Calculators/ Landscaping/Topsoil Calculator
Topsoil Calculator
Cubic yards and tons of topsoil or garden soil.
Topsoil Calculator
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Topsoil settles, and it settles more than people expect. Freshly delivered soil can lose fifteen percent of its depth within a season, which is why a bed filled level to the rim looks sunken by spring.
How this is calculated
- Volume = area × depth ÷ 12. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, the unit bulk soil is sold in.
- Add a settling allowance of 10 to 20 percent. Screened topsoil settles less than a compost-heavy blend.
- Topsoil weighs roughly 1.1 tons per cubic yard dry, and noticeably more wet, which matters if you are paying by weight.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should topsoil be for a lawn?
Four to six inches of good soil over the subgrade. Raised vegetable beds want ten to twelve inches for root crops.
Why does my soil look lower after a few weeks?
Settling and organic decomposition. A fresh blend with compost can drop more than fifteen percent in the first season.