Topsoil calculator: how much topsoil do I need?
0.93 cubic yards
25 cubic feet · for 10 × 10 ft at 3 in
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Enter it the way you measured it: 4.5, 4 1/2,
3/8 or 10' 6".
0.93 cubic yards
25 cubic feet
A 10 by 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs 0.93 cubic yards of topsoil, which is 25 cubic feet. Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard in bulk, so a supplier would deliver 1 cubic yard.
A worked example
An 11 by 4 ft raised bed at 10 inches deep needs 1.36 cubic yards. 36.7 cubic feet, so a 1.5 cubic yard delivery covers it.
What else it is called
Topsoil is sold as screened topsoil, garden soil, and blended or bulk soil, and in bags for a small bed. The volume you need is the same whichever you buy, because it is geometry; what changes between them is the price and how much organic matter is mixed in.
Common sizes
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 ft | 0.40 | 0.60 | 0.80 | 1.19 |
| 10 × 10 ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.24 | 1.86 |
| 10 × 12 ft | 0.75 | 1.12 | 1.49 | 2.23 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 0.89 | 1.34 | 1.78 | 2.67 |
| 12 × 16 ft | 1.19 | 1.78 | 2.38 | 3.56 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 1.98 | 2.97 | 3.96 | 5.93 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 2.47 | 3.71 | 4.94 | 7.41 |
Cubic yards, rounded up to two decimals. Round up again to what your supplier will deliver.
Where the numbers come from
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, exact by definition. The volume of soil to fill an area is that arithmetic and nothing else, so it does not depend on any density we would have to source.
Order by the cubic yard, and buy for the finished depth you want: fresh topsoil settles once it is watered and walked on.
By Javier Miralles · Last updated . How this site is made.
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