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Disclaimer

Every result on this site is an estimate for planning. It is not a supplier ticket, a soil test, or a construction specification.

Volume and weight

Cubic yards are computed as area in square feet times depth in inches divided by 324 (NIST: 1 yd³ = 27 ft³)1. That identity assumes a uniform slab of material. Real yards have ruts, crowns, and old sod. The first yards often disappear into holes you did not measure from the porch.

A cubic yard is treated as about 1.35 tons (roughly 2,700 pounds) for moist screened topsoil and dry sand. That is not USDA oven-dry bulk density, which NRCS shows changes with texture and moisture2. Wet clay, fluffy compost blends, and damp sand all deviate. Your supplier may use 1.2 or 1.5 tons per yard. If they sell by the ton and you thought in yards, convert before you pay. See how many cubic yards are in a ton of topsoil.

Packaging defaults

Bags are modeled as 2 cubic feet and rounded up. Many store bags are 0.75 or 1 cubic foot — convert from the printed volume. Sod rolls are modeled at 10 square feet and pallets at 450 square feet, a common grower cut published by USA Sod and The Grass Outlet17, 19, 18. Farms stack 400 to 600 square feet. Always use the farm’s pallet size for the final order.

Prices

Price tables cite Angi, HomeGuide, and Lawn Love national homeowner ranges (for example Angi topsoil about $10–$55/yd³; HomeGuide sod material about $0.50–$1.00/ft²; HomeGuide sand fill about $15–$30/ton)8, 10, 12. They are not live quotes and not a promise that a yard in your county will match them. See Sources. Delivery, tax, screening, and weekend minimums are usually extra. Regional guides point to USDA Web Soil Survey for the parcel, not a bid.

No professional advice

Depth recommendations start from land-grant extension notes: Penn State asks for 4–6 inches firmed for a new lawn; Illinois wants 6 inches or more of prepared soil; Minnesota describes mounded vegetable beds at 6–8 inches and deeper boxes on pavement4, 5, 25. The calculator presets (1.5 / 4 / 8 inches) are planning starts, not a drainage design or a guarantee that seed will germinate. Slope, water table, HOA rules, and contaminated fill are local problems. Hire someone licensed if the job needs that.

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Contact

If an example on a guide disagrees with the live calculator, email [email protected] with the URL and the inputs. The calculator and its tests are the source of truth.

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. USA Sod. How Many Square Feet Does a Pallet of Sod Cover?. Farms commonly cut 450 sq ft pallets; Florida often 400; some markets 500–600.
  9. CT Sod. How Many Square Feet of Sod Comes on a Pallet?. Warm-season pallets often ~400 sq ft; cool-season 500–600; 2×5 ft rolls = 10 sq ft.
  10. The Grass Outlet. How Many Square Feet in a Pallet of Sod?. Publisher average about 450 sq ft per pallet; range often 400–500+.
  11. 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.
  12. Lawn Love. How Much Does Topsoil Cost in 2026?. Bulk topsoil commonly cited at about $10–$50 per cubic yard, plus delivery.
  13. HomeGuide. How Much Does Sod Cost? (2026). Material $0.30–$0.80/ft²; wholesale pallet often $130–$360 (~450 sq ft). KBG $130–$275; fescue $160–$350; zoysia $315–$585 per pallet.
  14. HomeGuide. Sod Installation Cost (2026). Sod material often $0.50–$1.00/ft²; installed new lawn about $1–$2/ft².
  15. Angi. How Much Does Sod Installation Cost? [2026 Data]. Installed sod commonly $1–$6/ft² including prep; 1,000 sq ft often $1,000–$2,500.
  16. HomeGuide. How Much Does Sand Delivery Cost? (2026). Fill sand about $15–$30/ton; mason $30–$85/ton; play sand $35–$55/ton; delivery often $50–$150.
  17. University of Minnesota Extension. Raised bed gardens. Mounded beds often 6–8 in high. Mix about ½–⅔ topsoil with ⅓–½ plant-based compost. Deeper (1–2 ft) if the bed sits on pavement.
  18. Penn State Extension (York County Master Gardeners). Raised Bed Gardening. A common framed bed is 4 × 8 ft by 1 ft deep — enough for most annual vegetable roots.