Topsoil calculator
Calculate this loadA new lawn wants about 4–6 inches of topsoil. A tired lawn can take a 1-inch dressing. Measure the area and we will do the yards.
Project calculator
Area 1
Cubic yards
0.93 yd³
Tons
1.02 t
2 cu ft bags
13
Estimated cost
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Topsoil planning density 1.1 t/yd³ (USDA NRCS / extension typical screened topsoil 2,000–2,600 lb/yd³). Order 1 yd³ with 5% waste. 3 cu ft bags: 9.
Screened topsoil is mineral soil plus enough organic matter to grow grass, sold by the loose yard. Extension and NRCS figures put typical screened topsoil around 2,000–2,600 lb/yd³. We use 1.1 tons per yard. Compost-heavy blends are lighter; wet clay loam is heavier.
Depth depends on what you are doing. Overseeding a thin lawn: 0.5–1 inch, then rake in. New sod on poor subgrade: 4–6 inches. Raised beds: 8–12 inches of a mix, not straight fill dirt. Do not bury existing grass under 6 inches and hope — sheet-mulch or kill it first or you will grow a spring surprise.
Topsoil is a poor substitute for structural fill under a patio. It compresses. Use dirt or gravel base where you need bearing, and save topsoil for the living layer.
If you are blending with compost, calculate the topsoil volume first, then add compost as a percentage (20–30% is common in beds). The share link stores the geometry without your address.
Formula
Yards = ft² × depth(ft) ÷ 27. Tons ≈ yards × 1.1 for screened topsoil.
Worked example
A 50 × 20 ft lawn dressed 1 inch is 1,000 × 0.083 ÷ 27 = 3.09 yd³, about 3.4 tons.
Topsoil on the ground
Typical cover is 3 inches. Range 1–1.3 t/yd³. Screened topsoil is lighter than native fill. Compost blends are lighter still.
Density table
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