Topsoil Calculator

One cubic yard of clean, screened topsoil averages approximately 2,300 pounds, which equals 1.15 short tons under typical moisture conditions.

• Dry sandy loam topsoil: ~2,000 to 2,200 lbs per cubic yard (1.0 to 1.1 tons).
• Standard screened topsoil: ~2,200 to 2,400 lbs per cubic yard (1.1 to 1.2 tons).
• Wet, saturated clay topsoil: ~2,600 to 2,900+ lbs per cubic yard (1.3 to 1.45 tons).

A standard 1/2-ton pickup truck can haul approximately 1 cubic yard of dry topsoil safely without exceeding payload capacity.

The fundamental difference lies in their composition, organic enrichment, and intended gardening use:

• Topsoil: The native mineral layer of earth (sand, silt, and clay) with around 2% to 10% organic matter. It provides heavy physical structure, good drainage density, and is ideal for building berms, grading around foundations, and leveling lawns before sod or seed.
• Garden Soil: An enriched blend created by combining topsoil with organic matter like mushroom compost, aged manure, worm castings, peat moss, and vermiculite. It is designed to resist soil compaction, retain balanced moisture, and feed vegetable and flower roots in raised beds.

One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet of material:

• 0.75 cubic foot bags (40 lb standard bags): Exactly 36 bags equal 1 cubic yard (27 ÷ 0.75 = 36).
• 1.0 cubic foot bags: Exactly 27 bags equal 1 cubic yard.
• 0.5 cubic foot bags: Exactly 54 bags equal 1 cubic yard.

Most topsoil sold at home improvement centers (like Scotts or Earthgro) is packaged in 0.75 cu. ft. bags.

To calculate soil for any rectangular or square raised garden bed:

1. Measure the interior Length and Width in feet.
2. Measure the depth in inches, and subtract 1 to 2 inches for watering headspace.
3. Multiply: Length (ft) × Width (ft) × (Depth in inches ÷ 12) = Total Cubic Feet.
4. Divide total cubic feet by 27 to find cubic yards.

Example: A 4 ft × 8 ft raised bed with an 8-inch soil depth requires 4 × 8 × (8 ÷ 12) = 21.33 cubic feet, or 0.79 cubic yards (~29 bags of 0.75 cu. ft. soil). Add 10% for settling.