Topsoil Calculator
Find how many yards or bags of topsoil you need, and what it will cost.
Measure your project
Your answer
That weighs about 2.17 tons. We added 10% extra.
If you buy bags
Which costs less?
This price is for picking it up yourself. Add a delivery fee in "Change prices" if they bring it.
Prices are US middle prices from Oct 2026. Bulk topsoil is screened, and you pick it up (13 yards). The 40 lb bag price is from only 2 stores. Ask your store for their price.
Quick answers
- How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
- About 0.8 tons (1,600 lb), loose. Loamy soil can weigh up to about 1.05 tons, and wet soil weighs more.
- How much does a yard cover?
- 81 sq ft at 4 in deep, or 162 sq ft at 2 in.
- How many bags make a yard?
- About 40 bags of 40 lb.
- How deep for a new lawn?
- Dig and mix the soil 4–6 in deep, says The Lawn Institute. That is how deep to work it, not new soil to add.
How to work it out
- Measure the length and width of the area in feet.
- Choose how deep the soil will be, in inches. Divide that by 12 to change it to feet.
- Multiply the length, width and depth. The answer is in cubic feet.
- Divide the cubic feet by 27. Now you have cubic yards.
- For weight, multiply cubic yards by 0.8 tons.
20 × 10 × 0.333 = 66.7 cubic feet
66.7 ÷ 27 = 2.47 cubic yards
2.47 × 0.8 = 1.98 tons
Topsoil for common areas
Find your area on the left. Then read across to your depth. Each number is in cubic yards of loose soil, with no extra.
| Area | 2 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| 250 sq ft | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 |
| 500 sq ft | 3.1 | 6.2 | 9.3 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.2 | 12.3 | 18.5 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 12.3 | 24.7 | 37.0 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 30.9 | 61.7 | 92.6 |
For example, 1,000 sq ft at 4 in deep is 12.3 cubic yards. That weighs about 9.9 tons.
Weight, tons and bags
Yards sell topsoil by the cubic yard or by the ton. Stores sell it in bags by weight. So you need to know what it weighs.
Caterpillar's earthwork tables put loose topsoil at 0.8 tons a cubic yard. Loamy soil weighs more, up to about 1.05 tons.
| Soil | Weight | Cubic yards in 1 ton | 40 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil, loose | 1,600 lb (0.8 tons) | 1.25 | 40 |
| Loamy soil | 2,100 lb (1.05 tons) | 0.95 | 53 |
Caterpillar says soil weight changes with how wet it is.
One 40 lb bag holds about 0.5 to 0.7 cubic feet. Heavier soil takes less space.
Bags or bulk?
Our middle price for bulk screened topsoil is $40 a cubic yard. That is from 13 US yards, at $35–$55.
A 40 lb bag costs about $4.73. That price is weak: we found it at only 2 stores. A cubic yard in bags is 40 bags, or about $189.
You pay a fee to have bulk soil brought to you. Yards we checked charged $50–$100 nearby. Many want an order of 2–3 cubic yards or more.
Take a 2 cubic yard job with a $100 delivery fee. In bags, that is 80 bags of 40 lb, or about $378. Bulk would be about $180 with the fee.
Those 80 bags also weigh 3,200 lb, and you lift each one.
Some yards also sell fill dirt. Our middle price is $24 a cubic yard, from 5 yards. It weighs about 1 ton a cubic yard. Ask the yard which soil suits your job.
Soil for a new lawn
The Lawn Institute says to till the soil 4–6 in deep before you plant. The University of Maryland Extension says the same.
NC State Extension says to mix anything you add, like compost, into the top 6–8 in.
Maryland also says to spread 1–2 in of compost first. For 1,000 sq ft, that is about 3.1–6.2 cubic yards.
These are digging depths. We found no US expert figure for how much new topsoil to bring in. So measure the low spots, and pick the depth you need.
Will it settle?
Loose soil settles over time. We found no official figure for how much. One supplier, Palmetto, says to add 10% for settling, so the calculator starts there. NC State says to water the area so it settles. Then fill any spots that sink.
When the truck comes
- Pick a flat spot for the pile, close to where you will use it.
- Lay a tarp down first if the pile goes on grass or a driveway.
- Picture the size. One cubic yard would fill a box 3 ft long, 3 ft wide and 3 ft tall.
- Look at the soil. If screened soil is full of stones or clay lumps, call the yard.
- Spread it out, and rake it level before you plant.
Questions people ask
How much topsoil do I need?
Measure the area in feet and pick a depth. Square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 gives cubic yards. The calculator above adds tons and bags.
How much topsoil is in a yard?
A cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet. Loose topsoil that size weighs about 1,600 lb.
How much does a yard of topsoil cover?
About 81 sq ft at 4 in deep. It covers about 162 sq ft at 2 in, or 54 sq ft at 6 in.
How many yards of topsoil are in a ton?
About 1.25 cubic yards of loose topsoil. Heavy, loamy soil gives about 0.95 cubic yards per ton.
How many bags of topsoil are in a yard?
About 40 bags of 40 lb. Heavier, loamy soil would fill about 53 bags.
How many cubic feet is 40 lb of topsoil?
About 0.5 to 0.7 cubic feet. Heavy or wet soil fills less space for the same weight.
How many pounds is a yard of topsoil?
About 1,600 lb when loose, in Caterpillar's earthwork tables. Loamy soil can reach about 2,100 lb.
How much topsoil do I need for 1,000 square feet?
About 12.3 cubic yards at 4 in deep, or 6.2 cubic yards at 2 in deep.
Where our numbers come from
- Topsoil extra: Palmetto Sand & Gravel (add 10% for settling)
- Material weights: Caterpillar earthwork tables
- Weights of sand, gravel, soil and stone: Tapco weight chart for bulk materials
- New lawn depth: The Lawn Institute
- New lawn depth: University of Maryland Extension
- New lawn soil and settling: NC State Extension (Carolina Lawns)
- Topsoil prices: the middle price of 13 yards (bulk) and 2 stores (bags), Oct 2026
- Fill dirt price: the middle price of 5 US yards (Oct 2026)
- Delivery fees: price lists from 7 US landscape yards (Oct 2026)
Made by BuildersCount. Last checked 3 Oct 2026.
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