Chalk and Tape

Last reviewed:

Topsoil Calculator

Use this topsoil calculator to find how many cubic yards of topsoil an area takes, and what the order weighs in pounds and tons.

  • Instant answer as you type
  • Nothing you type is sent anywhere
  • Worked example with clear steps

Your measurements

ft
ft
in
We found no source for a topsoil depth. 4 is an example value, not a recommendation. The limit of 120 is ours.
%
We found no source for an extra on topsoil, so it starts at 0. The limits are ours.
Bag size and price (optional)

Your bag's size is printed on it. The price is yours: we state none, and we store and show no prices.

ft³
$ per yd³

Result

Calculated live
Topsoil to order 66.67 ft³, 0% extra
2.47 yd³
Weight of the order 5,333 lb at 80 lb/ft³
2.67 tons
Volume as measured 2.47 yd³
66.67 ft³
Area 4 in deep
200 ft²

Based on NIST SP 811 USDA NRCS Rangeland Sheet 4 Engineering ToolBox Full list of sources

Assumptions and constants

You can change

The limits on the other boxes, such as the largest size you can enter, are ours, not from a source.

Weight of one cubic foot of soil Typical value

lb/ft³

The Engineering ToolBox lists loam at 80 pounds per cubic foot. It is the only source we found for the weight of delivered soil. Moisture and soil type change it: enter your supplier's figure.

Allowed range: 20 to 200 lb per ft³. The limits are ours.

Fixed values (exact definitions and references)

These are exact definitions and cannot be edited.

Cubic feet in a cubic yard Reference [1]

27 ft³ per yd³

3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft.

Inches in a foot Reference [1]

12 in per ft

The foot is 0.3048 m and the inch is 0.0254 m, both exact, so 12 inches make a foot.

Pounds in a US ton Reference [1]

2,000 lb per ton

The short ton of 2,000 lb, used by US suppliers.

How to use the topsoil calculator

  1. Pick Rectangle, Circle or Triangle, then enter the area's size in feet.
  2. Enter the Depth you want, in inches.
  3. Check Extra to order. Open Assumptions and constants to change the Weight of one cubic foot of soil.
  4. Read Topsoil to order and Weight of the order.
  5. Use Copy result or Print, and confirm the amount with your supplier.

How many cubic yards of topsoil do I need?

To find the volume in cubic feet, multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 12. Divide that by 27 for cubic yards, since a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. [1]

We found no source for an extra on topsoil, so Extra to order starts at 0. Ask your supplier how much to add for settling.

Worked example

An area 20 ft long and 10 ft wide is 20 x 10 = 200 square feet. At 4 in deep, 200 x 4 / 12 = 66.67 cubic feet, and 66.67 / 27 = 2.47 cubic yards. At 80 pounds per cubic foot, 66.67 x 80 = 5,333 pounds, which is 5,333 / 2,000 = 2.67 tons.

Topsoil area: length 20 ft, width 10 ft An area for topsoil seen from above, a rectangle twice as long as it is wide. Its length, 20 ft, is marked under it and its width, 10 ft, along the right side. From above Length 20 ft Width 10 ft
Drawn to scale for an area 20 ft long and 10 ft wide. The depth, 4 in, goes into the page. The calculator turns the area and the depth into cubic yards and tons.

How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?

The Engineering ToolBox lists loam at 80 pounds per cubic foot, and gives other soils from 76 to 119, wetter soil weighing more than dry. [3]

A yard is 27 cubic feet, so the weight of a yard = 27 x the weight of a cubic foot. Pounds divided by 2,000 gives tons. [1]

Weight of soil per cubic foot and per cubic yard
Soil Pounds per ft³ Pounds per yd³ Tons per yd³
Dirt, loose dry 762,0521.03
Dirt, loose moist 782,1061.05
Loam 802,1601.08
Clay, dry 1002,7001.35
Clay, wet 1102,9701.49
Sand, dry 972,6191.31
Sand, wet 1193,2131.61

Soil in the ground

NRCS says each soil texture has a bulk density, the weight of soil divided by its volume, at which root-restricting conditions may occur. It lists them from 1.40 grams per cubic centimeter for clay to 1.80 for sand. [2] These are limits for soil in the ground, not the weight of a delivered load.

One gram per cubic centimeter is 1,000 / 16.018 = 62.43 pounds per cubic foot. [1]

Root-restricting bulk density of soil in the ground (NRCS)
Texture Grams per cm³ Pounds per ft³
Sand (not loamy very fine sand) 1.80112
Loam, sandy clay loam 1.70106
Silt, silt loam 1.5597
Clay 1.4087

We found one source for the weight of delivered soil: the Engineering ToolBox figure for loam, which this calculator starts at. Ask your supplier for the weight of your soil and enter it under Assumptions and constants.

How do I measure topsoil needed?

For a rectangle, measure the length and the width in feet. For a circle, measure across it. For a triangle, measure the base and the height. Pick the shape above, and the calculator finds the area. For an area of several parts, run it once for each part and add the yards.

How much topsoil for a lawn?

We found no source we can cite for how deep to spread topsoil on a lawn, because it depends on the soil under it. Ask your local extension service, then enter the depth under Depth. The question of how much topsoil levels a low spot is answered below.

How much does topsoil cost?

We state no price. Ask local suppliers for a price per cubic yard, then enter it under Price per cubic yard, in the section Bag size and price (optional) above, to see the total. The site does not store the prices you type.

Common mistakes and limits

  • Mixing units. The size of the area is in feet, but the depth is in inches.
  • Using the dry weight for wet soil. The table shows the same soil heavier when wet, so ask your supplier for the weight of yours.
  • What this tool does not cover: delivery, compaction, the type of soil to buy and its quality.

Frequently asked questions

How many bags of topsoil do I need?

Open Bag size and price (optional) and enter the size printed on your bag. The calculator divides the cubic feet to order by it and rounds up. For the example, bags of 1 cubic foot would take 67 bags (66.67 rounded up); that size is an example.

Is topsoil sold by the cubic yard?

We found no source for how topsoil is sold. Ask your supplier: some sell by volume and some by weight, so this calculator shows both.

Does wet soil weigh more?

The Engineering ToolBox lists sand at 97 pounds per cubic foot dry and 119 wet, and clay at 100 dry and 110 wet. Ask your supplier for the weight of your soil. [3]

How much topsoil do I need to level a lawn?

Measure the low area and the average depth you need to fill, and enter them. For 100 square feet filled 2 in deep, that is 100 x 2 / 12 = 16.67 cubic feet, or 0.62 cubic yards.

Why does the calculator show tons as well as yards?

Some suppliers sell by weight. The weight in pounds is the cubic feet to order times the weight of one cubic foot, and tons are pounds divided by 2,000. [1]

Sources and references

  1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically (SP 811, accessed November 2026). Used for: the inch and foot relationship, the 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, the 2,000 pounds in a ton, and grams per cubic centimeter in pounds per cubic foot.
  2. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Rangeland Soil Quality, Compaction, Soil Quality Information Sheet, Rangeland Sheet 4 (May 2001, accessed November 2026). Used for: the bulk density at which roots are restricted, by soil texture.
  3. The Engineering ToolBox. Dirt and Mud - Densities (accessed November 2026). Used for: the weight of loam and other soils per cubic foot.

How we use sources: methodology.

Estimates only. Confirm quantities with your supplier. See the disclaimer. Found a wrong result? Report an error.