Topsoil Calculator

Order Order about 4.07 cubic yards of topsoil

Start with topsoil and your area (length × width, or switch to a direct total area) and a depth — use the depth-by-job presets if you are unsure. Switch the material to fill dirt for grading, set the soil moisture for the tons estimate, and open options for a custom density, settling allowance, or prices.

Topsoil is the organic growing layer for lawns and beds. Fill dirt is subsoil for filling and grading — no organics, cheaper, and it compacts denser. Switching to fill dirt swaps to a fill density (loose ~2,200 / compacted ~2,700 lb/yd³); it does not silently reuse topsoil density.
Enter length × width (default) or a total area directly for irregular shapes you have already measured.
The length of the area to cover. Feet by default; switch the unit if you measured in inches or yards.
The width of the area to cover, in the selected unit.
Enter your total area in square feet directly instead of length × width — useful for irregular shapes or added-up sub-areas.
How deep the material should be. This is the most-guessed input and the make-or-break number — use the depth-by-job presets if you are unsure. Default 4 in matches a new-lawn base.
Pick your project and we prefill a sensible depth: top-dressing (0.25-0.5 in), lawn leveling (1-3 in), new lawn (3-6 in), garden bed (6-12 in), or grading fill. These are guidance ranges, not a code minimum — edit the depth after prefilling.
Delivered soil weight swings with moisture. Dry ~2,000 lb/yd³, moist / stockpiled ~2,200 (the realistic delivered default), saturated ~3,000. This sets the density used for the tons estimate — tons is always an estimate. Choose Custom to type your supplier's figure.
Fill dirt is bought and placed by compaction, not moisture. Loose delivered fill runs ~2,200 lb/yd³ (about the same as moist topsoil); compacted fill runs ~2,700. This sets the density used for the tons estimate — tons is always an estimate. Choose Custom to type your supplier's figure.
Volume of the bags you would buy, in cubic feet. A typical 40 lb bag holds about 0.75 ft³ (~36 per cubic yard); 1.0 ft³ bags give the '27 per yard' figure; 1.5 ft³ bags give 18. Bag count depends on bag SIZE, not weight.
Advanced options
Your supplier's bulk density in pounds per cubic yard. Topsoil typically runs 2,000 (dry) to 3,000 (saturated); a common moist figure is ~2,200.
Your supplier's fill-dirt bulk density in pounds per cubic yard. Fill dirt typically runs ~2,200 (loose) to ~2,700 (compacted).
Extra to order because loose delivered soil settles and uneven ground averages low. Default 10% (commonly 10-15%). This is a field estimate folded into the cubic-yards-to-order number, not an exact cited constant.
Optional. Your supplier's bulk price per cubic yard for a delivered-cost estimate and a bulk-vs-bag comparison. Leave blank — the tool gives a full answer with no price entered.
Optional. Price of one bag at the selected bag size for a bagged-cost estimate and a bulk-vs-bagged comparison. Leave blank if you are not comparing.
Order Order about 4.07 cubic yards of topsoil
Cubic yards to order 4.07 cu yd
Cubic yards (before allowance) 3.70 cu yd
Cubic feet 100 cu ft
Estimated tons about 4.07 tons (estimate, moist / stockpiled)
Bags (at selected size) 134 bags at 0.75 ft³
Show calculation details
Why tons is a range Weight uses 2,200 lb/yd³ (moist / stockpiled). Delivered soil runs roughly 1,500-3,000 lb per cubic yard with moisture, so tons is an estimate, not an exact weight.
Settling allowance A 10% settling allowance is folded into the ordered quantity (3.70 → 4.07 cu yd). It is an editable field estimate, not a cited constant.
Coverage This volume covers about 300 sq ft at 4.00 in; one 0.75 ft³ bag covers about 2.3 sq ft at that depth.
Topsoil vs fill dirt Topsoil is the organic growing layer for lawns and beds. For pure volume or grading under a slab, switch the material to fill dirt.
Show calculation details 300 sq ft × 4.00 in ÷ 12 = 100 cu ft ÷ 27 = 3.70 cu yd. Tons = 3.70 × 2,200 ÷ 2,000. Bags = ceil(100 ÷ 0.75) = 134 (exact 133.33).
Cost estimate —
Input advisories Uneven ground averages low — average the depth or measure sub-areas, and lean on the settling allowance.