How this topsoil calculator works
Topsoil sells by the cubic yard, so this is straight volume math with a settling allowance — and a bag count for jobs below delivery size:
order = yd³ × (1 + allowance%) → rounded up to ¼ yd³ · 36 × 40 lb bags per yard
Worked example: topsoil for a 20 × 10 bed
200 ft² at 4 in is 66.7 ft³ — 2.47 yd³. With 5% for settling the order is 2.75 yd³: about $83 bulk, 94 bags at retail, and roughly 2.75 tons on the truck. One yard spreads 81 ft² at this depth.
How many yards of topsoil by bed size?
| Bed × depth | Order | 40 lb bags |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ft² @ 4″ | 1.5 yd³ | 47 |
| 200 ft² @ 4″ | 2.75 yd³ | 94 |
| 500 ft² @ 4″ | 6.5 yd³ | 234 |
| 1,000 ft² @ 2″ | 6.5 yd³ | 234 |
| 1,000 ft² @ 4″ | 13 yd³ | 467 |
| Job | Depth |
|---|---|
| Topdress a lawn | ½–1″ |
| New lawn (seed/sod) | 4–6″ |
| Cap over fill dirt | 4–6″ |
| Garden beds | 6–12″ |
Topsoil FAQ
How much topsoil do I need?
Area × depth in feet ÷ 27: a 20 × 10 ft bed filled 4 in deep is 2.47 yd³ — order 2.75 cubic yards with 5% settling allowance, about $83 bulk, or 94 forty-pound bags at roughly $282. Bulk wins anything bigger than a flower bed.
How many bags of topsoil make a yard?
About 36 of the standard 40 lb bags (¾ ft³ each) per cubic yard. That is why the bagged column climbs so fast — three pallets of bags is one modest truck drop.
How deep should topsoil be for grass?
4–6 inches of quality topsoil for a new lawn from seed or sod — roots want the full depth. Topdressing an existing lawn is the opposite job: ½–1 inch raked in, never enough to smother the grass.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
About 2,000 lb — a short ton — dry and screened, and up to 2,400–2,700 lb after rain. The calculator shows the hauling weight of your order; a half-ton pickup is genuinely full at half a yard.
How much does topsoil cost?
Bulk screened topsoil commonly runs $20–50 per cubic yard delivered in 2026 — the default job is about $83. Bagged soil works out to 3–4× bulk per yard; it only wins on jobs too small for a delivery fee.
Should I use topsoil or fill dirt?
Topsoil is the growing layer — the top 4–6 inches where roots live. Fill dirt is the structural subsoil below it. Build grade with fill, cap with topsoil; using topsoil as deep fill wastes money and settles as its organics break down.
Embed this topsoil calculator on your site
Run the topsoil calculator on your own site, free. Paste the snippet where you want it; the visible credit link is the only condition.