How much topsoil to order — in cubic yards, cubic feet and tons — to level ground or top up beds and lawns.
How the topsoil calculator works
Give the area and depth and this topsoil calculator shows the volume in cubic yards and the approximate weight in tons, plus a bag estimate. It’s handy for lawn leveling, regrading and bed building.
Topsoil weighs roughly 1.1 tons per cubic yard when dry, so the tonnage helps when a supplier prices by weight.
Getting your answer
- Enter your area and choose rectangular or round.
- Set the depth — a thin dressing for leveling, more for new beds.
- Read cubic yards and tons, and add a price to estimate cost.
The formula
volume (ft³) = length × width × depth
cubic yards = ft³ ÷ 27
tons ≈ cubic yards × 1.1 (≈2,200 lb per yd³)
Worked example
The calculator opens with a length of 10, width of 10, diameter of 10. On those figures the material needed is 1.23. Underneath, Cubic yards comes out at 1.23 and Cubic feet at 33.3. Change any field and every figure updates as you type.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons is a yard of topsoil?
Roughly 1.1 tons per cubic yard when fairly dry. Wet topsoil weighs noticeably more.
How much topsoil to level a lawn?
A thin dressing of ¼–½ inch is normal for leveling. For low spots add up to an inch and reseed rather than burying existing grass.
Do I need topsoil or fill dirt?
Use fill dirt to build up volume cheaply under the surface, and save topsoil for the top few inches where things grow.