One cubic yard of topsoil covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches deep, so a 10 × 10 ft area needs about 1.36 cubic yards with 10% extra for settling. That is roughly 1.6 tons, or 49 bags of the common 0.75 cu ft size. For a new lawn, plan on 4 inches at the very least and 6 inches if you can. Enter your own length, width and depth in the QtyLab topsoil calculator to get cubic yards, tons and bags.
The topsoil formula
- Cubic feet = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12
- Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
- Add extra for settling: × 1.10 for 10%
- Tons = cubic yards × about 1.15 (dry-ish topsoil, about 2,300 lb per yard)
- Bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up
Worked example, 10 × 10 ft at 4 in: 10 × 10 × 4 ÷ 12 = 33.3 cu ft. 33.3 ÷ 27 = 1.235 cubic yards. With 10% extra that is 1.358 cubic yards (36.7 cu ft), about 1.56 tons, or 49 bags of 0.75 cu ft. Open this example in the calculator.
Short cut: square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 = cubic yards (before the extra).
How far a yard of topsoil goes
A cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep. Divide 324 by your depth in inches:
| Depth | Area 1 cubic yard covers | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | Filling low spots, topdressing a lawn |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | Leveling a bumpy lawn before seed |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | New lawn (minimum) |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | New lawn (better), garden beds |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft | Raised beds |
These are before the extra for settling. The calculator adds 10% by default.
How much topsoil for common jobs
All rows include 10% extra and use 1.15 tons per yard. Each row opens the calculator with those numbers filled in.
| Job | Cubic yards | Tons | 0.75 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft, 1 in (low spots) | 0.34 | 0.39 | 13 |
| 10 × 10 ft, 2 in | 0.68 | 0.78 | 25 |
| 10 × 10 ft, 4 in | 1.36 | 1.56 | 49 |
| 10 × 10 ft, 6 in | 2.04 | 2.34 | 74 |
| 20 × 10 ft, 4 in | 2.72 | 3.12 | 98 |
| 20 × 20 ft, 4 in | 5.43 | 6.25 | 196 |
| 500 sq ft lawn, 4 in | 6.79 | 7.81 | 245 |
| 500 sq ft lawn, 6 in | 10.19 | 11.71 | 367 |
| 1,000 sq ft lawn, 4 in | 13.58 | 15.62 | 489 |
| 1,000 sq ft lawn, 6 in | 20.37 | 23.43 | 734 |
Raised beds
Use the inside length, width and depth of the bed. The bag counts below are for 1.5 cu ft bags, a common size for bagged garden and raised-bed soil.
| Bed (inside) | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | 1.5 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 8 ft, 6 in deep | 17.6 | 0.65 | 12 |
| 4 × 8 ft, 12 in deep | 35.2 | 1.30 | 24 |
| 4 × 4 ft, 12 in deep | 17.6 | 0.65 | 12 |
Filling several beds? Add up the cubic yards. Past about a yard, a bulk load is usually less money than bags.
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is 27 cu ft: 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft, 27 bags of 1 cu ft, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft. Bags make sense for a raised bed or a few low spots. For a lawn, even 500 sq ft at 4 inches is about 245 small bags, so call a landscape supply yard and ask for the delivered price of screened topsoil by the yard. Some yards sell by the ton instead; the calculator shows both.
How deep should topsoil be?
- New lawn: at least 4 inches of good soil, and 6 inches or more is better for roots (NMSU Extension).
- On clay or sand: mix the new topsoil into the top few inches of the existing ground instead of leaving a separate layer on top. Oklahoma State Extension suggests 4–6 inches worked in on clay and 6–8 inches on sand.
- Low spots and leveling: 1–2 inches at a time so the grass can grow through.
Mistakes that throw the count off
- Forgetting it settles. Loose topsoil drops once it is raked, rolled and watered. Order 10% extra, more if you will firm it hard.
- Mixing up feet and inches. Depth is in inches; divide by 12 before multiplying.
- Using the weight of dry soil for wet soil. A wet yard can weigh 2,600–3,000 lb or more, which matters for a pickup truck. Ask the yard which they mean.
- Measuring an odd shape as one rectangle. Split it into rectangles and add them, or use the Area tab.
- Laying 6 inches on top of hard clay. The two layers stay separate unless you work them together. Loosen the ground and mix the first layer in.
What to buy for 10 × 10 ft at 4 inches
- 1.36 cubic yards of screened topsoil (about 1.6 tons), from a local landscape yard, or 49 bags of 0.75 cu ft from a garden center
- Landscape rake to spread and level it: shop landscape rakes
- Wheelbarrow to move a bulk pile: shop wheelbarrows
- Lawn roller to firm it before seed or sod: shop lawn rollers
- Garden gloves: shop garden gloves
Rather hire it out? Compare quotes from local landscapers on Angi → Angi is our partner. It passes your request to pros in its network.
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Laying sod on the new soil? Use the sod calculator, then the lawn fertilizer calculator. Topping the beds instead? See how much mulch do I need. Filling a path or drainage area with stone? Try the gravel calculator.
FAQ
How much area does a yard of topsoil cover?
About 81 square feet at 4 inches deep, 54 sq ft at 6 inches, 162 sq ft at 2 inches and 324 sq ft at 1 inch, before extra for settling.
How much topsoil do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
About 1.36 cubic yards at 4 inches deep with 10% extra: roughly 1.6 tons or 49 bags of 0.75 cu ft. At 6 inches it is about 2.04 cubic yards.
How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft, 27 bags of 1 cu ft, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
How much topsoil do I need for a 1,000 sq ft lawn?
About 13.6 cubic yards at 4 inches deep or 20.4 cubic yards at 6 inches, both with 10% extra. At about 1.15 tons per yard that is 15.6 or 23.4 tons, so order it in bulk.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Roughly 2,100–2,300 lb when dry and 2,600–3,000 lb or more when wet. The calculator uses 1.15 tons (about 2,300 lb) per yard unless you change it.
Sources: NMSU Extension Guide H-509 (lawn soil depth); Oklahoma State University Extension HLA-6419 (soil preparation for lawns); Select Sand & Gravel (topsoil weight per yard); Scotts Premium Topsoil bag size (0.75 cu ft). Estimates for planning only; confirm with your supplier.