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Topsoil Cost CalculatorFree yard tools

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Topsoil Calculator

Calculate how much topsoil you need in cubic yards and tons — and what it will cost. Watch the soil bed grow as you change the numbers.

Volume grows with your numbers

6.2 yd³

Shape
Units
Project
Your price
Priced as

Mode 1 — unit price. Leave blank for the published band (Sources). Type your supplier's $/yd or $/ton to lock the total.

Cubic yards
6.2
Tons
8.4
2 cu ft bags
84
Pickup loads
2.5
Est. cost (screened)
$93–$154
Area
500 ft²

Topsoil price reference

TypeTypical priceNotes
Basic fill dirt$10–20 / yd³Low end of Angi 2026 $10–$55/yd³ span
Screened topsoil$15–25 / yd³Overlap of Angi screened loam $18–$26
Premium / organic blendsUpper Angi $10–$55 / yd³Compost and specialty rows — confirm locally

Planning bands, not invoices. Angi's 2026 table lists about $10–$55/yd³ by type (screened loam $18–$26) and delivery often $50–$150/trip8. Lawn Love cites about $10–$50/yd³ bulk9. Our $15–$25 screened default sits in that overlap.

How much topsoil do I need?

Use the calculator above. Enter the project area and the depth you want. The tool converts those numbers into cubic yards and tons — the two units suppliers actually sell by — then estimates bags, pickup loads, and material cost.

The topsoil formula

Cubic yards = (length × width × depth in inches) ÷ 324. NIST defines 1 cubic yard as 27 cubic feet; 27 × 12 inches = 324 square feet at 1 inch1. A 500 sq ft lawn at 4 inches needs about 6.2 cubic yards. We treat one cubic yard of moist screened topsoil as about 1.35 tons (2,700 lb). That is an as-delivered planning factor, not USDA oven-dry bulk density, which NRCS shows varies by texture (silt loam example ≈ 1.33 g/cm³)2, 3. Bags are treated as 2 cubic feet and always rounded up, so that 6.2-yard example is 84 bags, not 83.

How much does topsoil cost?

Angi's 2026 homeowner table spans about $10–$55 per cubic yard by product, with screened loam near $18–$26 and delivery often $50–$150 per trip8. This calculator's $15–$25 screened default is the overlapping planning band, not a local bid. Organic and “super loam” mixes sit higher on that same table. The on-screen cost is material only unless you paste a delivered ticket into total-price mode. Longer notes live in how much topsoil costs per yard, plus regional pages for Texas, California, and Florida.

How many inches of topsoil do I need?

  • New lawn: 4–6 inches firmed — Penn State Extension; Illinois Extension wants 6 inches or more of prepared soil4, 5
  • After a rough grade, Nebraska Extension says replace topsoil to a minimum of about 4 inches before sod6
  • Top-dressing an existing lawn: Clemson HGIC says no more than ½ inch per pass on living turf. This site's 1.5 in preset is for filling low spots or a thin layer you will work in — not one smothering dump. Penn State and Illinois establishment notes are about a new root zone, not a thick cap dumped on old turf29, 4, 5

Depth is the number people guess. An extra inch on 1,000 square feet is 3.1 yards. Read the depth guide before you “just add a little more.” For a raised box, measure inside the lumber and use soil depth, not board height — the raised-bed walk-through has 4×8 and 4×12 examples.

Screened soil, fill, and bags

Fill dirt raises a hole. Screened topsoil is what grass and beds grow in. Potting mix belongs in pots. If those three words have been blurred on a receipt, start with screened topsoil vs fill dirt and how many bags you actually need. A new 1,000 square-foot lawn at 4 inches is a bulk truck (12.3 yards), not a hatchback of bags.

Guides that use this calculator

Common questions

How much topsoil do I need?+

NIST Handbook 44: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, so cubic yards = area in square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324. Penn State Extension asks for 4–6 inches firmed on a new lawn. At 4 inches, 500 sq ft needs 6.2 yards (8.4 tons); 1,000 sq ft needs 12.3 yards (16.6 tons). Type your own rectangle or circle in the calculator above.

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

At 4 inches deep, 1,000 sq ft needs about 12.3 cubic yards of topsoil (1,000 × 4 ÷ 324). NIST: 1 yd³ = 27 ft³, so coverage is 324 sq ft at 1 inch. That is roughly 16.6 tons at this site’s 1.35 t/yd moist planning factor (not NRCS oven-dry bulk density).

How much topsoil do I need for 500 sq ft?+

At 4 inches, 500 sq ft is 6.2 cubic yards and about 8.4 tons. That is the default example on this page (20 × 25 ft). Penn State Extension asks for 4–6 inches firmed for a new lawn.

How many inches of topsoil should I use?+

Penn State Extension: 4–6 inches firmed for a new lawn. Illinois Extension: 6 inches or more of prepared soil. Minnesota Extension: mounded vegetable beds often 6–8 inches; this site’s bed preset is 8 inches. Clemson HGIC: no more than ½ inch per pass on living turf. This site’s 1.5 in preset is for low spots or a thin layer you will work in, not one smothering dump.

How much does a yard of topsoil cover?+

NIST: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, so one yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, or 81 square feet at 4 inches deep.

How much does topsoil cost per yard?+

Angi’s 2026 table spans about $10–$55/yd³ by type (screened loam $18–$26); Lawn Love cites about $10–$50/yd³ bulk; delivery often $50–$150. This site’s $15–$25 screened default is that overlap, not a local bid.

How many bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?+

A yard is 27 cubic feet (NIST). At 2 cubic feet per bag that is 14 bags after rounding up. The 500 sq ft × 4 in example is 84 of those bags.

How many cubic yards are in a ton of topsoil?+

At this site’s 1.35 t/yd moist planning factor, one ton is about 0.74 cubic yards. NRCS bulk density is oven-dry and varies by texture — do not treat a 10-ton quote as 10 yards.

Should I buy screened topsoil or fill dirt?+

Fill dirt raises grade. Screened topsoil is the last 4 inches under grass or the mineral half of a bed mix. Do not sod on raw fill.

Does the 10% waste toggle change my lawn size?+

No. Waste increases the order quantity only. The measured area stays what you typed.

Can I enter a supplier’s total price instead of a unit price?+

Yes. Use total-quote mode and type the ticket. The tool shows the implied price per yard or per ton so you can compare yards.

How many 40 lb bags of topsoil in a cubic yard?+

A 40 lb bag is sold by weight. Count the cubic feet printed on the sack (NIST Handbook 44: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet). A 0.75 cubic-foot sack is 36 bags per yard; a 0.5 cubic-foot sack is 54 bags (27 ÷ 0.5). This calculator uses 2-cubic-foot bags — 14 per yard after rounding up. The 500 sq ft × 4 in example is 84 of those 2 cu ft bags. Weight is not volume: moisture changes how heavy the same cubic feet feel.

How much does 4 yards of topsoil cost?+

Four cubic yards of screened topsoil at this site’s $15–$25 planning band is about $60–$100 for material. Angi 2026 spans about $10–$55/yd³ by type, so 4 yards can land near $40–$220 before delivery (often $50–$150). Fill dirt sits lower; premium blends sit higher. The same $15–$25 band is $75–$125 for 5 yards, $210–$350 for 14 yards, and $270–$450 for 18 yards. Bagged soil costs more per yard — 4 yards is 54 of this calculator’s 2-cubic-foot bags. Type a local unit price or a total ticket above.

Sources

Numbers on this page are planning figures. Follow the link for the original table or standard. Full list: Sources.

  1. NIST. Handbook 44, Appendix C — General Tables of Units of Measurement. 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet. Coverage identity: 27 × 12 = 324 sq ft at 1 inch.
  2. USDA NRCS. Soil Bulk Density / Moisture / Aeration (Soil Quality Kit). Oven-dry bulk density varies by texture; silt loam example ≈ 1.33 g/cm³. Not the same as a wet truckload.
  3. South Dakota State University Extension. Bulk Density is an Indicator of Soil Health. Ideal bulk-density bands by texture (NRCS table). 1 g/cm³ ≈ 62.3 lb/ft³.
  4. Penn State Extension. Lawn Establishment. Minimum 4–6 inches (firmed) of quality topsoil to establish turf; blend into subsoil.
  5. University of Illinois Extension. Preparing Lawn Soil and Site. Aim for six inches or more of well-prepared soil before seed or sod.
  6. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. Establishing Lawns From Sod. Replace topsoil to a minimum of about 4 inches after rough grade; sod often cut 0.25–0.5 in thick.
  7. University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Establishing a Lawn From Sod (FSA-2042). About 19 cubic yards of topsoil make a 6-inch layer over 1,000 sq ft; sample the upper 4–6 inches.
  8. Clemson Cooperative Extension (HGIC). Topdressing A Home Lawn. On established turf, apply no more than ½ inch of topdressing at a time so the canopy is not smothered.
  9. Angi. What Is the Cost of Topsoil? [2026 Data]. National homeowner bands: about $10–$55/yd³ by type; screened loam $18–$26; delivery often $50–$150/trip.
  10. Lawn Love. How Much Does Topsoil Cost in 2026?. Bulk topsoil commonly cited at about $10–$50 per cubic yard, plus delivery.