressing | 2 in | Mainland Aggregates: one bulk bag covers approximately 10 square metres at 50mm. |
| Raised bed | 11.8 in to 17.7 in | Penn State Extension: a popular size is 4 feet by 8 feet by one foot deep, which is deep enough for annual plant root systems. The RHS puts 30cm as deep enough for salad leaves and strawberries. |
| Raised bed, deep rooted | 17.7 in to 23.6 in | RHS: most plants, especially fruit bushes, shrubs and small trees, need 45cm or more. Penn State notes that 18 to 24 inches needs less watering and gives more room for root growth. |
How much does topsoil weigh?
Between 940 and 1400 kg per cubic metre, a spread of 49 percent. 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. The calculator above uses 1170, and you can replace it with your own supplier's figure.
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 |
What you can order topsoil in
| Pack | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|
| cubic yard | US, CA | 0.765 m3 |
| US ton | US, CA | 907 kg |
| 0.5 cu ft bag | US, CA | 0.014 m3 |
| 850kg bulk bag | UK | 850 kg (suppliers state 700 to 1000 kg) |