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Topsoil calculator: cubic yards and tons of soil or dirt
The short answer
Multiply length by width by depth in feet and divide by 27. A 30 by 20 foot area, 4 inches deep, takes 7.41 cubic yards of topsoil. Weight depends on moisture: one county table puts dry soil near 2,025 pounds a yard and wet soil near 2,106, so that’s about 7.5 tons or a little more.
Enter the area and depth for a new lawn, a raised bed or a low spot. You’ll get cubic yards, tons and bags, and a price if you’re quoting it.
Topsoil you need
7.41 cubic yards
Roughly 7.41 tons, spread 4 inches deep over 600 square feet.
- Tons, at your figure
- 7.41
- Cubic feet
- 200
- 0.75 cubic foot bags
- 267
Price for this job
- Materials (7.41 × $40.00)
- $296.30
- Labor
- $0.00
- Markup
- $59.26
- Price to quote
- $355.56
How it works
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27. This works for topsoil, fill dirt, compost or anything else you spread.
| Depth | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | 6.17 |
| 4 inches | 12.35 |
| 6 inches | 18.52 |
| 12 inches | 37.04 |
Yards or tons
The calculator starts at 1 ton a cubic yard. A Los Angeles County conversion table (opens in a new tab) lists dry soil at 2,025 pounds and wet soil at 2,106 pounds a yard. It’s a debris table, so treat it as a rough guide. Screened topsoil, fill and wet loads all weigh differently, so ask your supplier.
Laying sod on top? The sod calculator or grass seed calculator covers the next step.
Common questions
How much topsoil do I need?
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
How do I calculate dirt for a hole or low spot?
How much soil fits in my truck?
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The next job starts with a phone call
CoveDesk picks up when you’re loading the truck, takes the details and texts them to you.