How much topsoil do you need?
The fastest way to figure out how much topsoil to buy is to 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: keep it thin (this site's 1.5 in preset). Penn State and Illinois establishment notes are about a new root zone, not a thick cap dumped on old turf — work a thin layer in so it does not form a barrier4, 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.