Planning a new lawn, a garden bed or a raised bed? Enter the area and the depth of soil you want to see the volume to order in bulk, or the number of bags to buy from a garden center.
Soil weight varies a lot with moisture and organic content. The default of 2,200 lb per cubic yard (about 1.3 t/m³) is a typical middle value.
Formula
Volume = Area × Depth
Bulk soil is normally sold by the cubic yard (or cubic metre). Bagged soil is sold by volume in cubic feet or litres.
Worked example
A 12 ft × 10 ft bed filled 4 inches deep needs 120 × 0.333 = 40 ft³ = 1.48 yd³ of topsoil — about 56 bags of 0.75 ft³ once you add 5% for settling.
How deep should topsoil be?
New lawns: 4–6 inches (10–15 cm). Flower and vegetable beds: 8–12 inches (20–30 cm). Topdressing an existing lawn: about 1/4–1/2 inch (0.5–1 cm).
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of soil make a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 ft³, so it takes 27 one-cubic-foot bags, 36 bags of 0.75 ft³ or 18 bags of 1.5 ft³.
Should I order extra topsoil?
Yes — soil settles after watering and compaction, often by 10–20%. Ordering a little extra avoids a second delivery.
Last updated · Calculations checked by automated tests· Editorial policy