Yard Material LabFree material estimate
Soil calculator
Estimate additional topsoil or rectangular raised-bed fill from length, width and depth. Compare cubic feet, cubic yards and your chosen extra allowance.
Example values — replace them with your own measurements and specified depth.
Cubic yards = length × width × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27. Your extra allowance is added to that volume.
0% adds nothing. Confirm any allowance with your supplier; it is not an automatic compaction estimate.
Area: 96 square feet
Includes your 0% extra allowance. Planning estimate, not a supplier quote.
Measure the soil you need to add
For an additional topsoil layer, enter the depth of new soil you intend to place. Do not count the soil already beneath it. Measure separate sections if the required depth varies; one rectangle assumes a constant depth over its whole area.
For a rectangular raised bed, use the inside dimensions and the remaining fill depth. Existing soil and other material occupying the bed reduce the space to fill. The calculator measures volume; it does not determine soil suitability, drainage or a recommended growing depth.
Example: a 12 ft by 8 ft area
A 12-foot by 8-foot rectangle covers 96 square feet. An example fill depth of 6 inches equals 0.5 feet. The required volume is 96 × 0.5 = 48 cubic feet, or 48 ÷ 27 = 1.78 cubic yards. The example depth is for this calculation only.
If you deliberately add 10% extra allowance, the estimate becomes 52.8 cubic feet, or 1.96 cubic yards. This is a simple addition to volume, not a prediction of how a particular soil will settle. Ask your supplier how to allow for the product and delivery conditions.
Convert your estimate to bags or bulk delivery
Check the volume printed on the exact soil bag. For a 1.5-cubic-foot bag, the example without an allowance needs 48 ÷ 1.5 = 32 bags. With the 10% allowance, 52.8 ÷ 1.5 = 35.2 bags, so an order in whole bags would be 36 bags.
Bulk soil may be sold by cubic yard or by weight. Confirm the supplier’s conversion, minimum quantity and rounding rule instead of applying a generic density. For a mix of materials, calculate each component separately; this tool does not prescribe a soil blend.