---
title: "Topsoil Calculator: Cubic Yards, m³ & Bags | Moss Landings"
description: "Topsoil for a new lawn, raised beds, levelling hollows or top-dressing: cubic yards, m³, bags and bulk, with a settling allowance and weight estimate."
url: https://mosslandings.homes/topsoil-calculator/
---

Lawns, beds & levelling

# Topsoil calculator

Pick the job, measure the area and get the soil to order, in bags or bulk, with an allowance for settling and a rough weight.

## How to use the topsoil calculator

1. **Choose the job.** It fills in a depth from the guides below and a settling allowance; change either.
2. **Measure the area.** For raised beds use the inside length and width and set Count for identical beds.
3. **Tapering fill:** for a dip or a slope that runs from nothing at one edge to the full depth at the other, tick the wedge box and the calculator uses half the depth on average.
4. **Settling:** loose soil sinks as it is firmed and watered, and Penn State gives its lawn depths as firmed or settled depths, so order a little more. The 10% we fill in is a planning allowance, not a published figure; top-dressing starts at 0%.

### How much soil for each job

- **New lawn:** at least 4–6 in (10–15 cm) of good topsoil, firmed or settled (Penn State Extension). Purdue reckons about 19 cubic yards for a 6 in layer over 1,000 sq ft.
- **Raised or new beds:** 6–12 in (15–30 cm) of soil is desirable (Alabama Extension).
- **Top-dressing:** no more than ½ in at a time, light and often (Clemson HGIC); Cornell keeps compost top-dressing to ¼ in per application.

### Worked example

Two raised beds of 8 × 4 ft filled 10 in deep take 64 sq ft × 10/12 ft = 53.3 cu ft. With 10% for settling that is 58.7 cu ft, or 2.17 cu yd: 59 bags of 1 cu ft, or 2.5 cu yd in bulk.

## Sources

- Penn State Extension, [Lawn establishment](https://extension.psu.edu/lawn-establishment): a minimum of 4 to 6 inches (firmed or settled depth) of good-quality topsoil for a new lawn.
- Purdue University Extension, [AY-28-W Establishing lawns from sod](https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ay/ay-28-w.pdf) (PDF): about 19 cubic yards of topsoil make a 6 in layer over 1,000 sq ft.
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, [Raised bed gardening](https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/raised-bed-gardening/): a soil depth of 6 to 12 inches is desirable.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, [Topdressing a home lawn](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/topdressing-a-home-lawn/): no more than ½ inch of material at a time, applied lightly and frequently.
- Cornell University, [Topdressing](https://safesportsfields.cals.cornell.edu/routine-care/topdressing/) (Safe Sports Fields): no more than ¼ inch of compost per application.
- The Engineering ToolBox, [Densities of common products](https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/density-materials-d_1652.html): dry dirt 65–80 lb/ft³; [Dirt and mud densities](https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/dirt-mud-densities-d_1727.html): loam 80 lb/ft³.

## Topsoil questions

**How much topsoil do I need for 1,000 sq ft?**

At 6 inches deep it is 500 cu ft, or 18.5 cubic yards; Purdue rounds it to about 19. At 4 inches it is 333 cu ft, or 12.3 cubic yards. Add your settling allowance on top.

**How much does a cubic yard of topsoil weigh?**

Dry, about 1,750 to 2,150 lb (roughly 0.9 to 1.1 US tons), using the Engineering ToolBox figure of 65 to 80 lb per cubic foot for dry soil. Moist soil weighs more, so check before you load a trailer.

**How deep should topsoil be for a new lawn?**

Penn State Extension calls for at least 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) of good-quality topsoil, measured after it has been firmed or has settled.

**Can I level a lawn by spreading soil over it?**

Only a little at a time. Clemson HGIC advises top-dressing no more than ½ inch at once and letting the grass grow through before the next layer. For deeper dips, lift the turf, fill underneath and relay it.

**How many bags of topsoil make a cubic yard?**

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 27 bags of 1 cu ft, 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres, or twenty 50 L bags.